CENTRAL CITY - The Planning Commission convened its Wednesday meeting at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers, with Chair Lisa Leben, Vice Chair Bobbie Hill, and Commissioners Barbara Thielemann, Dena Hunter, Katie Shirley, and alternate Chris Shirley present. 

After a quick quorum call and a unanimous vote to approve the May 7 minutes, the commission opened a long-anticipated public hearing on PC-2025-02: the Preliminary Development Plan (PDP) for the Gregory Gulch Resort planned unit development (PUD).

Central City residents showed up en masse to respond to the hearing on the project. Several flyers had been posted around town that read “NO TOWER,” and the turnout reflected the townspeople’s concern.

The staff framed the application as “an exciting proposal before us this evening,” noting that the City hasn’t seen a project of this scale in years. 

A large project

The plan, led by G3 Gaming, LLC, of Raleigh, with Obermeyer Sheykhet Architecture of Denver, envisions a destination-scale resort in Gregory Gulch between Lawrence Street to the north and Gregory Street to the south. 

The concept includes 600 hotel rooms, a 100,000-square-foot casino with about 1,000 slots and 50 table games, 14,000 square feet of commercial space, up to 120 workforce housing units, a 45,000-square-foot multi-function venue, and about 2,200 structured parking spaces. The project would total 1.8 million square feet, including the parking lots. 

Architect Alexander Sheykhet described the renderings as “a clay model” meant to show the mass of the project, not the final architecture. He said the tower would be set back on the south side of the site with a public plaza anchoring the east end.

Advocates told the commission the resort could mean “net revenues to the city of about $7 million a year,” not counting one-time building fees and permits. They said that while the project would require more City services, the tax base and employment opportunities would be significant.

The tentative groundbreaking would aim for the second or third quarter of 2026.

The tall question: height, views, and light

The tower would reach about 345 feet, taller than Monarch’s 23 stories but shorter than Ameristar’s 33. Sheykhet acknowledged concerns: “A large building will cast a large shadow… we will do additional studies,” including seasonal animations of sun and shade.

Hill said, “Aesthetically, it’s a heartbreaker for people that won’t be able to see their mountain…. The shadow is going to cut off passive solar heat….It’s going to be an additional financial burden,” referring to the residents’ need for extra heating in their homes in the winter.

To soften those impacts, the developer is proposing a linear park along Lawrence Street, with a meandering sidewalk and water feature, widening the distance between the project and existing homes.

Traffic modeling anticipates thousands of daily trips, with spikes during events in the flex venue. The plan would convert Gregory and Lawrence Streets to two-way, relocate Gregory slightly south, and create internal drop-off areas. The project would require several variances for its construction.

When commissioners questioned whether the “linear park” was just disguised drainage, Sheykhet clarified: “It’s not a drainage ditch with a few flowers….It’s intended as a true public promenade.”

Commissioners asked whether the resort could be designed with two smaller towers or a wider footprint instead of one tall tower. Sheykhet responded that the team studied those options but found the site’s narrow gulch, old mine voids, and property lines made a single tower the only workable solution.

Jobs, housing, and licensing

The plan includes up to 120 on-site workforce housing units, potentially a mix of dorm-style rooms and one- to two-bedroom apartments. Staff said keeping workers close to jobs helps with hiring and cuts commuter traffic.

When asked whether G3 already holds a local gaming license, the representative answered plainly: “No, we do not have a casino license yet here….We’ll apply when we’re ready.”

Public comment

Several residents told the commission that the proposed tower would overwhelm Central City’s historic character and block long-cherished views of the mountains. 

They said the project felt out of place in a National Historic Landmark District, comparing it more to Las Vegas than a 19th-century mining town.

Some spoke in favor of the project, citing much-needed revenue to maintain the historic buildings of Central, to support the fire department, and to create a police force.

The vote

Commissioners considered their options: approve, approve with conditions, or deny.

Approval with conditions would mean requiring more shadow studies, more substantial financing commitments, and additional traffic solutions.

The other was to reject the plan outright and send the applicant back to address those concerns in a new submission.

In the end, Leben said the issues were too significant to resolve with conditions at this stage. 

The scale of the project, particularly its height and its impact on the surrounding historic neighborhood, raised too many unanswered questions for Central to move it forward at this time.

Leben moved to deny the application. The motion passed unanimously, 5–0.

The City Council is scheduled to review the commission’s findings and will decide on the Gregory Gulch Resort proposal at its next regular meeting on September 16. The Council can override the Commission’s recommendation if it sees fit.