the bowling kind — to open in southeast metroYou still have time to get into bowling shape before the new Celebrity Lanes and Taphouse at Centennial Center opens in August with 40 lanes, a kid zone, arcade games, sports grill, taphouse and outdoor bocce ball.
The $13 million, 50,000-square-foot family entertainment center is under construction on the northwest corner of East Arapahoe and South Parker roads.
Elitch Lanes owner Cal Eichinger, with 35 years in the bowling and entertainment industry, heads up the ownership group.
“We chose this particular site because of its excellent location in the heart of the southeast metro region with a very strong economic mix of business and residential demographics,” Eichinger said. “The southeast metro is underserved in the family- entertainment market segment, and (residents) are looking for something fun to do.”
Eichinger said the name Celebrity Lanes was chosen for its entertainment theme.
“However, in the Denver market, we recognize it as a nod of respect to the long-loved (and long-gone) center by the same name on Colorado Boulevard,” he said.
Black Ski Summit is back.
Steamboat Springs is playing host to roughly 1,200 black skiers and snowboarders who have converged on the Colorado resort for the fifth straight year for the Black Ski Summit, a gathering promoted by the National Brotherhood of Skiers Inc.
During the week-long summit, which ends Saturday, the organization will officially launch the National Winter Sports Education Foundation, a nonprofit set up by the NBS to establish an independent national winter-sports education foundation.
It’s estimated that NBS members will spend more than a half million dollars during the Steamboat event.
Boffo bankers.
Pat Cortez of Wells Fargo in Denver, Mark Bower of Home State Bank in Loveland and Jeff Schmitz of Citywide Bank in Denver were the recipients of this year’s Bankers of Distinction Awards, the annual recognition given by the Colorado Bankers Association.
The awards were handed out Wednesday during the Annual Legislative Luncheon, attended by roughly 150 banking and public officials at the Grand Hyatt Denver.
“We recognize two or three bankers a year who have done a lot of community service,” said association chief executive Don Childears. “They all have been very active in community groups and with serving on boards.”
Childears said Colorado banks give $65 million annually to the state’s nonprofits.
Gold standard.
There’s gold on them thar burritos! For the next four months, Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill will switch its burrito- wrapping foil from silver to gold in honor of the company’s 18th anniversary of focusing on its Food With Integrity mission: using environmentally friendly and synthetic-hormone- free ingredients.
Also, the big burrito company is launching an ad campaign that includes outdoor, radio and online pieces, along with introducing The Gold Burrito Digest, a newspaper available in restaurants throughout the campaign.
In April, Chipotle will launch Wrap What You Love, an online contest where customers can submit photos of objects they love wrapped in gold foil.
Prizes, including solid-gold Chipotle coins and $10,000 in cash, will be awarded for the most creative submissions.
EAVESDROPPING
On two women at The Lodge Casino in Black Hawk:
“These days nobody should have fake nails.”
“That’s like having an eight-track.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
