HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformation Only 030926AGENDA
INFORMATION UPDATE
March 9, 2026
4:00 PM,
I.Information Update
I.A ACRA February Destination Marketing Report
I.B Wheeler Opera House - 2025 Report
February2026_DMReport.pdf
InfoOnlyMemo_Wheeler Opera House - 2025 Report.docx
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February 2026 Des.na.on Marke.ng Report for Council
Destination Marketing: On February 11th, the Michelin Program announced its expansion to include the
entire state of Colorado, Aspen & Snowmass remain marketing partners at a reduced contribution. We
launched the Visitor Profile Research, which is an update to the report conducted in 2022/2023 and will
be open until March reaching owned audiences and an online panel of travelers from 2025. As part of
the Accessible Travel Grant received from the Colorado Tourism Office both Aspen & Snowmass have
been busy recruiting 25 locations throughout both destinations for mapping which will occur in early
March. We are running a campaign to promote the 2027 Airport Closure Survey, which is open until 3/6,
results will be presented at the March 11th Business Over Breakfast Event. We are also moving forward
with creative approvals for our summer campaign. And last, but certainly not least, we are excited to
announce the relaunch of aspenchamber.org which will go live on February 25th! Please click to view
the January 2026 Public Relations Report. The Month at a Glance Data report is available here.
The sales team participated in trainings for our new proposal and prospective platform, DigiDeck. This
new tool will elevate our presentations and proposals significantly. The sales team also participated in
the Tempest training for the new website. Wedding and Cvent leads are pacing strongly for Q1. Group
Sales has decided not to renew with TwoSix Digital. We will be reallocating the funds to new advertising
opportunities. We have confirmed 2026 advertising opportunities with Destination Colorado. We will
also run an email lead nurturing campaign and a LinkedIn retargeting campaign with Meetings Today.
New video assets are being created to run on a Site retargeting campaign. Planning is under way for the
wedding planner fam August 3-5 and the Retreats Resources Destinations University Aspen Snowmass
August 31 - September 2. ACRA supported a media visit in partnership with Aspen One for an Australian
freelance journalist, Kate Allman.
Special Events: The events team is fully staffed up and deep into planning for Food & Wine, June 19-
21. Passes are on sale now with some new additions to this year’s programming: Off-Site Adventure
Programming, blending guided outdoor experiences, wellness, and culinary moments (Thank you ACES
& O2); More Tastings, every cooking demo includes a bite, wine seminars feature eight pours, and
speaker sessions come with a paired snack or drink; The F&W Wine Bar returns as the Grand Tasting
Pavilion’s social hub, now paired with bites from rotating chefs from the country’s most buzzworthy
restaurants. Plus, ACRA will be representing as an exhibitor at this year’s event – more details to
come. Volunteer registration will open to the public April 2 at 10am. Any lodging properties interested in
donating rooms for FOOD & WINE should reach out to tsmith@aspenchamber.org for more
information.
Airport Guest Services: February will wrap up the month with some long awaited new fallen snow! This
has caused many delays, cancellations and diversions, but the ACRA staff continues to do an incredible
job assisting travelers. The transportation companies have been readily available as many are eager
to assist in rides that they have missed with the weather being fair for most of this winter. The AA
Charlotte flight continues to be of concern as it has missed curfew three times causing displaced
passengers to return to the arrival terminal and airline and ACRA employees scramble to find hotel and
transportation late at night. A new security company called Colorado Protective Services has taken over
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Citadel Security. February has also been the month of the Destination Marketing ASE snack
giveaway. ACRA is pleased to hand out numerous delicious snacks to all ASE employees as a positive
gesture for their hard work this winter season. All departments were very appreciative of the snacks as
we distributed to TSA, AA, Skywest, FAA, Rental car agencies, Atlantic Aviation, ASE porters, SP Plus, ASE
Operation and Facilities, Colorado Protective Services as well as all HMT and the hotel shuttle and limo
services. As well, ACRA delivered ten pizzas from NY Pizza to the ASE Operations and Facilities team to
give thanks for all the hard work they do. They were thrilled and thanked ACRA very much.
Visitor Centers: The Cooper Mall Pavilion continues to see a high number of visitors throughout the
month of February as the early month brought many shoppers to the core and the second half saw
many skiers to Ajax. The overall attitude has been positive as the staff was directing travelers to other
activities such as cross-country skiing, visiting Ashcroft, snowmobiling T-Lazy 7, ACES on-mountain tours,
and ice skating. The Wheeler has also been very busy with the history tour bringing guests to the ACRA
booth for information ahead of time. Liz Post has been an excellent ambassador and is enjoying sharing
the history of the town with those who visit the Wheeler Opera House. The Armory hours have shifted
to 8am to 4pm to better align with visitor usage and staffing travel. The Maroon Bells reservations
began this month, and as of 2/18 have sold 2,908. The Overnight Parking reservations are sold out from
June 26 through July 31st. However, the Wilderness Permit Overnight is still not sold out. Also, the City
of Aspen parking rates have increased.
Sales Tax Reports: As of the December 2025 Consumption Tax Report, released in February, the 2025
Tourism Promotion Fund came in 2.28% above projections and 4% ahead of 2024 collections.
Recent Press Coverage
Occupancy statistics and commentary, as well as visitor center counts, website data and air service
information can now be found on the following page in the Defy Ordinary Dashboard. All data points are
sourced from our monthly report with Blue Room Research and can be found in the Data Center on the
website.
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HOTEL
OCCUPANCY
ASE
PASSENGER
DATA
VISITOR
CENTER
COUNTS
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
WEBSITE
STATS
FEBRUARY 2026
•Occupancy decreased by 5.8% YOY to 69.3%
•Average Daily Rate increased by 2.8% YOY to $1,128
•Room Nights Available increased by 1.4% YOY
•Room Nights Booked decreased by 4.6% YOY
In January 2026, ASE saw a total of 89,162 passengers, a 2.4% decrease from January 2025.
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport will be closed from April 23, 2026 to May 21, 2026 to
complete required airfield pavement maintenance.
ACRA launched a community survey to understand what information businesses
and residents need to prepare for the 2027 Aspen/Pitkin County Airport closure.
The survey is open until March 6, 2026, and promoted through the Aspen Times,
Aspen Daily News, Aspen Public Radio, and Snowmass Tourism. Results will be
presented at Business Over Breakfast on March 11, 2026.
Aspen website top performing blogs and pages for January 2026
Blogs:
1. Ask a Local: 10 Favorite Winter Activities (4,115
views)
2. This Week in Aspen (944 views)
3. Four Pass Loop: Know Before You Go (733 views)
4. A Local's Guide to X Games Aspen (661 views)
5.Winter Kindness in Aspen (657 views)
Pages:
1.Aspen Event Calendar (9.038 views)
2. Aspen's Winter Season Highlights (4,776 views)
3.Ask a Local: 10 Favorite Winter Activities (4,115
views)
4. Aspen: Defy Ordinary (3,850 views)
5. Maroon Bells Reservations (3,427 views)
o “CO/UT resorts saw a -22.7% decline in YOY occupancy pace last month, a dramatic plunge down from the
moderate -2.6% decline recorded in December, while the Rest of the West (“RoW”) destinations enjoyed a
strong 21.0% YOY gain in pace, a stunning improvement from the -7.3% decline recorded in December.”
o “The US enters 2026 with a familiar pattern: resilient output, cooling inflation, and a labor market that looks
stable on the surface but fragile underneath.”
o “Global mega-events—including the FIFA World Cup and America 250—have the potential to drive meaningful
growth in both domestic and international inbound travel.”
o “Meanwhile, consumer uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, restrictive policy decisions and negative global
perceptions threaten to suppress international demand, capping growth and constraining the U.S.’s ability to
seize the opportunity ahead.”
Sources: DestiMetrics, Blue Room Research Report & Fly Aspen Snowmass
Regional Insights and U.S. Market Review
In January 2026, Aspen's lodging
properties reported the following:
ACRA's 4 Visitor Information Centers experienced a
31.9% increase in traffic in January 2026 compared
to January 2025. Staff assisted 15,620 individuals
last month.
*Due to a recent change in ACRA's phone system, this number reflects only in-person and trackable
calls.
- DestiMetrics, Tourism Economics & U.S. Travel Association, Blue Room Research
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INFORMATION ONLY REPORT
TO: Aspen City Council
FROM: Mike Harrington, Wheeler Opera House Executive Director
THROUGH: Diane Foster, Deputy City Manager
MEETING DATE: March 9, 2026
SUBJECT: Wheeler Opera House – 2025 Report
INTENDED OUTCOME & SUMMARY:
Staff is pleased to share with our Mayor and Council an informational report of 2025 activity
and achievements at the Wheeler Opera House. Venue use, attendance, community
engagement, and brand visibility are four topics covered herein.
Wheeler staff continues to analyze and assess the full range of programs and activities at,
and produced by, the Wheeler Opera House. The findings of these assessments, as well as
quarterly updates, will influence decisions in how the Wheeler can best supp ort Aspen’s
residents and visitors in 2026 and beyond.
DISCUSSION:
ACTIVITY
One primary objective for 2025 was to increase the volume of activity at the Wheeler Opera
House in order to maximize the benefit of this incredible community asset. The chart below
shows the data from 2023 through 2025 for presenting activity - which are programs that are
invited here directly by the City via the Wheeler - as well as the amount of activity that takes
place in the building that is produced or presented by other entities (rentals), and the number
of days utilized for partnerships or “co-pros”.
Staff appreciates Mayor and Council support for the additional staffing requests made for
2026 in order to sustain this ambitious level of activity established in 2025.
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2023 2024 2025
# of Wheeler Presenting Days 30 23 107
# of Rental Days 76 48 82
# of Co-Pro Days 41 43 41
Total Active Days 147 114 230
% of Total Availability 40% 31% 63%
% of Reasonable Use 58% 45% 91%
“Reasonable Use” is calculated by subtracting 2 days per week, resulting in a 5-day work
week, as well as federal holidays (8) from the total number of days in a year.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance is just one factor used to determine success for a performing arts venue, but it is
a key indicator as to how the community is responding to our efforts broadly.
2023 2024 2025
Wheeler Presents Mainstage Attendance 9,383 6,453 20,391
Avg. Mainstage Attendance 313 281 371
% of Billing Zips from Aspen 40% 36% 37%
% of Billing Zips from Valley
(including Aspen)
65% 65% 68%
# of Sold-Out Performances 4 4 16
Sold-Out performances included Jerry Seinfeld (2), Becky Robinson, Sofia Niño de Rivera,
Arrival from Sweden: The Music of ABBA, Brian Regan, Changemaker: Peter Hillary,
Illusionist Leon Etienne, John Oates (2), Alex Edelman, An Evening with Kate Hudson, Aspen
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for the Holidays, Pure Prairie League, Jen Kramer’s Magical New Year (early show), and
Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band.
In addition to the above, Vault performances and other ticketed presenting activity (such as
CLUE: A Walking Mystery) generated another 1,787 tickets and another 5 sold out comedy
performances with 65% of billing zip codes being from Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley.
WHEELER INSIDERS
The Wheeler Insider program was launched for the 2025 season as a way to incentivize local
residents through pre-sale access, subsidized tickets, exchange privileges, exclusive
invitations, and more. The initial year of the program was a success with over 700 members.
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
1,763 students attended the Wheeler Opera House across student matinee performances in
2025. The most highly attended performance was a Doktor Kaboom – Under Pressure with
425 young audience members enjoying the comedy science show that uses (safe and
controlled) explosive experiments to teach about physics and pressure, both physical and
emotional. Additionally, 49 members of the public participated in open workshops with guest
artists ranging from storyteller David Gonzalez to Australian contemporary circus company,
CIRCA.
Throughout the year, collaborations and partnerships with local non -profit and community
organizations were explored and cultivated. One of the stated objectives of the Wheeler is to
be the central hub of the “cultural wheel” of Aspen.
Presenting partners included:
DanceAspen
Aspen Music Festival & School
Jazz Aspen Snowmass
Voces Unidas
The Collective Snowmass
Theatre Aspen
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
Buckhorn Public Arts
Education partners included:
Aspen School District
Aspen Country Day School
Roaring Fork School District
Waldorf School on the Roaring
Fork
Homeschooling Group
Aspen Gymnastics
Dance Progressions
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BRAND VISIBILITY (1/4)
In addition to a record number of editorial mentions in local newspapers and seasonal
publications, the Wheeler Opera House was recognized in programs for two productions that
spent developmental time in Aspen in 2025. The Untitled, Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson
musical spent a week in early April 2025, which culminated in a public concert sharing
excerpts from the piece on April 11, 2025. The piece went on to be produced by the
Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA in June 2025 and that production was recently recognized
with 8 Helen Hayes Award nominations. As part of the deal for the development time, the City
of Aspen and Wheeler Opera House are credited on the title pages of programs for all future
productions.
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BRAND VISIBILITY (2/4)
In late October 2025, a new dance theater piece created by viral choreographer duo, Cost n’
Mayor (Austin and Marideth Talenko) entitled 11 to Midnight spent a week developing in
Aspen, which culminated in a public work-in-progress sharing on November 1. This piece
recently opened off -Broadway at the Orpheum Theatre and is running through April 19, with
likely extensions and national tour dates to follow. As part of the deal for the development
time, the City of Aspen and Wheeler Opera House are credited on the title pages of programs
for all future productions.
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BRAND VISIBILITY (3/4)
In July, the Wheeler Opera House supported 2 events as part of the City’s Fourth of July
celebration. First, the remarkable Cirque Kikasse from Montreal participated in that morning’s
parade before placing their food/beer truck in front of the Wheeler for 2 performances of
Sante! Later that evening, the Wheeler-commissioned drone show “Aspen’s Symphony of
Freedom” took to the skies above Wagner Park with a bespoke visual narrative celebrating
freedom, nature, creativity, and the Aspen Idea.
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BRAND VISIBILITY (4/4)
The Wheeler engaged CIRCA, one of the world’s finest contemporary circus companies, for a
photo shoot around Aspen with local photographer Craig Turpin. The results juxtapose
Aspen’s natural beauty with the company’s physicality and comparable abilities to induce
awe. Wheeler staff are working on curating these photos into an exhibit that will be on display
in the lobby in 2026.
NEXT STEPS:
As per Council direction, Wheeler staff will endeavor to continue maximizing venue use while
identifying opportunities to prioritize community accessibility, reduce financial barriers to
participation, present world-class arts and culture year-round, foster partnership and
collaboration, and establish the Wheeler Opera House as an industry leader and shining
example of municipal investment in the arts.
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ATTACHMENTS:
CITY MANAGER NOTES:
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