Breckenridge is coming down from a post-pandemic sales tax boom and some officials are wondering if investments to partner with Breckenridge Ski Resort on events could help slow the drop. 

The Breckenridge finance department presented a projection to Breckenridge Town Council on Oct. 14 putting sales tax collections at $33.5 million yearly from 2026-2030, reversing a previous upward trend. Officials and staff members discussed ways to revive what’s considered to be one of the town’s most significant revenue sources. 

Breckenridge rode a revenue high in the last few years, collecting upwards of $10 million more in sales tax yearly than it did in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic. Where it collected around $23.5 million in 2018 and $25.9 million in 2019 in sales tax, it collected around $36.4 million in 2023 and $39.6 million in 2024. 

Finance director Dave Byrd said sales tax is the engine that fuels much of the town’s operations. Council member Dick Carleton said he would like to find ways to kick up that engine for the sake of downtown businesses. 

“We’ve heard from some businesses, some frustrations and concerns,” he said. “I think we’d like to see some efforts around events and just kind of livening in the brand (of the town),” he said. 

He suggested earmarking $200,000 to $300,000 to collaborate and partner with the Breckenridge Ski Resort on events. He noted how Breckenridge Ski Resort already stated their intention to bring more events to town this winter to animate and draw business. Namely, the resort recently announced it would be home to the debut of the Rockstar Energy Open snowboarding event, an extension of the energy drink company’s already popular skateboarding event. Breckenridge elected officials and staff members indicated more entertainment offering announcements could be coming down the pipeline. 

Carleton said it could help support the town’s business sector to have funds dedicated to collaborating with the resort on some of these efforts. He said the town saw a lot of success in supporting the resort when it used to host the Mountain Dew “Dew Tour,” which the resort hosted for over a decade. 

“The community stepped up in a big way to pay a lot of the Dew Tour expenses, and I think some of us missed that event in December that brought a tremendous amount of business and bought a tremendous amount of media recognition,” he said. 

He said a recent community study showed people wanted to see more family-friendly, pop-up style entertainment events.

Council member Todd Rankin agreed and advocated for a “strong investment” to further up the chances of boosting sales tax revenue, noting the dollar amounts proposed seemed a “little light.” Council member Marika Page said an investment like the one Carleton proposed could bring in an influx of revenue during times like early ski season when revenue otherwise might be lower. She wanted to see the spend as a line item in the town’s budget. Town manager Shannon Haynes said there have been discussions happening about how to “bulk up” December in particular with entertainment offerings. 

Council member Carol Saade said she agreed with many of Carleton’s points and expressed wanting to explore those possibilities. She wondered if council had to earmark money now or if they could give a “clear statement” to potential partners like the resort that would be willing to chip in on those types of events. Mayor Kelly Owens also showed support for a spend that could boost sales tax revenues. 

While council member Jay Beckerman showed support for driving up sales tax revenues, he had some reservations. 

“I just want to be careful not just to cut (Breckenridge Ski Resort’s) expenses by subsidizing what they’re going to do,” he said, adding he wanted to ensure any spend had tangible benefits to the town.

Haynes said, while council could discuss the idea at the Oct. 14 budget retreat, no official dollar amount could be committed to at the meeting because staff would need more time given they fielded the recommendation that day.