Money is tight for Manitou Springs after Cog Railway shuts down

In the small historic city of Manitou Springs, money is tight after the Pikes Peak Cog Railway shut down for the season, with no certainty it will re-open, the city is having to find a way to supplement the money it brought in.

Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Fortune says the closure is a big hit to the community and its wallet, “To lose that and to lose it as suddenly as it occurred you can’t help but have concerned people and worried people.”

Amusement attractions in Manitou Springs bring in $598,000 in taxes to the city, about 5 percent of their budget, and the railway was the leader in bringing in the most amount of tax money.

Another shortfall that Manitou Springs may have as a result of the railway closure is the loss of foot traffic in the city. Tourists would normally stop for a bite to eat or visit local shops before making their way up to Pikes Peak. Fortune says, “we are a tourist-based economy.”

Now city leaders are discussing what they can do. Some of the options include raising the recreational marijuana sales tax or keeping marijuana shops open for an extra hour.

More than 30 options will go before city leaders at a Special City Council meeting Tuesday 6 p.m. at City Hall.