Fort Collins Downtown Business Association dissolves after COVID-19 cripples event revenue

After four decades in Fort Collins — and two years battling pandemic-born uncertainties — the Fort Collins Downtown Business Association is no more, former board president Ty Fulcher told the Coloradoan.

Board members of the DBA, which helped put on former downtown events like Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest, Colorado Brewers' Festival and Fort Collins' St. Patrick's Day parade, unanimously voted to dissolve the association March 22, citing a lack of revenue needed to restart and sustain it. It had operated in Fort Collins since 1982.

As COVID-19 spread in Colorado in spring 2020, most of the DBA's planned events — its primary revenue generator — were canceled, forcing the association to lay off staff, give up its offices and fold some of its functions into the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority.

Since July 2020, the DDA has taken over marketing functions of former DBA promotions like First Friday Art Walk, Fort Collins Foodie Walk, Great Plates of Downtown and more, according to the DDA.

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It also added new downtown promotions like Downtown Restaurant Week, Art Week and downtown campaigns celebrating moms, dads, graduates and small businesses.

After receiving $115,000 in a federal loan from the Paycheck Protection Program in February 2021, the DBA turned its attention to rebuilding the association with plans to use the loan for payroll costs, Fulcher told the Coloradoan in 2021.

Running the DBA at its prepandemic levels, however, would have required approximately $1.1 million and hiring a new staff of nine employees, Fulcher said.

The association ultimately returned its PPP funds and voted to dissolve, he added.

Because the DDA is a tax authority with no plans to produce events, the fate of some of the DBA's bigger events like Colorado Brewers' Festival, Fortoberfest and Tiny Tot Halloween are unknown. Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest, which the DBA helped start and, years later, produce with the Bohemian Foundation, was discontinued last year.

"While being assured of the Downtown Development Authority's strong leadership, financial stability, and long-term plans to support downtown and its businesses, there is a lack of needed revenue to restart and sustain the DBA," Fulcher said in a written statement. "We thank everyone for the years of support and look forward to the vibrant future of downtown."

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Erin Udell reports on news, culture, history and more for the Coloradoan. Contact her at ErinUdell@coloradoan.com. The only way she can keep doing what she does is with your support. If you subscribe, thank you. If not, sign up for a digital subscription to the Coloradoan today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins Downtown Business Association dissolves after 40 years