Dillon is considering selling sponsorship opportunities at the Dillon Amphitheater and town events, but Town Council members are divided over whether or not to allow marijuana businesses to buy sponsorships.

Dillon Events and Recreation Director Jessie Klehfoth said at a Town Council work session Tuesday, May 28, the town needs to decide what types of businesses should be targeted or avoided for sponsorship sales.

“We did just want to have a quick conversation with you all about some (sponsorship opportunities) that may be considered a little more controversial and just get your thoughts on whether these are ones that we should go after or consider maybe not targeting,” Klehfoth said.

Klehfoth said the sponsorship opportunities the town is thinking about offering fall into two categories: event-based and venue-based. Event-based sponsorships would cost from $1,500 to $25,000 and may include things like having a presenting sponsor for the town’s Mountain Music Monday series, having a stage sponsor, supporting sponsors or individual event sponsors, she said.

Venue-based sponsorship opportunities could include things like having an “official” beer, spirit or sports drink of the Dillon Amphitheater, a greenroom sponsor or a box office sponsor, Klehfoth said.

She said some of the types of businesses that might be targeted to purchase sponsorship opportunities include automotive companies, food and beverage companies, financial services, professional services, retail businesses, health and wellness businesses, travel and hospitality companies and more.

But Klehfoth asked the Town Council members what they thought about offering sponsorship opportunities to alcohol and marijuana businesses, which might prove more controversial than other sponsorships.

Noting that the Dillon Amphitheater has a full liquor license and serves alcohol onsite, Klehfoth suggested that sponsorships for alcoholic beverages be restricted to adult-focused events. Most Town Council members stated that they would be OK with alcohol businesses buying sponsorships.

But smoking, either cigarettes or cannabis, is not allowed at the amphitheater, Klehfoth said. So, while marijuana is legal in Colorado, she asked the Town Council whether the town should pursue sponsorships from cannabis companies.

“There is a lot of money out there right now,” Klehfoth said. “We’ve already been approached by a number of cannabis dispensaries and companies in the area interested in sponsoring events.”

Town Council member Dana Christiansen said marijuana “can be controversial because of the varying opinions on the whole topic,” and “there is a little bit of a risk that the town of Dillon could be seen as endorsing that,” if it offered sponsorships to cannabis companies.

But Mayor Carolyn Skowyra said she thinks that “alcohol and cannabis should be treated the same,” and that she would be comfortable with cannabis companies purchasing sponsorships, especially sponsorships that wouldn’t be public facing. In particular, Skowyra mentioned cannabis companies perhaps buying the greenroom sponsorship. 

“That’s hilarious,” Skowyra said. “And it’s not public facing. So why would you turn down good money for something that’s hilarious.”

The greenroom is where the band hangs out before the show and there is usually alcohol provided, Klehfoth said. With a greenroom sponsorship, cannabis would not be provided in the greenroom but might provide marijuana businesses with the opportunity to advertise directly to the band members, she said.

Town Council member Rachel Tuyn said she is opposed to offering sponsorships for alcohol or cannabis companies, but is especially opposed to sponsorships for cannabis companies.

“Alcohol is a socially accepted drug and has been for years and years,” Tuyn said. “Cannabis is, you know, becoming more mainstream. However, I would be opposed to both alcoholic beverages and cannabis.”

Ultimately, there was a consensus on the Town Council that the events department should move forward with sponsorship opportunities related to alcohol but that more discussion may be needed on whether or not to allow sponsorships for marijuana companies.