Aginner: (n.) Passionate and obdurate concerning mistaken beliefs; one who inaccurately regards alternative thinking as indicative of superior intellect, insight, intuitiveness, or spirituality. One who opposes a plan, proposed legislation or any drastic change.
— Random House unabridged
dictionary, 2006
Those opposed to enlivening Denver’s Civic Center by erecting a building for the Colorado Historical Society, its museum and other functions succeeded in killing what might have been a catalytic step in the revitalization of our city’s decaying civic square.
That’s politics. The polemics on both sides of the issue are exhausted and irrelevant.
However, it appears that the same preservationists (dare I call them aginners?) are at it — again!
This time armed with misinformation and a new slogan (Save the Fund!), the group is trying to make the case that the Colorado Historical Society is poised to rob the State Historical Fund to pay for their new building.
They ought to frame their alarm with facts, i.e., the rules governing the disposition of the State Historical Fund:
The 1991 Limited Gaming Act, a constitutional amendment allowing limited gaming in Cripple Creek, Central City, and Black Hawk, set aside dollars for the State Historical Fund to support historic preservation throughout Colorado. Grants are awarded competitively to projects demonstrating strong public benefit and community support. The fund assists in the restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings, architectural assessments, archaeological excavations, designation and interpretation of historic places, preservation planning studies and education and training programs.
The Colorado legislature amended the 1991 Limited Gaming Act twice — in 1999 and 2003. The 1999 amendment clarified and established standards for the types of projects that qualify for funding.
The 2003 amendment reflected Colorado’s slowing economy and resulting budget cuts. Among other clarifications, it required that the historical society — subject to annual appropriation — look to the fund to cover operating costs in connection with the society’s mission, including “capital construction and controlled maintenance expenditures relating to properties owned, managed or used by the society.” Previously, the society’s operating budget was covered by the state’s general fund.
The 2003 amendment also stated that the majority of gaming revenues distributed to the state historic fund and administered by the CHS “shall continue to be used for grants.”
Ed Nichols, president and CEO of the Colorado Historical Society, reiterated the organization’s unwavering commitment to its role as steward of Colorado’s invaluable historic assets. “We are very conscious and respectful of our duty to continue the distribution of the majority of available funds for the benefit of Coloradans.”
The aginners might refocus their concern on a much bigger threat to Colorado’s historic assets, something far more ominous than the legal and appropriate use of the SHF to support the society’s new building: the expansion of gaming in Colorado through video lottery terminals.
In 2003, Colorado voters rebuffed an attempt by British gaming conglomerate Wembley PLC to install video terminals in the Colorado racetracks they own. If the drive succeeded, it surely would have moved a substantial portion of gaming revenues from the three mountain communities to racetracks along the Front Range.
As our state continues to search for painless solutions to funding higher education, transportation and health care, the siren’s song of gaming revenues will reverberate.
If the hysterics want to use their energy productively, they should begin by focusing on the threatened erosion of the source of preservation grants, not the use.
They also might consider what grand initiative they could support to advance the needed revitalization of Denver’s Civic Center.
Susan Barnes-Gelt (bs13@qwest.net) served eight years on the Denver City Council and was an aide to former Denver Mayor Federico Peña. Her column appears twice a month.
