Lawmakers May Halt Gaylord Hotel Project Construction

DENVER (CBS4)- Lawmakers may stop a major construction hotel project in Aurora from being built. A bill advancing through the state Capitol would change the plan for the Gaylord Rockies Hotel and Conference Center.

The measure would require voter approval before renewed tax subsidies would go to developers such as that hotel.

The project is being developed on so-called blighted agricultural land near Denver International Airport.

"Unfortunately the situation that we're talking about is neither urban nor renewal but some very sophisticated attorneys and some developers have figured out a way to skirt the intent of the urban renewal laws and generate hundreds of millions of dollars of our money, your money, my money, to subsidize their efforts," said Senate President Bill Cadman, a Republican representing Colorado Springs.

"We followed the letter of the law. We followed a fair and transparent process. We obtained approval from every tax jurisdiction," said Wendy Mitchell, CEO of the Aurora Development Economic Council.

The bill passed out of a Senate committee on Friday and will be introduced to the full state Senate on Monday.