Newsroom
TAPP Gives September Update on Tourism and Local Economy
September 29, 2025
The Tourism and Prosperity Partnership (TAPP) presented its September update to county commissioners last week, reviewing recent tourism trends, marketing strategies, and efforts to diversify the local economy.
Tourism remains a major driver, with $372.5 million in visitor spending reported for 2024, supporting about 2,600 jobs in Gunnison County. Still, 2025 has been uneven. Winter visitation dropped after a slow start to ski season and heavy reliance on the Front Range drive market, a trend that highlights the risks of depending too heavily on last-minute, snow-dependent visitors. Spring and summer performed better, with May and June visitation up 20 percent compared to 2024, though most of that growth was in the South Valley. Visitors tended to stay longer and spend more, which helped lift sales tax revenues in Gunnison.
Marketing efforts have been broad, targeting outdoor audiences like gravel bikers and mountain bikers. TAPP reported experimenting with platforms such as Reddit to reach niche groups and leaned on content creators to boost visibility. Flights into Gunnison saw a strong summer, with a 73 percent load factor despite expanded capacity. While these numbers are encouraging, questions remain about how much online engagement actually translates into local bookings and business activity.
For the coming winter, TAPP will launch its marketing campaign a month earlier and put more emphasis on fly markets, particularly Chicago, while pulling back from the drive market. The shift aims to attract visitors who stay longer and spend more, but it also represents a gamble in a competitive ski market where Utah has been gaining ground. Lodging rates are up, but occupancy is slipping—a reminder that higher spending per visitor does not always offset fewer guests in town.
Beyond tourism, TAPP highlighted its work with the ICELab and Western Colorado University. Since 2019, the ICELab has worked with over 40 companies and helped create more than 70 jobs, many paying above $60,000. They also report $7.8 million in additional company revenue and dozens of internships for Western students. Construction of “The Hub,” a new business space on North Main Street, is underway with plans to open by year’s end. While these efforts show progress, commissioners pressed for more context to understand the true scale of the impact, noting that raw numbers alone don’t always paint a full picture.
Looking ahead, TAPP is budgeting conservatively for 2026, projecting flat revenues despite early signs of stronger collections. For local businesses, the key takeaway is that tourism remains strong but volatile, and while diversification efforts are underway, the valley still faces questions about how to balance seasonal dependence with sustainable year-round economic growth.
Ballot Question Seeks 12.5 Mill Levy for New Gunnison Fire Station
September 18, 2025
The current Gunnison firehouse at 217 W. New York Avenue was built in 1974, when firefighters converted a metal storage building into a station. More than 50 years later, it no longer meets modern standards for space, safety, or efficiency. Nearly $17 million in equipment assets remain unprotected because the structure does not meet basic building or fire codes.
At its Aug. 26 meeting, the Gunnison City Council approved placing a ballot measure before voters this November to replace the station. The project is estimated to cost $35 million. If approved, construction could begin as early as next year.
The proposal calls for a 12.5 mill property tax levy that would raise about 2.17 million dollars in its first year. The levy would be in place for 20 years, with the portion dedicated to paying off construction costs scheduled to sunset after that period. At that point, the levy would drop to 6 mills to fund ongoing fire protection services. The city projects annual facility costs of about 2.9 million dollars for 20 years, along with increases of about 164,000 dollars to the annual operating budget and 215,000 dollars to the annual capital budget. For comparison, the annual operating expenditures of a paid fire department average between 4 and 6 million dollars.
In Colorado, property taxes are based on assessed value, not full market value. The county assessor determines the market value, which is then multiplied by an assessment rate set by the state. Residential property is currently taxed at about 6.7 percent of its market value, while commercial property is taxed at about 27.9 percent.
For example, with the proposed 12.5 mill levy, a residential property worth $500,000 would see an annual increase of about $420. A commercial property worth the same amount would owe about $1,740 more per year. A commercial property valued at one million dollars would face an increase of roughly $3,600 annually.
A needs assessment conducted this summer identified risks in the current station, including outdated ventilation, cramped bays, lack of fire suppression systems, and living arrangements that affect response times. Fire Chief Hugo Ferchau noted that as volunteers live further away from Gunnison, the department is seeing longer response times and fewer firefighters available during certain hours. City Manager Amanda Wilson said the volunteer fire department currently saves residents millions each year compared to the cost of staffing a full paid department.
To provide more information on the ballot measure, the Chamber, the City of Gunnison, and the Gunnison Volunteer Fire Department are hosting an informational Q&A session on October 6 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Gunnison Library, Community Room B, 1 Quartz Street.
Residents, business owners, and property owners are invited to attend and learn more before the November election.
Here are the key figures behind the proposal:
By the Numbers
Cost to build new fire station: $35 million plus financing
Annual facility cost: about $2.9 million for 20 years
Annual increase to operating budget: about $164,000
Annual increase to capital budget: about $215,000
Proposed tax: 12.5 mills for 20 years, then sunsets to 6 mills
Estimated first-year revenue: $2.17 million
Residential tax rate: 6.7% of market value
Commercial tax rate: 27.9% of market value
Impact examples: a $500,000 home would pay about $420 more each year; a $500,000 commercial property about $1,740 more; a $1 million commercial property about $3,600 more
Council Considers City Sales Tax Collection Change
September 1, 2025
On Aug. 26, Gunnison City Council discussed changing how the City of Gunnison’s sales tax is collected from local businesses. Council expressed support for shifting collection from the City to the State of Colorado — a move that could reduce complexity for businesses, save staff resources, and free up revenue for economic development.
Currently, the City collects its own sales tax, a practice that began years ago when Colorado charged municipalities a 2% collection fee that nearly tripled Gunnison’s internal costs. With that state fee now eliminated, council is weighing whether to transition to the State’s Sales & Use Tax System (SUTS). The shift would allow businesses to file through a single statewide portal and reduce demands on City staff.
Another key consideration is the City’s vendor service fee. Gunnison currently offers a 4% vendor fee — the highest in Colorado — allowing businesses to retain a portion of the City sales tax they collect if they file on time. Other municipalities have already moved to reduce or eliminate this incentive. If Gunnison follows suit, the City could redirect nearly $400,000 annually toward local economic priorities, such as helping launch a new Economic Development Corporation.
The City’s Economic Development Strategic Plan calls for creating an EDC as an independent, nonprofit public–private partnership. The EDC would not be a City department but a collaborative entity governed by a board with representation from local institutions such as the Chamber of Commerce, Western Colorado University, Gunnison Valley Health, and the City itself. Its work would be focused on small business support, workforce development, business retention and expansion, and downtown revitalization.
Council voiced support for both transitioning to State collection and reducing or eliminating the vendor fee. City staff have been directed to prepare options, which will return to council for further discussion and possible adoption in the coming months.
City officials emphasized that the current discussion does not raise the City sales tax rate. The rate remains the same. The proposals under consideration only affect how the City’s sales tax is collected and whether businesses retain the 4% vendor service fee. Any funds redirected to the City are proposed to be used for communitywide economic development efforts, including the creation of the EDC. No changes take effect immediately. New policies would require formal ordinances, public hearings, and council approval before implementation.