Northern Colorado residents to vote on $1B entertainment district plan

The future of Greeley's $1 billion plan for an entertainment district hinges on a vote happening on Tuesday. Voters will decide whether the new entertainment district in Northern Colorado will move forward. 

Last fall, there was an official groundbreaking on the Cascadia project, which is described as the future "hub of Northern Colorado" by those involved in the project. However, immediately after city leaders and investors completed a ceremonial turning of dirt, those looking to derail the project filed a motion with the city to block the rezoning of the property.

For generations, the property in question, located on the border of Windsor and U.S. 34, has been a mixture of farmland and other industrial uses. It has largely remained an empty field until it caught the eye of developer Martin Lind.

Lind is one of the primary investors in the project, announcing his minor league hockey team will move to the property after a stadium is built. The Colorado Eagles plan to have their ice arena built at Cascadia with hotels, a conference center, a water park, and other businesses around it.

"That is going to create a vibrancy, it is going to create jobs, and it is going to create sales tax revenue that Greeley can reinvest back into the community," said Bill Rigler, campaign spokesperson for "No on 1A."

The group "Greeley Demands Better" said its original efforts to block Cascadia with a voter initiative were blocked. Now, the group is hoping to stop the project with the rezoning issue put to a public vote.  

The group warns that the project is a financial liability that could become a burden to taxpayers. Those in favor of the project believe it will offset the lost tax revenue Greeley is losing to neighboring cities. 

"We would have no problem if this were a privately funded, privately owned stadium, water park, and hotel," said Brandon Wark, co-chair of Greeley Demands Better. "We are concerned about the risk this project poses to the future financial stability of our city. That is why we are having this ballot measure." 

Construction at the property continues and election results could keep the project on pace for completion or delay it. 

Voters have until 7 p.m. Tuesday to cast their ballots.