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Vail info center update planned

Government tracker, Vail Town Council, Jan. 21 afternoon and evening meetings.

Present: Jenn Bruno, Greg Moffet, Andy Daly, Margaret Rogers, Dave Chapin, Dale Bugby.

Absent: Ludwig Kurz.



Issue: Planned update of the information center at the Vail Village parking structure.

Who they talked to: Greg Hall, director of the Vail Public Works Department, and architect Henry Pratt.

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What they talked about: Hall and Pratt talked to the council about a renovation plan for the information center at the top of the Vail Village parking structure, which dates to the early 1990s. The plan, Pratt said, is to “open up” the inside of the information center and add bathrooms to the top floor. That’s going to require a small addition on the east side of the building.

The proposed design for the structure has new glass, including a big blue “i” — the sign for highway information — facing the interstate, so travelers know where they need to go. The plan also includes a turnout for brief visits and special events buses.

While some council members debated details of the design, council member Dale Bugby said the refreshed center “is a great concept for Vail. We should have a building people want their photos taken in front of.”

What’s next? More planning, with a council go-ahead later this winter.

Issue: Discussion about a county economic development plan.

Who they talked to: Vail Valley Partnership President Chris Romer.

What they talked about: Romer gave council members a quick overview of a recently-completed economic development plan for the county. The genesis of the plan came in early 2011, right after Gov. John Hickenlooper was sworn into office. Drafting the plan was the work of a group of representatives of businesses between Vail and Gypsum. A community grant from Eagle County will help the group put the plan to work this year.

Romer said goals of the plan include income growth, growing sales tax receipts, business longevity and helping entrepreneurs. Other objectives including making the county and its towns more business-friendly and helping establish or improve communications between businesses and local governments.

Asked by Daly what the group expected from Vail’s government, Romer replied that the town needs to have a voice in future efforts, mostly through the town staff.

What’s next? We’ll see.

Scott N.Miller


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