Though work has already begun, the official groundbreaking ceremony of the new Olympic Museum has been given a date in June.
Olympic Museum organizers have announced that they'll break ground on the $75 million project on June 9. The museum is expected to draw thousands of tourists to the Pikes Peak region each year, as well as anchor new redevelopment in southwest downtown Colorado Springs. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at Sierra Madre Street and Vermijo Avenue, the location of the museum. The vision for this museum is a showcase for the nation's Olympic and Paralympic movements through a hall of fame, theater, exhibition hall and retail space.
Utility work is already underway at the site, and part of Sierra Madre has been blocked off to traffic. The groundbreaking date was set to accommodate local officials who are expected to attend. Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers will be in attendance; Gov. John Hickenlooper has been invited, but it's currently unknown whether he will attend.
The Olympic Museum is being funded by a combination of private donations, totaling roughly $49 million, and bonds issued by the Colorado Springs Urban Renewal Authority, totaling $26.1 million. The museum is one of several projects in City for Champions, a series of projects designed to boost tourism in the area.
Colorado Springs has deep ties to the Olympics. The U.S. Olympic Committee has been headquartered in the city since 1978, there is an olympic training center here, and close to 24 olympic national governing bodies are based in the Springs.
Are you excited for the latest addition to our fantastic Olympic heritage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
