A Massachusetts firm announced Tuesday it was nixing plans to show movies in Denver’s City Park because the fee-based event did not attract sufficient sponsors.
The decision by US OpenAir was a blow to efforts by Denver officials to activate parks by allowing private firms to charge admission for certain events, a proposal that has drawn the ire of some key neighborhood activists.
“In the current economic climate, we have been unable to find a corporate partner to be the title sponsor of this new event,” said Julie Frahm, managing director of US OpenAir, in a news release.
In January, the City Council approved a three-year contract with OpenAir. The firm is terminating the remainder of that contract.
Chantal Unfug, a special adviser to Denver Mayor and Gov.-elect John Hickenlooper, said she and other city officials are disappointed by OpenAir’s decision, but they are heartened by the recent scheduling of a snowboarding and skiing venue in Civic Center for January.
“People in Denver like these unique, culturally vibrant events,” Unfug said. “We’ll continue to look for events in our public spaces and for things that push Denver forward.”
OpenAir initially planned to show films in Civic Center this past summer, to coincide with Denver’s first Biennial of the Americas, a combination art fair and community colloquium. But the firm backed out of that plan too, citing problems finding a sponsor. Plans then shifted to holding the films in City Park in July 2011.
OpenAir had planned to erect a grandstand and a 30-foot-tall screen for the movies. Tickets to the first- run movies would cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The firm had operated similar programs around the world, but Denver was going to be the firm’s debut in North America.
Frahm, a Denver native, said the firm now will push to debut the North American program elsewhere, perhaps San Diego or New York.
The proposal to hold the movies had generated concern from some in Denver, who feared the program would end up pushing residents out of their cherished park areas to make way for paying customers.
Supporters predicted the program would be popular and would attract an influx of new park visitors.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
