Appeal of Broadmoor expansion plan denied Thursday
In a packed three-hour meeting Thursday, the Colorado Springs Planning Commission voted unanimously to reject an appeal of an expansion plan by The Broadmoor .
The appeal was filed by several neighbors who believe the luxury hotel’s plan to build a 170,000-square-foot addition to Broadmoor Hall isn’t in the best interest of the surrounding neighborhood.
The hotel wants the addition mainly to enhance its ability to host the annual Space Symposium — an event that draws 6,000 to 9,000 people — and to attract more large groups that would fill more of the hotel’s nearly 800 rooms during the off-tourist season.
Opponents, already upset with The Broadmoor over the Strawberry Fields land swap and shuttle buses traveling through the neighborhood to and from Seven Falls, believe the hotel doesn’t have enough parking to handle an increase in visitors and that traffic congestion in the area will only worsen.
” These are legitimate concerns in the neighborhood, and it just gets back to (the question of) is this the right location for a project of this size? ” said Cyndy Kulp , a project opponent.
Jack Damioli , The Broadmoor’s president and CEO, told the commission that the hotel will ultimately have 2,000 parking spaces on campus and more in overflow locations requiring shuttle bus service, such as World Arena and the Norris-Penrose Events Center.
” And not every event will be like a Space Symposium, ” he said. ” That’s our biggest event of the year. So we’ll have plenty of parking for other events. We’re not trying to compete for the biggest convention center business. This won’t be a Pepsi Center that has 675,000 square feet . But we want to fill the demand for mid-sized events. ”
Damioli called some of the criticism ” scare tactics. ”
The commission voted 6-0 to deny the appeal, with three members absent. The plan includes replacing a 6-foot-high perimeter fence with a 16-foot retaining wall, and allowing some decorative features on the roof of the addition to reach a height of 57 feet , which is above the 50 feet required by zoning.
” I certainly am mindful of what the Space Symposium does bring to our city, state and country, for that fact, ” said Commissioner Reggie Graham. ” But I do hope the Broadmoor will continue to look at the impact. ”
The addition will be built in what is currently an unpaved employee parking lot. 
” I think there are some issues there, ” said Commissioner Jim Raughton . ” We are constricting the parking available for employees. ”
Damioli said once the addition is finished, around a year from now, The Broadmoor will no longer use a temporary tent to provide more space for the symposium.
Opponents said they were disappointed at not getting enough support, but they have 10 days to file a second and final appeal. The City Council doesn’t review the matter.
Three dozen people signed up to speak during the public comment period, but only four opposed The Broadmoor’s plan.
Many supporters are local business leaders who said the project will create jobs, promote tourism and generate additional tax revenue for the city.
But some neighbors see the plan as another example of The Broadmoor negatively changing the area just to make money.
Some opponents, however, said they’re not against the concept of an expansion, but fear the possible impact on parking and traffic.
The Broadmoor plans to connect the addition to the existing Broadmoor Hall, which was built in 2004 as hotel and city officials both discussed the merits of a convention center.
Some downtown promoters believe the city should have its own convention center but there still isn’t strong support for it, as echoed by a Chamber of Commerce member Thursday.
