Do you think that the legalization of recreational marijuana will make Colorado a big tourist destination? (Denver: neighborhoods, live in)

[Vision67]

"Don't Bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me..."

[JD401]

Originally Posted by fearthegoat

Legalize all you want. You cannot control the Cartels. I predict they will retaliate against retailers. Violent crime will rise. That coupled with gun control. Not a good mix.

Originally Posted by fearthegoat

LOL. You really think the Cartels are not going to give up a Billion dollar piece of pie that is Colorado?
They have been there for years. Coupled with stricter gun control laws, good luck protecting yourself

I had to revive this thread just to quote these two comments.

Good call jazzlover, Barry, fearthegoat, et al Doom. DOOM. DOOOOOOOM!!!!!

[Vistaian]

Yep, they were right. I've been shot 4 times already because of all the doomsday violence.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by JD401

I had to revive this thread just to quote these two comments.

Good call jazzlover, Barry, fearthegoat, et al Doom. DOOM. DOOOOOOOM!!!!!

Hilarious and very short sighted. they would have only had to look at other vice industries to see what happens to black markets when the government steps in to regulate. Gambling is perhaps the best example in recent times. The black markets never completely disappear, but they are marginalized by regulated operators.

[Sunderpig2]

I don't know about pot making it a "big" tourist destination. Uh dude, the state was already like, uh totally a big tourist destination beforehand Anyway, it seems to be bringing in a lot curious types and folks with big plans and pipe dreams (nudge nudge, wink).

[mbalmedpoet]

There are people such as Tommy Chong who have invested in the marijuana industry here. He also promotes tours of Colorado, his shop and other destinations. So, maybe not "big" but it's definitely an impact.

[sammy87]

Originally Posted by Sunderpig2

I don't know about pot making it a "big" tourist destination. Uh dude, the state was already like, uh totally a big tourist destination beforehand Anyway, it seems to be bringing in a lot curious types and folks with big plans and pipe dreams (nudge nudge, wink).

Seems like a big negative for downtown and 16th street mall areas. More bums than Ive ever seen. Not really want to take the family there. The smell has gotten worse. I know ppl not riding the light rail anymore. I see more and more ppl that look like all they do is smoke weed.

[bartonizer]

Originally Posted by sammy87

Seems like a big negative for downtown and 16th street mall areas. More bums than Ive ever seen. Not really want to take the family there. The smell has gotten worse. I know ppl not riding the light rail anymore. I see more and more ppl that look like all they do is smoke weed.

LOL Typical conservative suburbanite assessment of downtown. Let me guess, you live in Wheat Ridge or Parker and only drive into "the city" a few times a year, each time complaining that it's getting worse, and always making sure that you shield the kids from unsavory characters. *Newsflash* 16th Street was dirty before A64, and there were a bunch of homeless people around long before January 1, 2014. Denver is a big city with some urban grit. Nothing new.

What you have is called confirmation bias and likely a skewed sense of who actually partakes in the usage of cannabis. For example, where I lived on the Western Slope, a lot of the dispensary customers were older, wealthy people from Utah. Not at all who you may expect. Many, many, many well-educated and well-employed people responsibly consume, much like you probably do with a glass of chardonnay on your patio.

Here's the thing- you can't have it both ways. If you're seriously going to attribute that much of a change to the city due to the legalization of marijuana, then you have to mention both the positives and negatives through that prism. After all, many areas, including neighborhoods like River North, Five Points, Baker, and Sunnyside (just to name a few) are rapidly becoming much nicer, safer places to be than they have been in the last, say 50 years. Thanks, potheads. Statewise, yesterday a new report showed this past season to be a "banner year" for the ski industry: Tax tallies signal banner winter for spending at Colorado ski resorts - The Denver Post Thanks, potheads. The local economy and real estate markets are booming. Thanks, potheads. Tens of millions in tax revenue, 10,000 jobs, and the savings that comes with not prosecuting and incarcerating people for possession of a plant. Thanks, potheads!

[mic111]

Originally Posted by bartonizer

16th Street was dirty before A64, and there were a bunch of homeless people around long before January 1, 2014.

Bartonizer makes a really good point. I've lived here over 20 yrs and 16th street mall has always been unpleasant. Smokers. Bums. Dirty teenagers. I've never thought it was a pleasant place to go. But still never thought it was dangerous. Just unpleasant. Still feel the same way today. Some of the more recent times I've been it seems they may have cleaned it up a bit (meaning driven off the unpleasant element). Actions like this are probably contributing to that.
Banned from 16th Street: Dozens ordered by court to stay away - The Denver Post

Also all the development on the surrounding streets seems to have made downtown alot more vibrant and inviting.

The rest of the argument regarding pot heads changing neighborhoods for the better. I don't buy it. I think Denver is doing well because we have a great environment, amenities, good jobs and until recently, fairly affordable housing. Also Denver did a good job in the past approving things that people like today like the rail transit (2004), revitalization of downtown areas (saving Larimer square in 1963 along with other old downtown areas when they were under threat of demolition for more modern buildings)(1993 visionary bought Larimer Square and turned it into what it became, a focal point for successful redevelopment), revitalizing the old streetcar neighborhoods etc.

For example, Highlands:
"The redevelopment of the Central Platte Valley in the late 1990s and early 2000s saw Highland's fortunes rise. Highland became much more accessible to downtown with the construction of the Denver Millennium Bridge and Platte River Bridge in the Central Platte valley, along with the construction of the Highland Bridge over Interstate 25 in 2006. Preservationists stepped in to save some of the city's most architecturally interesting areas within the Highland neighborhood, such as Potter-Highland Historic District and Stonemans' Row Historic District. Proximity to downtown led to rapid growth of the area in recent years, while the area today is one of the more sought-after city-center neighborhoods. Consequently, considerable redevelopment is occurring in Highland along with a noticeable rise in density, as high-end condominiums and lofts replace older structures and parking lots. However, Highland still offers a large stock of historic single family homes—now some of the closest historic single family construction to Denver's original town site on the South Platte River."

Tis true for most all the gentrified neighborhoods. They started well before pot legalization. Some of the more desolate, worst ones are just turning around but it isn't because of pot. Rather it is because they were the only cheap areas left and the other areas have become too expensive.

I'm not trying to rally against pot. But just pointing out that Denver is what it is because of alot of efforts by many people to preserve the history, revitalize older areas and clean up the undesirable.

To me pot is neither here nor there in the equation. Meaning it may have attracted some tourists but it may have driven away an equal number. When I see the posts from people wanting to move here it is usually for a better environment for their family, better access to outdoor activities, wanting to experience the weather and for jobs. Lets face it we are trendy and people love to follow a trend. We also have lots of good healthy food options which is different from alot of non-coastal areas where chains rule.

Edit: You will note that the article says:
"Winter lodging revenue, DestiMetrics says, is up 4.6 percent, largely due to climbing room rates. Western U.S. resort lodgekeepers are relishing a new high point, passing the previous high mark set in the 2007-08 season, even though occupancy is slightly down from then. " This means really pot didn't do squat compared to prelegalization years when the season did well.

The ski industry has been pouring millions into making themselves destination resorts and the new number back this up. From the same article:
"Now we have a recovery in the (resort) marketplace but when snow went down it really didn't effect the destination visitation at all," Garrison said of the ski areas in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, where destination traffic climbed while daily lift tickets fell 20 percent to 30 percent.
"Now with consumer confidence going up, which continues to support occupancy rate, snow tends to impact the day visitor and season pass-holder," he said, "but the tailwinds or headwinds for the destination guest is much more largely based on the economy."

Notice that the states that benefited from the good economy and resort marketplace are not all pot legal.

[bartonizer]

Originally Posted by mic111

The rest of the argument regarding pot heads changing neighborhoods for the better. I don't buy it.

Mic111, I probably should have made my sarcasm a little more apparent. I'm in no means giving all the credit to pot for all the amazing things happening in Denver, in fact the opposite.

My comment was a jab at Sammy87 that it's just as ridiculous to claim Denver's redevelopment is due to legalization as it is for her to blame the decay of 16th Street Mall on it! I think MJ has added to the cultural allure of the city in that people are curious, though, and there is a legitimate industry around it. But legalization is just one component of CO's image- which as you said - is more about trendiness. I fully agree, and would add that for a lot of people, the MJ issue isn't about MJ but more a reflection of a "live and let live" attitude that many people find appealing.

A lot of Denver's success locally is indeed due to historic preservation and a critical mass of people that want to make things better. That type of progressive thought is bringing a lot of really good things to fruition, and Denver is quickly turning into a safer, more pedestrian-friendly city, albeit an expensive one.

Anyway, back to the topic on the thread, it's silly from the start because Colorado was already a huge tourist destination. MJ has probably turned away a few people, but by and large it's had a positive effect on tourism. How much so, we may not know for a while, as the state refuses to attempt to measure the effect (and attempt to connect the dots like it would for other). It may not have that much of a long term punch, especially as other states legalize it. But it's far from the "sky is falling" scenario that many prohibitionists predicted.