Beloved elk statue to be relocated in Colorado town to make room for new traffic signal

A lot is changing around Frisco as construction continues near the Interstate 70 exit toward Breckenridge. One beloved piece of local art is getting caught up in the changes. The elk statue that has stood in the middle of the roundabout for decades will eventually have to move as the roundabout is replaced with a signalized intersection.

For locals, the elk is more than just a statue. He has become a familiar part of the community, with a rotating wardrobe that has included Broncos gear, Nuggets gear, a ghost, "Babe" the big blue ox (or Blucifer?!), a peacock costume, a robot costume and even a Lizzo outfit for Halloween.

Todd Altschuler with the Frisco Arts and Culture Council says the elk was named "I'm the Boss" by the artist who created him. The costume changes have become a bit of guerrilla art around town. There is no official employee or team assigned to dress the elk, and Altschuler says town employees and the events committee have added costumes whenever they feel like it.

The statue's move (in about a year) is happening because the roundabout itself is being replaced. Austyn Dineen with the Colorado Department of Transportation says the intersection started as a stop sign in the 1990s before becoming a single-lane roundabout in the early 2000s.

"Now we're building a solution for the next 20 years of growth," Dineen said.

While the roundabout worked when traffic volumes were lower, CDOT says it is no longer the best solution for the intersection. The new signalized intersection also means there will no longer be enough space for the elk statue in the middle of the roadway.

The statue is expected to move to the Frisco Adventure Park, where it can remain part of the community without sitting in the middle of traffic. For some nearby families, that will still be a tough goodbye.

"We love him. You know, he has a special place in my heart. I'm sure we will miss him," one group of siblings who live nearby said.

The city says it plans to make the transition a celebration, and while the elk will no longer greet drivers at the roundabout, Frisco plans to keep the tradition of dressing him up alive, musing about weekly or monthly costume changes.