AURORA — Long-term, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan envisions a city with entertainment, housing and retail within a half-mile of every station on the light-rail line along Interstate 225 that opens in 2016.
He sees a medical district from the to the Aurora Medical Center that no city could rival. A thriving arts district along East Colfax Avenue would draw visitors from all over the area.
Short-term, Hogan said Wednesday at his State of the City address, he would like to increase the lodgers tax to generate more revenue and fund city tourism.
He also wants to build at least one recreation center, one active adult center and three covered pools.
“I’ve been called a lot of things in my life … but no one has called me ‘status quo,’ ” Hogan said.
The city has a lodgers tax of 8 percent of the price of a hotel room, which generates $4.8 million annually. About 10 percent of that goes to back to , a semi-quasi city entity designed to bring in more tourism, and the rest goes into city coffers. Hogan did not say how much he’d like to increase that amount, but will discuss that with the City Council.
The recreation center issue could meet some resistance. Several years ago voters rejected a tax hike to build several new rec centers. The council also closed pools because of budget woes.
A City Council-driven measure for recreation might get more traction, city officials say. But it would have to come with some sort of funding mechanism, with a tax increase the most likely vehicle.
Councilman Brad Pierce noted that Aurora currently has only one full-service recreation center and argued that’s not acceptable for a city of 335,000 residents.
“If you look at the amount of recreation space we have compared to other cities, I just think we need more than one full-service rec center,” Pierce noted.
Hogan also touted the on-again, off-again, back-on-again Marriott Gaylord hotel that when completed would be the largest non-casino from Chicago to the West Coast, he said.
“This development will truly help Aurora become a destination,” Hogan said.
As for attracting new visitors, Gary Wheat, president of Visit Aurora, said he has talked with the city about an increase in his budget.
Hogan said he’d like to rename the light-rail line along Interstate 225 the “Aurora Main Line” instead of the “I-225 Light Rail Line” to give the city more prominence.
“Aurora is in an enviable position,” Hogan said.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175, cillescas@denverpost.com or twitter.com/cillescasdp
