Closures disappoint tourists, but don’t keep them away

The closure of a major park and some trails in Colorado Springs are disappointing tourists, but not enough to deter them from the city.

Red Rock Canyon Open Space has been closed for weeks because of damage from recent rains and a dam breach within Sand Canyon. A city spokesperson said while crews are working to make the necessary repairs, there is no estimated date of reopening.

“Well this is a bummer that the park is closed, so I’m going to have to find something else,” Malachi Stofferahn said.

Chelsy Offutt, from the Convention and Visitors Bureau said several people have asked about Red Rock Canyon Open Space, but when they find out it is closed, they are happy with the alternatives.

She said in fact, they are optimistic about tourism this summer.

“We just had numbers come out for the May numbers on the Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax, and the bottom line is, the numbers look great for the summer. They’re really high. Year over year, we’re looking at 14.46 percent up,” she said.

Part of the reason for the increase in tourism is because of low gas prices, Offutt said.