Despite the dirt, dust and disruption across The Stanley campus, construction on the hotel’s major expansion is more than three months ahead of schedule, project leaders told state economic development officials Thursday morning during a live-streamed meeting.
John Cullen, CEO and chairman of The Stanley Partnership for Art, Culture and Education, and Mark Heller, executive director of the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority, updated the Colorado Economic Development Commission on the project, which includes a new film center, event venue, and 65 additional hotel rooms.
“We are about three and a half months ahead of schedule,” said Cullen, who attributed the progress to strong project management and a construction schedule that included additional time as a safeguard.
The approximately $60 million expansion broke ground in September 2025 and had initially been expected to wrap up in late 2028. Cullen said the project is now on track for an early 2028 opening.
Crews expect to complete the exterior shells of the new buildings by Christmas, allowing construction to move indoors during 2027. Cullen cited favorable winter weather as helping crews make rapid progress.
Heller acknowledged that the work is currently creating significant disruption across The Stanley campus during Estes Park’s busiest tourism season.
“We are at peak construction disruption right now, and unfortunately that’s overlapping with peak tourist season,” Heller said. “But we’re going to get through it. Once we’re all closed in by the end of the year, the guest experience will be as it used to be.”
Between mounds and mounds of displaced dirt and dozens of pieces of construction equipment surrounding the building, guest parking has become an issue over the past several months.
The expansion includes a 65,000-square-foot event center, a 1,000-seat performance venue, and a horror film museum curated by Blumhouse Productions. Live Nation, the world’s largest live entertainment company, has signed on to organize concerts at the center.
In 2025, the project received $46 million through Colorado’s Regional Tourism Act and a $1 million grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
During the meeting, Colorado Economic Development Commission Chairman Chris Franz praised the project’s pace.
“It was a long and circuitous route to get here, but you’re moving fast now, and that’s impressive,” Franz said.
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