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Lake County OKs contracts to promote ‘Opera House Circuit’ and county tourism marketing
Summary
The Lake County commissioners unanimously approved three agreements to support the statewide Opera House Circuit and the county’s tourism marketing program; the contracts are primarily grant-funded and billed to the local lodging tax and tourism panel budget lines.
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved three contracts on March 4 to support the Opera House Circuit and the county’s tourism marketing program.
The agreements approved by the board include a professional services contract with Childress (Childers) Communications to lead Opera House Circuit programming, and two payments to Mission to Market (DCS Limited) for paid advertising and tourism marketing services tied to the Circuit and general tourism promotion.
Why this matters: The Opera House Circuit is a collaboration of historic venues across Colorado that the county and the Leadville tourism panel have promoted through grant funding from the Colorado Tourism Office. County officials said the program brings earned media coverage that increases visitation and benefits local businesses.
The professional services agreement with Donna Childress’s program will be paid largely from a Colorado Tourism Office marketing grant; Lake County’s tourism panel budgeted $2,000 to support the local participation. Adam Ducharme, presenting the item for county staff, described the Circuit as a multi-year project that has drawn national press, noting prior coverage and awards that he said drove visitation to Leadville.
Mission to Market, the county’s agency of record, will continue to serve as the paid advertising partner. Commissioners and tourism staff described Mission to Market’s work as providing search, social and paid-media services to amplify events and help convert interest into longer stays.
Commissioners said the tourism panel—which operates on lodging tax revenues separate from the county general fund—had already budgeted for the Opera House Circuit items and that the state grant covers the bulk of the contractor costs. Commissioner Elsa said the tourism work returns direct business to local merchants, and commissioners noted examples of heavy local retail and restaurant traffic tied to recent events.
What the board voted on: - Approval of a professional services agreement with Childress Communications for the Opera House Circuit (unanimous). - Approval of a PSA with DCS Limited (Mission to Market) specifically for Opera House Circuit paid media (unanimous). - Approval of a PSA with DCS Limited (Mission to Market) to provide tourism marketing services funded by lodging tax/grant dollars (unanimous).
County staff emphasized the grants and partner contributions that make the work possible: the Colorado Tourism Office grant plus partner destination contributions were described as the majority of funding for the Circuit, with the local tourism panel contributing a modest match. Ducharme and tourism staff also said the county’s advertising strategy is coordinated with statewide partners so Leadville benefits from broader promotional campaigns.
A number of commissioners thanked tourism staff and the private partners for delivering results that, officials said, translate into measurable economic benefit for downtown businesses.
Ending note: The contracts will be managed through the county’s tourism channel and grant accounting; staff said the tourism panel and the county’s tourism contractor will continue to report results to the board and to the panel.
