Residents urge public vote and transparency on proposed $1.1 billion Cascadia project

Local residents pressed the Greeley City Council during the public-comment period Tuesday to make the proposed Cascadia resort project the subject of broader public review and a ballot vote, and to disclose records tied to city officials' interactions with the project's developer.

Supporters and opponents have described the proposal as a $1.1 billion project that would include a water park, hotel and hockey arena; speakers attributed these figures and project details to the materials they have seen or to city discussions. Several speakers said debt-forgiveness or a “moral obligation” structure and other financing mechanisms could leave taxpayers on the hook if the project underperforms.

Why it matters: Residents said the project’s scale and the proposed financial structure — which speakers said would rely heavily on borrowed money, potentially secured by city commitments — require direct voter approval or fuller public review because a local tax base could be exposed to repayment risk.

During the public-comment period, Pam Bricker told the council the project is a "$1,100,000,000" plan for "a hockey arena, a luxury hotel and an indoor water park," and said she had heard the hotel room rate projection would be "$300 a night" and the water-park entry fee "$63 per person." Bricker also described public-finance projections she had seen and warned that the plan assumes a hotel occupancy rate of "82.5% year round" to meet revenue forecasts, which she said exceeded comparable resort benchmarks.

Other speakers raised similar concerns. Bill Goard questioned the market assumptions underlying attendance projections, saying a cited Texas park serves a much larger metro population than the Greeley area. Trice Gilbert, a longtime Greeley resident, called the proposal “too much of a risk” and said neighbors she spoke with opposed it. Terry Shelmet, who said he had studied the developer’s record in other jurisdictions, told the council he supported the idea in principle but wanted an independent study of demand and market assumptions.

Transparency and records: Mary Monahan told the council she obtained emails via a public-records request and posted them online; she said the emails showed city officials flew to Dallas on the developer Martin Lynn’s private jet on June 27, 2024, and she asked the mayor to publish receipts and documentation confirming who paid for travel. Mayor John Gates responded that receipts exist, saying, "There are receipts. Absolutely." A city staff member advised the public to file a formal records request through the clerk’s office; staff said typical public-records costs are based on search time.

Speakers also asked for a public vote. Connie Garcia and other commenters invoked the city’s home-rule status and asked whether major public investments of this scale should be decided at the ballot box rather than by a five-member council majority. Several speakers said they believed citizens should have a direct say.

Council and staff response: Mayor Gates answered some questions during the meeting and confirmed receipts exist for the trip Monahan referenced; he indicated legal or procedural considerations might affect immediate release. City staff said records requests should be filed through the clerk and that costs are generally tied to staff research time. No formal action on the Cascadia project was taken at the meeting; speakers addressed the council during public comment and no ordinance or motion regarding Cascadia appeared on the published agenda for the meeting.

What happens next: Several speakers referenced an upcoming public meeting at the FunPlex; council members did not take action on Cascadia during this session. Residents said they expect further hearings and asked the council to make financing details and any agreements with the developer public.