By the time Karen Shea stood answering questions posed by former Town of Estes Park Stanley Park and Fairgrounds Director Bo Winslow, both in hard hats looking over the construction site that would become the Estes Park Events Complex, she already was known as a seasoned meetings sales manager here.
That was the setting when she was being interviewed for the Town’s sales and marketing manager position. She landed the job and still serves as the first, and only, individual who has had that position for the complex. She also books all activities held at Town of Estes Park-owned properties used as events spaces: the Event Center, Bond Park, the O’Conner Pavilion, various conference rooms, Performance Park, George Hix Riverside Plaza and Mrs. Walsh’s Garden.
In 2011-2012 the Town Board began discussing the potential advantages of constructing a large, multi-use facility that had the potential to host large groups. Board members accepted proforma premises based on the concept that while Event Center operations would not make a direct profit, fees charged would pay costs associated with the building. Businesses in town would see increased income from expanded visitation created by additional guests supporting their retail, dining, and lodging services, and the town would benefit from increased sales tax revenues.
Following a June 6, 2013 groundbreaking, construction began in earnest. But a seven-day period of endless rain between September 9 and 16 that year resulted in massive flooding throughout Northern Colorado, washing away roadways and bridges leading to Estes Park. For a time, the only way in and out of town was over Trail Ridge Road. Everything, and everyone, in Estes Park suffered, including the Event Center building effort. When there was no way for materials to be trucked in, construction workers had no work, and subsequently left this area.
While it took another year for the Events Complex to open, Shea did not wait for construction to be finished before she began introducing Estes Park’s newest venue to groups who she thought would be potential users of the facility. “The first tours I gave were in hard hats,” she said.
She leaned heavily on the knowledge and experience she gained working her way through the ranks of lodging operations to meeting planning to meeting sales. Shea came to town from Chicago when she was 24 to be near a sister and cousin who already lived here.
A stint at the Stanley Hotel during the time when “The Shining” television mini-series was being filmed led her through various departments: reservations, sales manager, and eventually director of sales. Later, at Marys Lake Lodge Shea said, “I did everything. I answered the phone. I booked the music. I built the website. I was vice president of sales and marketing.”
She was head of group sales for the Estes Park Marketing District before the organization became known as Visit Estes Park, being lured back to work again in sales at the Stanley Hotel. And then, that fateful interview in a hard hat came along.
Once crews had materials to work with, construction efforts moved along at a swift pace, as the events staff strained to have everything in place for the first event: the 2014 Wool Market, a signature event for the Town of Estes Park.
They almost made it. Owners brought in their llamas, alpacas, and special sheep. Vendors arranged their displays of goods made from woolen fibers. And festival aficionados came to enjoy the days. They also found they had to use portable toilets while on the grounds because the restrooms were not completed.
Shea was determined to show the Event Center could be used for more than functions where animals were front and center. So the second big event featured her own gala wedding reception in October 2014, complete with food and drink, and an eight-piece band, Funkiphino, that people danced to all night long.
Since that occasion, there have been so many diverse events at the location they are nearly impossible to count, even though Shea acknowledges that bookings at the center got off to a rather slow start. “We had to find events that were a fit for the town,” she said.
When listening to Shea, it becomes apparent she, and her team, have found several niches: sports, religious groups, specialty pets, and festivals.
She is adamant that the successes for the Events Center are successes because of the small group of people who work in the events department: Rob Hinkle, community services director, Kevin McDonald and Becky Gruhl, and Kayleigh Schissel special events coordinators, Stephanie Kephart, administrative assistant, and Chris Biniek, special events maintenance worker.
And while he is not an official Town of Estes Park employee, Shea includes Michael Young on her team. Young, who plans, develops and builds all the Catch the Glow floats and parade elements, “is part of my team,” Shea says.
“They all are an extension of me,” she said, “We all say the same thing.”
The first contracted large-scale event to come to the events center was a 3-day combination USA Gymnastics and National Development Plan for gymnastic championship from May 1-3, 2015, sponsored by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment. The event attracted 480 competitors and 1,200 attendees over the weekend.
With that one event, Shea had bookings off and running. There have been national cheerleading competitions, televised strong man competitions, and wrestling tournaments.
Dog competitions sanctioned by the American Kennel Club pull in contenders for top prizes. A recent Bernese Mountain Dog competition had 800 entrants. Welcoming dogs to the event center led to cat owners enjoying their own event last year, The Purring: Here’s Kitty! show.
One of the largest events Shea brought to Estes Park about two years after the center opened was a Hindu spiritual event celebrating global peace and unity through truth, love, and compassion, which attracted thousands internationally to attend Ram Katha over the nine days the event was in Estes Park.
After attending a religious trade show the United Church of God sponsored a 10-day conference for 700 people at the event center.
Now, while she celebrates 10 years talking about the virtues of hosting meetings and events at the Estes Park Events Complex Shea’s quick to say she would not have it any other way.
“I love my job. I love what I do. I love Estes Park, the people, and how it is developed. How could I not want to stay here?”