Gilpin County Bouncing Back After Hard Hits From Pandemic With Grand Opening Of Massive Casino

BLACK HAWK, Colo. (CBS4) - The Monarch Casino Resort Spa has been open and functional for years now, but the grand opening this week finalized the last bits of the $400 million construction project over the last decade.

"We are part of Colorado and we are here to make sure Colorado grows and thrives and that we are a huge part of Colorado's success," Erica Ferris, Director of Marketing at Monarch Casino Resort Spa said Wednesday.

It's a triumphant return to open business in the heavily gaming based economy for the mountain town. Gilpin County recorded a $6.5 millionloss out of its $20 million budget in 2020. The budget is mainly comprised of gaming tax revenue and property taxes, so when doors closed, money dried up with it.

"We were closed for 92 days," Ferris explained. "During that time, major newspapers were reporting that the Gilpin County, Colorado, was one of the hardest hit counties in the nation."

Now, doors are open and new restaurants and sports betting locations have been added to the towering Monarch Casino. With those new additions comes new openings and the potential for a larger slice of the Colorado economy.

"We have shown to the people of Colorado that we are committed to being a strong Colorado company," Ferris said. "(We're) here to provide excellent and great employment to the people of Colorado."

County commissioners say the development and growth for casinos like Monarch are good indicators that better days are ahead for the county, mentioning the significance of the businesses as a lifeblood of the community.