Mayor David Spellman, Black Hawk. I read with amusement in the April 9th Weekly Register-Call, Central City Mayor Fey’s comments about the Lake Gulch Whiskey Resort at the April 7th Central City Council meeting. The Mayor’s declaration that “there is not a member of Central City Council or Staff that is opposed to the Tincup Whiskey development” is a disingenuous utterance at best. His Honor’s declaration would foreshadow the disinformation campaign Central City was about to embark on the following day.  

On April 8th, Central City sent out a Press Release, which was nonsensical, disingenuous, and above all chocked-full of deception and disinformation. All rubbish in a feeble effort to bolster their senseless lawsuit against Black Hawk and Proximo Spirits, LLC. 

I will not address the 1999 Growth IGA as that is now a matter for the courts to decide. Sufficing to say, the Gilpin County Commissioners have consented to the annexation of the Lake Gulch Whiskey Resort, and that is all that is required under the 1999 Growth IGA. The City of Central’s consent is not required under the document.

As for the Southern Access, or the Central City Parkway, or the Casino Parkway -- it is hard to keep up with whatever Central is calling the financial albatross they have saddled their City with for many years to come. It is unequivocally clear Central is attempting to force Black Hawk and Proximo to pay for a road we neither need nor want the use of. Central City is suffering from “Delusions of Parkway Grandeur.” or “Parkway Derangement.” 

Black Hawk recently filed an open records request with Central asking what involvement the bondholders for the Parkway had in the lawsuit. The document we received from Central had more text redacted - blacked out - than there is readable text. It is evident that the greedy bondholders have joined with Central and want in on the extortion racket as well. Black Hawk shall expose the blatant deception and double standard Central is applying to what they term “Benefited Properties” as it relates to actual impacts versus contrived impacts to their Parkway. 

It is transparent that the City of Central is suing Black Hawk and Proximo to extort financial gain, which they are not entitled to nor deserving of.

I would say the lawsuit is a cheap trick to extort money, but it is not cheap for the residents and businesses of Central. Central may be paying their attorneys a combined hourly rate of $1,000 or more? Black Hawk filed an open records request for the fee schedule of their outside legal counsel. It should come as no surprise, what Central responded with is a document in which more text is redacted - blacked out - than there is readable text. What are you concealing Central City? Perhaps this why you refuse to waive your casino’s device fees during this unprecedented economic calamity they are struggling through at this time.

The City of Black Hawk prefers not to negotiate with extortionists. Perhaps it is high time for the City of Central to come clean and let their residents and all of Gilpin County know that the Lake Gulch Whiskey Resort was your development before it was Black Hawks. Central could not negotiate and close the deal with Proximo. The Lake Gulch Whiskey Resort was Central’s to lose and lose it they did. Is it possible greed got in the way of Central being the home of Tincup whiskey. Do not use your revisionist history Central as you will only get caught in yet another lie.

(Originally published in the April 30, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)