Durango business owners and organization executives met at the La Plata County Fairgrounds on Tuesday for the Gold Standard Event Planner Conference.
The premise of the conference was to share information on how businesses can plan events better. The event was hosted by the city of Durango, La Plata County, Ballantine Events and Durango Fire Protection District.
Events play a large role in Durango’s economy, providing a way to market local businesses and draw in visitors from other states.
“It's one of the most direct ways to connect with the community, and it's a great way to show everyone what you do,” said Visit Durango Events and Marketing Coordinator James Flint.
Flint used the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic as an example. He said the event brings thousands of people to Durango each year and really kicks off the summer tourism season.
During the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic this year, individual visitors spent an average of $831 during the three days they stayed for the event. Flint estimated that the event brought in about $4.5 million.
“That shows when people come to town, they’re infusing money back into our community. And that’s why, you know, the events committee put an emphasis on events in the shoulder season. Already we have quite a lot of visitors and quite a lot of activity during the summer,” Flint said.
For some business owners, events can be about the culture of their business. Durango Harley-Davidson owner Trevor Bird, who plays a major role in planning the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, said events allow visitors to experience Durango’s culture.
Bird said he’s known people who have moved to Durango after visiting for the motorcycle rally. The Labor Day weekend rally was estimated to have brought between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors to Durango and Ignacio. Rally visitors make it a point to shop at local stores and dine at local restaurants.
“It’s a nice economic shot in the arm before we head into the winter months, and being able to raise money for the local nonprofits as part of our event is a big part of our mission overall,” Bird said.
However, planning events are not without obstacles. For major events, some businesses must file for specific permits with the city like a temporary liquor permit.
Much of the conference Tuesday discussed topics like crowd management, alcohol and food permits, and risk and liability insurance.
Bird said the permit process can be strenuous for people new to event planning. For his events, he tries to file the proper paperwork 18 months in advance.
“We don’t like waiting to the last minute and scrambling to get things started,” he said. “Especially when dealing with the administrative side of the city or county.“
Flint agreed that the permit process can be daunting, but he said the conference should help people understand how to file for permitting.
“If you haven't done it once, it could seem harder than it is. So I think what's cool about this is it’s going to expose people that maybe haven’t gone down that path, what to expect and how to be prepared so that it won't be a stressful or painful process,” he said.
For other business owners, events supply them with the opportunity for work. Vanilla Moose, an ice cream catering business based in Aztec, frequently comes to Durango to set up shop at weddings.
Owner Nicole Lane said attending the conference was important because she does business in two different states.
For us, a big part was being able to talk about permitting for this area because we are in a separate state,” Lane said.
Vanilla Moose visits Durango about 20 times a year to cater weddings, parties or events like the wedding expo at River Bend Ranch. Lane said these events often involve filing for a general business license and a food service license.
She said going through the process in another state can be stressful but being able to meet city and county official in charge of the permitting process make her feel more comfortable applying for licensing.
Lane does not have plans to host events but said she likes weddings because there’s a demand for her services.
“I personally love the catering side because I don’t have to sell individually,” she said. “They’ve already purchased the ice cream and I can just hand it out.”
tbrown@durangoherald.com
