It’s a grand year in Colorado Springs — a year of grand openings, that is. Last year, In-N-Out Burger made a huge splash when it debuted its uber-popular restaurants in Colorado with a location on the Springs’ north side. And we saw the fruition of the first of the four City for Champions (C4C) projects when the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum and UCCS William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center opened their doors. In 2021, the Switchbacks’ Weidner Field and CC’s Ed Robson Arena will check the C4C box of bringing multi-purpose sports and event centers downtown. But that’s only the beginning. Here’s a list of the city’s major grand openings happening in 2021.
Kinship Landing
The 80-bed, downtown boutique hotel opened its guest rooms in mid-January. There’s a lot of buzz around the hip, adventure-centric hot spot. That gorgeous four-story mural on its north side and plenty of soaking tubs, fireplaces and fully-opening, in-room, glass garage doors definitely make us want to stay. “Kinship Landing is a gateway to friendship and adventure,” says CEO and co-founder Bobby Mikulas. “The main level is a full bar cafe and event space where you can find locals and travelers connecting, exchanging values and stories, and learning about the best kept secrets of the area.”
And that Homa Cafe and Bar is created by local standout chef and restaurateur Jay Gust, of Tapateria and Pizzeria Rustica. Watch for a full grand opening in February after the first floor is complete.
Switchbacks Weidner Field
Switchbacks FC will move into its long-awaited downtown stadium in March for the USL Championship soccer season. The 8,000-foot stadium will keep fans connected with the game throughout its seating, dining and concourse areas, especially for Field Club ticket holders who will access exclusive food and beverage service through the same corridor as players, coaches and officials entering and exiting the field. “All the stadium’s energy is focused in this area at certain key moments, and fans are right in the middle of the excitement,” says Nick Ragain, Switchbacks president. The stadium will also bring versatility downtown for hosting a variety of sports, entertainment and private events.
“This beautiful venue was purposefully built to take advantage of the natural surroundings of the front range, and our intent is to add to the significant momentum already underway in Southwest Downtown,” said Greg Cerbana, said Weidner Apartment Homes vice president of government affairs, upon the stadium’s naming.
Watch progress live on the webcam here.
Southwest Airlines
Want to get away? Southwest will be making it even easier when it starts flying in and out of the Colorado Springs Airport on March 11. Watch for low fares on 13 daily nonstop flights to Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Pikes Peak Summit Complex
It’s an architectural and construction feat to build at 14,115 feet, and the new Summit Complex is beautifully state-of-the-art. Large-scale windows framing the inspiring views are the centerpiece of the new 38,000-square-foot visitor center. Multimedia exhibits will tell the story and history of America’s Mountain. And the new 1,500-pound doughnut-making machine is so large it had to be installed before construction could enclose space around it. The 1960s-era Summit House closed for good Jan. 4 and will be demolished before the grand opening.
“Pikes Peak deserves its place among the great American monuments. And the new Summit Complex will allow everyone to see this place the way we do-as a testament to our country’s natural beauty,” says Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers. “It will provide access for all, environmental sustainability, and a renewed commitment to our region’s future.”
Watch for festivities in the spring.
Watch progress live on the webcam here.
Scheels All Sports
Think it’s just another retail big box? More like a massive sporting goods entertainment complex. Inside the 220,000 square feet at Interquest, you’ll find a 65-foot ferris wheel, a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium maintained by full-time scuba divers (how about that for a job?), an interactive game arcade, a 35-foot tall wildlife mountain with more than 200 taxidermy preserved animals, plus a cafe and candy shop. And, oh yeah, just about any kind of sports and outdoor equipment you might want to pick up in 75 specialty shops. Grand opening is set for March 27.
City Works Eatery
The food hall trend continues in Colorado Springs. C.O.A.T.I. Uprise got the party started in 2020 on Tejon Street’s hot Trolley Block. Next up is City Works Eatery, aiming for an early April opening. The concept will debut nine restaurants, two bars and a vintage motorcycle museum in the midst of Tejon’s Club Block, between Kiowa Street and Pikes Peak Avenue. Expect a ramen bar, New York and Jewish-style deli, a mac and cheese spot, barbecue joint, juice and salad bar, ice cream and candy shop and more.
The Bridge to the Future
To match the architecture of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, the Bridge to the Future had to be special. It is. The million-pound connector between the museum and America the Beautiful Park is a piece of art. The pedestrian bridge ties together park, trail, the confluence of creekways and the renaissance of downtown’s New South End. Its grand opening is scheduled for April 10, 2021.
The Broadmoor, Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway
The highest railroad in the U.S. and the highest cog railway in the world returns this year after a $100-million renovation of its tracks, cogs, railcars, and depot. “The Cog is an important part of Colorado and the West’s heritage,” says Ted Johnston, assistant general manager of the railway. “We’re excited to re-open the site and new railway to the public to experience and enjoy this scenic American adventure that has such a rich history.” Online ticketing will be a welcome new addition, and new trains were loaded onto the tracks in mid-January. The beloved cog railway will begin running again May 1.
I-25 & Powers/Voyager Interchange
Technically, it’s Voyager Parkway that will intersect I-25 at this new $65-million connector, but the project is the first phase of a two-part plan to connect Powers Boulevard to I-25, eventually. Watch for the six-bridge intersection to open in summer.
Amazon
The largest building in Colorado is on track to open in summer 2021. Amazon’s 3.7-million-square-foot fulfillment center near the airport will bring more than 1,000 jobs and make it even faster for locals to get a whole host of electronics, toys, books and more.
CC Hockey Robson Arena
The Colorado College Tigers will host rivals like the University of Denver and Air Force Academy in its new home on campus starting in October. The state-of-the-art, sustainable venue will also host a variety of other college and community events. And its street-level concourse will bring new retail to the North Tejon block.
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