With stunning views of the 14,110-foot Pikes Peak, a dry alpine desert climate and more than 300 days of sunshine a year, it’s no wonder health and fitness are vital qualities of life in Colorado Springs.
Ranked as the “Fittest City in America” by Men's Fitness magazine last year, Colorado Springs is home to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), U.S. Olympic Training Center and more than 45 National Governing Bodies and other national sports organizations that live and train in the area on a year-round basis. Couple that with unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities and abundant open space to view deer, elk and bighorn sheep in their natural setting and it’s easy to see why this small Western city at the base of Pikes Peak is such a desirable meetings destination, and one that truly values outdoor and sporting activities.
“In the spring of 2008, our city official entered into a private-public partnership to construct new administrative offices, housing the leadership of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC),” says Terry Sullivan, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs CVB for the past 18 years. “Presently, in our downtown core you can witness the transformation of a historical location into a contemporary new headquarters building, which ultimately will house the 300 administrative leaders of our USOC program.
Another addition to Colorado Springs’ skyline will be a prominent display of the Olympic Rings, slated for completion by the end of September 2009.
“This Olympic presence has been part of our community culture for more than 25 years now,” says Sullivan, who describes Colorado Springs as “affordable with scenic beauty, a central location and blue, blue skies.”
Undeniably, health and fitness have deep roots in Colorado Springs.
In 1869, Gen. William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War hero from Pennsylvania, came to the area and built a Victorian spa resort town at the base of Pikes Peak, which appealed to people suffering from poor health, especially tuberculosis.
People came by the thousands to seek a cure on their own through vigorous living and exercise. Later, they came in even larger numbers to seek medical attention in one of the numerous sanatoriums that operated between 1890 and 1950, and to drink the natural spring water of nearby Manitou Springs, which visitors still do today. Colorado Springs is also where the famous healthy breakfast cereal Shredded Wheat originated in the 1890s.
Today, Colorado Springs is part of the Pikes Peak region and captures the Western spirit and majestic beauty of a mountain resort town. The area offers more than 350 miles of scenic trails and 20,000 acres of parks and recreational activities to appeal to any taste, from manicured turf to open space teaming with wildlife, from peaceful prairie settings to raging waterfalls.
“Only a small percentage of our visitors make the choice of sitting poolside for a day when nearby there are just too many outdoor activities in which they may choose to immerse themselves,” Sullivan says. “If they have the gusto to follow a guide to the top of Pikes Peak down the Pikes Peak Highway, or experience a thrill of white-water rafting down the Arkansas River, or walk a scenic, peaceful trail behind Colorado College known as Monument Creek--the options are almost never-ending.”
Sullivan’s favorite place to visit is Pikes Peak, which at the turn of the century inspired poet Katharine Lee Bates, after a trip to the summit, to pen America the Beautiful.
“Midway up Pikes Peak, about five miles from the tollway, there are three lakes: Pikes Peak, Crystal Catamont and North Catamont. The middle lake has picnic tables along the shore, and here you can use an established fire pit to cook an outdoor morning breakfast with Pikes Peak, known as America's mountain, in the backdrop,” Sullivan says. “It’s an unbeatable experience, and if you’re lucky, you may just catch a lake trout at the same time.”
In addition to its unrivaled health and fitness reputation, the city has the venues and expertise to host competitions, invitationals, conferences, corporate and association meetings, conventions and world-class sporting events.
“There is also a variety of product that encompasses well over 14,000 rooms, of which well over 5,000 are categorized as convention-style rooms,” Sullivan points out. “We are noted for the Broadmoor and its history but also offer other fine options such as Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Hilton Antlers, Marriott, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Crowne Plaza, Cliff House of Manitou and many fine independently owned properties.”
Presently under construction on the very north side of Colorado Springs is a new Renaissance with 300 rooms, a spa and more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space, slated for completion in spring 2010. Broadmoor is also constructing a series of cottages along its 18th fairway that will accommodate small groups of 12 to 14.
Sullivan says that the No. 1 reason why groups keep coming back to meet in Colorado Springs is not only because of its healthful mountain resort appeal and small city conveniences, but also because the CVB “is recognized nationally for its attention to detail, quality of staff and collateral materials.”
“I am proud to note that my staff has a combined 25 years of working for the CVB,” he says. “And that’s also pretty unbeatable.”
