Parking Controversy In Breckenridge Is Back On The Slopes
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - There's a messy disagreement between the Town of Breckenridge and the Breckenridge Ski Resort.
As CBS4 first reported last year, the Breckenridge City Council passed a lift ticket tax and promised to use the money for major parking upgrades. Now the resort is crying foul after the town decided not to build a new parking garage.
When the town wanted to raise the chair lift tax on Breckenridge Ski Resort users the resort fought it. Eventually both sides worked out a compromise. But now it appears that cooperation is gone, replaced with anger and frustration.
"I think this is bad. I don't like this. This doesn't make being mayor Breckenridge fun, I can tell you that," Breckenridge Mayor Eric Mamula said.
"We feel like we've been let down on a trust issue," said John Buhler, Breckenridge Ski Resort Chief Operating Officer.
It's a mayor and the chief operating officer facing off over an issue most people there thought was already settled.
"They're now sort of coming up with this line that it was all about a parking structure, and that is not the truth," Mamula said.
Breckenridge Ski Resort officials launched a public campaign demanding the town construct a new parking garage -- something they say was promised. The town, however, changed directions and decided to not build the garage and instead direct the new lift tax money to other transportation spending.
"We're pressing ahead with what we feel is the needs of the community and trying to fix these problems that we have," Mamula said. "It is a real shame that the ski area is now deciding that they don't want to be part of the solution."
But for the resort it comes down to the garage. If it's not built they say they won't back down the pressure.
"The parking structure was the core was the debate and the reason for that tax and the reason for it now," Buhler said. "So, no, we don't think it's fair to change and move away from this process."
The town is paying for more studies on parking and transportation and waiting for that information to come back. The town is also directing a lot of the tax funds to improving the bus services.
