October 22, 2015
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VOLU ME 32 | ISSU E 17 | 50 ¢
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County proposes budget for 2016 Commissioners will adopt final plan in December By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
evieve Wooden in a discussion on the industry. “No doubt some people have less than favorable opinions of casinos,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. But knowing what the gaming industry does, he added, can help people embrace it. The American Gaming Association, a lobbying group for the industry, recently launched “Gaming Votes,” a national political initiative meant to educate voters and candidates on gaming’s positive impacts. The campaign highlights how the industry supports thousands of jobs and drives economic growth, particularly in political swing states. “Voters tend to be progressive” on a national level, Freeman said. However, some policy makers may “see it as a necessary evil” rather
Jefferson County has presented its proposed $507.8 million budget for 2016 — $32.4 million more than this year’s budget. The budget will be adopted at the Dec. 8 county commission meeting. But nothing is final yet, said Mary O’Neil, the county’s director of budget and risk management. “There’s new data coming in. And the commissioners still need to review and talk about changes they may want or need to make.” Of the county’s 38 fund categories, the largest is the general fund at $165.2 million, which includes many departments such as administration, the district attorney’s office, sheriff’s office and part of human services. The largest expenditure from the total proposed budget is county employee salaries and benefits. Salaries and benefits make up 57.5 percent of the county’s expected expenses. Salaries and benefits total $234.7 million, which is a 4.5 percent increase from 2015. Salaries and benefits come from the operating fund, which keeps things running day to day, O’Neil said. County employees may receive an average of a 2.6 percent increase in salary and a 5.7 percent increase in benefits. The increase will help keep Jefferson County “competitive in the
Gambling continues on Page 12
Budget continues on Page 32
From left, Wheat Ridge councilwoman Genevieve Wooden; U.S. Senator Cory Gardner; Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association; Brian Watts, Isle of Capri regional vice president of operations; Congressman Scott Tipton and Mackenzie Haugh, director of engineering at Gaming Laboratories International, attend a roundtable discussion on the casino gaming industry on Oct. 14 at Gaming Laboratories International in Wheat Ridge. Photo by Christy Steadman
Gambling industry highlights economic, political importance Wheat Ridge gaming business employs 125 engineers and does worldwide business By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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WHEAT RIDGE TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 1089-9197)
OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Wheat Ridge Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 722 Washington Ave., Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legals: Fri. 11 a.m. Classifieds: Mon. 5 p.m.
PL E ASE RECYCLE
The American Gaming Association wants the 2016 presidential candidates to understand the positive impacts of the popular entertainment industry of casino gaming. To get that message across, a roundtable event took place Oct. 14 at Gaming Laboratories International, a testing and certification business in Wheat Ridge, in which Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) and Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colorado) joined Colorado gaming industry professionals, the American Gaming Association and Wheat Ridge council member Gen-
Alpine Slide closes after 37 years Employees, community members buy memorabilia to remember childhood By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Since Labor Day weekend, people have headed to Heritage Square to take one last ride on the Alpine Slide. The slide, which closed on Oct. 11, was something that never went out of style, said general manager Debbie Hottinger. “It was a tourist destination,” she said. “Fun for the whole family. It was a spectacular experience for many.” The closing marked the end of the slide’s 37 seasons in operation. Martin Marietta, Heritage Square’s property owner, would not renew the lease, Hottinger said. The loss of the alpine slide marks the latest in a series of hits to the tourist destination located on the outskirts of Golden. The square’s remaining businesses along the Victorian-style main street must be out by the end of the year. Most of the business are having big sales and taking large percentages off of merchandise to sell it and close by the end of the month.
The Alpine Slide was a favorite family activity for locals, and a popular tourist destination for out-of-staters. The slide closed on Oct. 11. A Kentucky slide company bought the Alpine Slide’s sleds and track, and all the lift’s chairs were spoken for by the first day of a three-day sale. “This is the first time in 37 years that people have seen the lift without the chairs,” said Debbie Hottinger, general manager of the Alpine Slide. “We hate to see it go.” Photo by Christy Steadman The amusement park portions of Heritage Square close for the season at the end of October, but are scheduled to reopen in the spring for 2016. Hottinger, who is retiring now that the slide is closed, believes the closing will have an economic impact on the community. About
100 people lost their jobs, she said — some of the employees had worked there for nearly 30 years. It was a first job for many young people, Alpine continues on Page 12