The earth literally moved as a star-studded lineup of state dignitaries, Hollywood movie moguls, Sundance Film Festival representatives, Estes Park and Larimer County officials, Estes locals — including bankers, realtors, business owners, nonprofit organization leaders, and last but not least, the Estes Park Middle School band – gathered this morning at The Stanley Concert Hall for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Stanley Event Center and Blumhouse Space.
John Cullen, who purchased The Stanley Hotel for $3.14 million in 1995, was present to welcome the crowd of more than 250 people. Cullen shared his history with the hotel, which he sold four months ago in a $400 million bond sale to a public-private partnership consisting of the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority and private investors.
Cullen told the crowd that he has owned “51 hotels in 17 countries, and this is the very last one, and I never thought that this would be the one that meant the most to me and would be the absolute capstone of my career.”
After transferring ownership of the iconic property, Cullen is preparing for the next chapter: The Stanley Event Center, which will feature a 1,000-seat, state-of-the-art performance venue for films and concerts, along with the Blumhouse Museum, a horror film museum curated by Blumhouse, a Los Angeles-based American film and television production company founded by Jason Blum. The museum will display artifacts from Blumhouse’s horror film catalog, including Halloween and The Purge.
A three-minute film about the history of The Stanley was shown, which focused on F.O. Stanley’s “vision for the future,” which includes the Stanley Event Center, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
“I started Blum house 15 years ago because, like John, I love to build, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how we will build out this Blum house exhibit space. Horror fans, I think, are the best fans in the world, and they deserve a world-class must-visit destination, and horror itself deserves a rightful place at the center of culture,” said Blum.
“We plan to celebrate the art and icons of horror, including key filmmakers, stars, and the amazing cinematic villains who have terrified us over the years, and there is no better place to do it than right here in the iconic Stanley Hotel,” Blum said.
The welcoming ceremony included opening remarks by Estes Park Mayor Gary Hall, who acknowledged former Estes Park Mayors Wendy Koenig and Todd Jirsa, and Larimer County Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally.
Mark Heller, executive director of the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority, explained that “The Stanley Hotel is now basically public property. We will own it forever on behalf of the people of Colorado and the people of Estes Park.”
Heller said the hotel will be owned in perpetuity by the Stanley Partnership for Art, Culture, and Education, a limited liability corporation that will be known as SPACE, a public-private partnership of CECFA, John Cullen, who will serve as the chair and CEO, private bond investors, and the Sage Hospitality Group, which will manage the property.
“We will preserve it, and we will improve it, as you’ve heard about today,” said Heller.
Heller said the bond repayment period will take 35 years and generate an estimated $44 million in revenue for the organization. This revenue will be used to support cultural and educational projects across the state.
Gov. Jared Polis acknowledged Cullen’s work in attracting the Sundance Film Festival to relocate to Colorado. The governor also acknowledged “so many partners, including state legislators who championed our support for the film industry,” the Colorado Economic Development Commission, CECFA, and “the entire team at the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, including the Film Office.”
Shovels with shiny silver blades were distributed to several dozen individuals, and everyone was invited outside under perfect Colorado blue skies for the ceremonial groundbreaking.
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