Arcanum Edge
Luminova Holiday At Elitch Gardens: Three Million Lights Turn Theme Park Into A Winter Wonderland
by Mark Smiley
Candy Cane Tunnel: The candy cane tunnel is a must see when visiting Elitch Gardens this holiday season.
Rides: A limited amount of rides are open at Elitch Gardens during the Luminova Holidays event.
Luminova Holidays at Elitch Gardens premiered on November 26, 2021, and runs through Sunday, January 2, 2022. For the first time ever, the park transformed into Luminova Holidays and delivered a winter wonderland experience with larger-than-life holiday displays featuring over three million lights and more.
The immersive family experience features a display of glittering lights, fun rides, memory-making moments, and visits with St. Nick. Reservations are required. The event will run evenings from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
“We truly are proud and excited to introduce the first-ever holiday event at the Park,” says David Dorman, Elitch Gardens General Manager. “Luminova Holidays promises to be a must-see, sensational, and sophisticated spectacle, and a must-do for Coloradans of all ages to make lifelong memories at Elitch Gardens.”
Luminova Holidays featured at Elitch Gardens includes a 65 ft. Christmas tree, 25 ft. snowman that never melts, 200 ft. candy cane tunnel, ornaments and presents scaling over 16 ft. tall, rides on limited Elitch Gardens attractions, strolling holiday entertainers, and interactive activities, including light-up hopscotch.
Three Million Lights: Luminova Holidays features over three million lights throughout the park.
“This year more than ever we want families and friends to create memories that will last well beyond the holiday season,” says Dixie Baker, co-producer of Luminova Holidays. “We are extremely excited to be making our Colorado debut and to share with Denver the joy and holiday cheer that thousands have experienced when coming to see Luminova! We are thrilled to be partnering with Elitch Gardens and look forward to brightening up your holidays for years to come.”
President and CEO of VISIT DENVER, Richard Scharf, further adds, “We are thrilled that Luminova Holidays has chosen Denver and Elitch Gardens for their newest attraction. The holiday season in the Mile High City is always an exciting time with shopping, festive attractions, performances, and displays, and we look forward to adding another unique tradition for families to enjoy downtown.”
Visit ElitchGardens.com/Luminova to reserve your visit and purchase tickets. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram – @LuminovaHolidays and @ElitchGar dens, and Twitter – @LuminovaHoliday and @ElitchGardens.
Jurassic World: The Exhibition Comes To Denver In March
by Mark Smiley
After record-breaking performances in Dallas, Texas, the Jurassic World Exhibition will open in Denver on March 4, 2022, at the National Western Center, located at the Washington Street exit of I-70. For the first time ever, Denver fans of the Jurassic World film and television franchises can experience the dinosaurs in their own community inside a 20,000 square foot immersive experience.
This experience is based on one of the biggest blockbusters in cinema history. Visitors will walk through the world-famous “Jurassic World” gates, encounter life-sized dinosaurs, and explore richly themed environments. Guests will have an up-close look at a Velociraptor, stand under a towering Brachiosaurus, and encounter the most fearsome of them all, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Guests will be able to imagine what it would have been like to roam among these creatures and even interact with new baby dinosaurs, including “Bumpy” from the popular animated series Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous which airs on Netflix.
Following an initial launch in Melbourne, Australia, JURASSIC WORLD: THE EXHIBITION has become a global success with over three million visitors since 2016. The Exhibition has opened its gates to fans in Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Paris, Madrid, Seoul, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
Universal Parks & Resorts’ President of Global Business Development, Michael Silver said, “What excites us about JURA
Jurassic World: The Exhibition: An immersive 20,000-square-foot experience based on the movies that have grossed over $5 billion worldwide. The exhibit has had over three million visitors since 2016 in Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Paris, Madrid, Seoul, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
SSIC WORLD: THE EXHIBITION is the opportunity to give fans a real-world, immersive experience based on the amazing adventures of the films and delivered to a location near them. Visitors will come face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs and walk through richly themed environments, all inspired by the beloved global franchise.”
Cityneon’s Executive Chairman & Group CEO, Ron Tan said, “JURASSIC WORLD: THE EXHIBITION features cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technology that is powered by Animax Designs, our animatronics powerhouse located in the U.S. This immersive exhibition is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience that our friends in Denver can look forward to. With sold-out shows in Dallas since its opening there in June 2021, we are confident that our fans in Denver will be wowed by this exhilarating experience.”
“After record breaking sales in Dallas, we are incredibly excited to bring this show to Denver to share with our millions of fans,” said Stephen Shaw, Founder and Co-President of Round Room Live. “The ability to walk amongst these HUGE creatures will amaze and entertain fans with this breathtaking and truly immersive experience.” Shaw went on to explain that the dinosaurs are animatronic but “shockingly realistic.”
“Denver was a chosen city because we love the city,” said Shaw. “There is always a great response to entertainment in Denver, whether it be concerts, touring shows, or family shows. We have always loved going to Denver.”
Tickets to JURASSIC WORLD: THE EXHIBITION start at $29.50 for adults (16 years +) and $19.50 for youth (3-15 years). Children under three years of age are free with accompanying parent or guardian. Flex Passes are available, as well as special pricing for senior citizens and military. Group sales packages are available for groups greater than 10.
For more information, visit JurassicWorldExhibition.com. The exhibition will be at the National Western Center’s new Stockyards Event Center until Labor Day, 2022, 5004 National Western Drive, Denver, CO 80216.
High Hopes For The Holidays As Concern Grows
The Covid Grinch Could Steal Christmas As State Becomes Giant Covid-19 Mixing Bowl, Mountain Town Cases Soar; Flare-Ups In Denver Are Threatening Christmas Concerts
by Glen Richardson
Hospitalizations Skyrocket: Dr. Abbey Lara tends to patients in an ICU room at UCHealth as hospitalizations soar. She is pleading with people to do the “easy thing” and wear a mask and limit social gatherings.
As Cherry Creek Valley residents and families look to celebrate the holidays this month, Colorado has become a giant Covid-19 mixing bowl. Seeking a safe way to get festive, travelers and shoppers are shifting their sights away from mountain towns and downtown Denver to the Cherry Creek-Glendale neighborhoods. Nevertheless, fears are growing that the grouchy covid-19 creature is attempting to put an end to those holiday hopes.
At the beginning of November with Thanksgiving still weeks away, Colorado hospitals for the first time moved their transfer plan to the highest level during the pandemic. About one in every 51 Coloradans is now contagious with Covid-19 as the state registers the fifth-highest rate in the country with new infections compared to population.
With the pace of new coronavirus cases accelerating in Colorado, the state had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send in medical teams to help in areas where hospitals are especially full. During the last two weeks of October the rate of new infections in Colorado accelerated rapidly. Only Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming have higher case rates compared to population.
County Countdown
Colorado Cases Spike: Daily Covid-19 cases in Colorado started ramping up in May and were soaring by early Sept. The Colorado Public Health & Environment chart was created by Evan Wyloge.
Most of the state’s large counties have seen increasing cases, though the trend line is especially steep in Pueblo County, which concerns state officials. “It’s probably not a coincidence that this is roughly the same time that Colorado saw rapidly increasing cases last year, though it’s not clear if that reflects changes in the weather itself or in human behavior,” they suggest.
If the current trajectory continues, the state should stay slightly below the peak set in December 2020, when 1,847 people were hospitalized with confirmed Covid-19, officials estimate.
Even if transmission goes down by 5% it’s still possible the state could exceed the previous peak, they warn. As the holiday nears, some heath officials are urging Gov. Jared Polis to issue a statewide indoor mask mandate.
Denver Cases Rising
Even more worrisome, the number of hospitalized covid patients and deaths in Denver County is also on the rise. An average of 274 cases per day were reported in Denver County as November got underway, a 47% increase from the average two weeks earlier.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, one in eight residents of the City & County of Denver has been infected, a total of 93,464 reported cases.
Events Altering Tune: Fans at this year’s Westword Music Showcase in September were greeted by reminder to show their Covid-19 vaccination status. Photo: CPR News
An article in the New York Times at the beginning of November suggested, “Denver County is at a very high-risk level of unvaccinated people because there was an average of 37 daily cases per 100,000 people reported in the past two weeks.” The risk in Denver County will decline from the high-risk level if the daily case rate drops to less than about 11.4 cases per 100,000 and the test positivity stays low, the paper suggested.
Christmas Events Impact
Holiday Crowd Concerns: With tens of thousands expected to attend holiday events such as the Dec. 14 Colorado Symphony Holiday Brass concert, check for new rules and regulations in advance.
In addition to the normal winter shows and concerts, dozens of Christmas events that were canceled last year are scheduled to return this month. They include several Nutcracker performances, A Charley Brown Christmas at Dazzle, and Colorado Symphony’s Holiday Brass at Boettcher Hall.
Covid flare-ups at metro-area concerts and events have been rare this year, with fewer than a half-dozen indoor events being canceled according the state’s Department of Health.
Nonetheless, promoters and artists are scrambling to impose sterner guidelines to slow down the virus and keep holiday concerts and shows on track. Upshot: If you and your family are among the tens of thousands planning to attend a holiday performance this month, check for new rules and regulations in advance.
Mountain Town Spike
People from all 50 states arriving in Colorado’s mountain towns to play this winter — plus vaccinated foreign travelers since Nov. 8 — are contributing to the high-country spike. Mountain activities where people gather without masks at restaurants-bars plus carpooling can lead to transmission. Many communities are seeing high enough Covid-19 transmission that authorities are putting restrictions on indoor dining, lodging, and gatherings. A surge of hospitalizations in Pitkin County — where Aspen is the county seat — has already resulted in a mask mandate order.
In addition to the influx of visitors, elevating factors include the winter weather, and because many essential employees live together in dense housing. Moreover, many of the visitors are coming from high pandemic states. Health officials have also found that when there is an increase in the number of mobile devices pinging in mountain towns, a rise in coronavirus cases follows seven to 10 days later.
Additionally, the pandemic is driving a migration of Americans to the state’s high-country communities. San Miguel County, for example, has seen a 20% increase in full-time residents. Plus, many people that own second-homes in the mountains are now starting to relocate to their mountain homes permanently.
Downtown Decline
Mountain Crowds: Even before the ski season began, crowds were flocking to Colorado’s mountain towns. Photos show crowds at September’s Jazz Aspen and at Little Nell’s gondola base. The hospitalization surge in Aspen has resulted in a mask mandate order for all of Pitkin County.
While mountain towns are booming, downtown Denver isn’t faring nearly as well. Denver’s downtown is currently seeing about 150,000 people walking around downtown compared to between 250,000 to 300,000 prior to the pandemic. According to the Downtown Denver Partnership, it’s hard to draw an apples-to-apples comparison because the data doesn’t go back to the summer of 2019. Nevertheless, it’s clear downtown foot traffic remains way down.
Remote work is a major reason for the drop downtown. Many companies still offer flexible work-from-home policies. Others are beginning to delay employee office return plans due to the renewed pandemic surge.
But pared down corporate travel to downtown Denver is also a major factor. Activities at the Denver Convention Center have picked up somewhat, yet remain far below where it was prior to the pandemic. Rich Carollo, director of sales and marketing at the Convention Center, reported few events in November.
Why We’re Screwed At The Pump
Karl Honegger
by Karl Honegger
I recently paid $120 to fill up my SUV, bringing back memories of 2012 when I was a college student working two jobs to support my wife and newborn. It was difficult to balance the cost of rent, diapers, food, and gas. It felt like I’d been punched in the gut every time I left the gas station. Because I have a nine-year career under my belt, a master’s degree, and a professional certification, my income is higher. While it doesn’t hurt as much when I fill up my gas tank, I’m still reminded of how much the price of gas impacted my life. It still impacts me because my wife and I drive a full-size passenger van because of my eight-person family.
It is important to understand that it was a strange convergence of events that caused the price of gas to be so low the last decade. Why we used to enjoy low gas prices is because of three factors:
Senator Kevin Priola
Representative Matt Gray
The first is that the United States is one of the few countries where individuals are allowed to own the minerals in the ground. They can then sign contracts with oil and gas companies to drill and sell those minerals. This free market causes oil companies to be fiercely competitive. March of 2011, NATO commenced a seven-month bombing campaign in Libya and the country was tossed into a brutal civil war. This took almost 1,500 barrels per day of oil off the international market and helped support the price of crude oil for the next few years. Here is how this impacted the United States — oil producers decided that they were going to invest billions in exploring and developing shale oil fields where the cost of drilling for a barrel of oil is much higher. The scientists and petroleum engineers working for those companies then figured out ways to drive down the cost of drilling for shale oil. The United States ended up producing a higher percentage of the world’s supply of oil. This innovation was great for the United States but gave Saudi Arabia a headache.
This brings us to the second factor, Saudi Arabia and OPEC decided they would stop working so hard to prop up the price of crude oil by constantly cutting their own production. Instead, they would flood the market. From mid-2014 to early 2016 the price of crude oil dropped 70% as Saudi Arabia entered a risky battle with US Shale oil companies for market share. The Saudi’s won. This led to over 100 oil and gas companies declaring bankruptcy in 2020, including Whiting Oil and Gas which I used to work for. The bright side was that this oil war was saving American’s $180 billion a year.
The third factor that led to the low oil prices was that the world enjoyed some peace during the previous administration. The oil production of Libya came back on-line, and we managed to stay out of war with Iran. The combination of these three synergistic factors led to the low gas prices we used to enjoy. Those times will never return. Saudi Arabia is willing to keep oil prices high after winning their price war and demand for oil has recovered after last year’s government lockdowns. The cost of transporting our food to the grocery store, or driving to visit friends and family, or driving to work will remain expensive.
With this in mind, we must fight any new tax disguised as a fee on gas or transportation. The poor and middle class do not need to pay more at the pump as housing prices and out of control inflation continue to squeeze their budgets tighter and tighter.
The corporatists at Colorado Concern demonstrate how out of touch they are by giving Senator Kevin Priola their “In the Arena” award for his support of Senate Bill 260. This bill, sponsored in the State House by my Representative Matt Gray, creates an additional “fee” per gallon of gas. But the money doesn’t go to just roads, it’s also designed to funnel your money towards electrical vehicle “infrastructure” and to subsidize governments buying electric vehicles. Colorado Concern’s award is for the legislator whose “face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly… who spends himself in a worthy cause…” If politicians like Priola did have any guts, they would have taken this bill to the voters as required by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Rather they chose the easy way out by calling a tax a “fee.” This form of sniveling cowardice is what big business interests at Colorado Concern want more of. Next time you are at the gas pump, give State Senator Priola or Representative Gray a call and let them know you don’t appreciate their “fee” on the gas you need to live your life. Colorado Concern may be funded by wealthy cronies who want politicians to do their bidding, but it’s time the voters let them know we’ve had enough.
Karl Honegger is on the Steamboat Institute’s Emerging Leaders Council and a board member of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers. He is a Certified Treasury Professional and works for a “tech-enabled” healthcare company as a Financial Reporting Accountant.
