How Colorado Springs Became Olympic City USA | Doug Price

Doug Price remembers arriving in Colorado Springs in 2011 when streetlights were dark, parks were not being watered and the city was struggling to pay its utility bill. Fifteen years later, Colorado Springs has built a national identity as Olympic City USA and the Pikes Peak region welcomes more than 25 million visitors a year.In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Visit COS President & CEO Doug Price explains how tourism, civic leadership and coordinated investment helped transform Colorado Springs. Doug shares lessons from a 52-year hospitality career, the creation of City for Champions, the development of the Olympic City USA identity and the business impact of attracting visitors throughout the year.The conversation also explores destination marketing, downtown and regional growth, the local sports and live-music ecosystems, Labor Day Lift Off, Fountain Creek, smart growth and the leadership required to keep building a city where people want to visit, work and raise a family.FEATURED GUESTDoug Price President & CEO, Visit Colorado Springs https://www.visitcos.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-price-889aba34/CHAPTERS00:00 Colorado Springs: Then, Now and Next01:06 Colorado Business Podcast Intro01:16 Doug Price's 52-Year Tourism Career03:24 Arriving in Colorado Springs in 201106:03 What Visit COS Actually Does08:33 Building City for Champions17:59 Diamond Sponsor and Sponsor Read22:02 Creating Olympic City USA27:54 More Than 25 Million Visitors33:22 Growing Tourism Beyond Summer36:18 Conventions, Downtown and Regional Growth41:14 The Economic Impact of Tourism44:18 Live Music, Neighborhoods and Local Pride51:51 Sponsor Read54:55 Andrew's Tiny House Festival Story57:22 Sports and Labor Day Lift Off59:23 Planning a Colorado Springs Visit1:02:17 The Next 10 Years and Fountain Creek1:04:28 Leadership, Government and Smart Growth1:09:42 Community Collaboration and Legacy1:14:02 Doug's Plans for Retirement1:19:33 Visit COS and Closing Thoughts1:21:39 OutroABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCASTThe Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders and leaders shaping Colorado's business community.Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/