By Suzanne Paulman
The former Lilly Belle's Casino
Black Hawk residents and visitors pass daily by the sadly vacant buildings and empty parking lots sitting on the north end of Gregory Street, a gateway of the city. These Victorian-era buildings once housed the thriving Lilly Belle’s Casino and farther up the street, the former Shamrock Inn Bed and Breakfast.
The only reminder of Lilly Belle’s former glories are rare chips or tokens from her gaming days that are traded as collectibles on commercial Internet sites such as eBay. Lilly Belle’s 1992 $1 chip, which received the Chip of the Year award for its design from the national Casino Chip and Gaming Token Collectors Club, Inc., currently fetches up to $6.99 as a collectible.
Lace House in Mountain City
All this will change with Black Hawk’s recent purchase of these historic standing properties. According to City Manager Michael Copp, the city’s vision for the future is consistent with the goals of the Black Hawk 2004 Comprehensive Plan; this vision will be showcased in the development of a vital commercial area in the north Gregory Street urban renewal district.
Copp said, “This won’t be a casino area. We want to get families involved, offer other amenities to them. This is a three to five year project that is still in the planning stages and we’ve already had inquiries about it.”
The former Shamrock Inn B&B
The city hopes to see flower, candy, ice cream, clothing, art shops and other retailers in this soon-to-be revitalized commercial area.
Black Hawk’s other future plans may include development of “recreation opportunities on top of the mesa,” such as a convention center or a golf course. The city’s renowned “Mountain City,” also located on north Gregory Street, will eventually be converted to commercial space. Mountain City presently houses part of Black Hawk’s municipal departments and includes the famous 1863 Lace House, which is considered Colorado’s premier example of Carpenter Gothic architecture.
It’s no secret that well-planned commercial retail development will increase sales tax revenue for the city, helping to ensure its continued good financial health; the city also rebates all of its city sales taxes to non-gaming businesses.
Educational Enhancement Funds
Black Hawk as a community-oriented city is committed to improving the quality of education offered by the Gilpin County School District RE-1. The city initiated an educational enhancement fund and scholarship program in demonstrating their commitment to education.
Copp said, “We want to make sure our school system is one of the best.”
True to their word, in 2008 City Council and the mayor adopted Ordinance Number 2008-29 titled, “An ordinance amending…the Black Hawk Municipal Code to implement the 1 ½ percent sales and use tax increase approved by voters in the city’s Nov. 4, 2008, special election.” The purpose of the sales tax, which was effective Jan. 1, 2009, has been to provide financial support to the county’s school district.
The city has disbursed $942,527.79 in financial support since that date according to the figure posted on the school district’s website, www.gilpinschool.org. This figure will surpass the million-dollar mark by the end of December.
School District GRE-1 Superintendent Tina Goar provided the following information on the Black Hawk Educational Enhancement Funds internal distribution for 2010-2011:
• Achievement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program, $62,000
• “Alert Now” Parent Communication System, $1,036
• Morgridge Grant Match, $25,000
• Technology, $45,000
• Additional supplies for athletics, elementary, preschool, special education, and nursing, $14,400
• 2.5 FTE paraprofessionals, $62,000
• Teacher professional development, $9,500
• Teacher raise of 2 percent, $33,000
• Teacher bonus of 2 percent, $29,800
• Maintenance of current staffing levels, $206,000
Goar said, “We feel blessed and very thankful for the funds and resources this brings to our schools and students, especially during these difficult economic times.”
Scholarship Program
In 1994 the city initiated a scholarship program to provide available funding of $500 per semester or $1,000 per year to each graduating senior of a Gilpin County high school. By the year 2009, 81 students had been awarded scholarships in the total amount of $392,000.
In 2009 the city of Black Hawk passed Resolution No. 4-2009 titled, “A resolution increasing the amount of scholarship funding available to graduating seniors of a Gilpin County high school…from $500 per semester to $750 per semester.” The city did this “to continue to meaningfully assist graduating seniors” in recognizing the increasing costs of higher education.
From 2009 to date the city has awarded $471,767 in scholarships. On its website Black Hawk recognizes and thanks its residents and visitors for “buying local” in supporting the gaming industry, making the financial support to the school district and its students possible.
Boomtown fireworks
On the lighter side, each year Black Hawk offers a dazzling fireworks celebration for 45 minutes at sunset on the Fourth of July and for eight minutes at midnight on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. The Fourth of July celebration, billed as “Boom Town,” is the largest in the state and costs about $65,000 to produce. The Black Hawk Fire Department and neighboring fire departments provide assistance to a private company in presenting the show.
The 2010 boomtown of Black Hawk continues to explore and develop opportunities for increasing its market share of the gaming industry.
Copp said, “We want to get people here.”
The city is doing just that by committing its resources to becoming an even more enticing destination location, an area visitors seek out for its features and amenities, while striving to maintain its historical foundation as a rural mountain city.
