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A miniature golf course could be the secret weapon needed to add vitality to Aspen Highlands Village, the Hines development company has concluded.
Developer Gerald Hines' company has applied to build an 18-hole "championship mini golf course" at the Highlands ski area base, according to an application filed with the Aspen Community Development Department. The course, which would be decommissioned during winters, would be located east of the existing bowling lawn and southeast of the main plaza building, according to the application. The tightly compacted holes would be terraced into the slope with vegetation and water features mixed in between.
The application doesn't include vital information about the types of hazards the minigolf course would include. Thus, miniduffers will have to wait and see if there are windmills that require the putter to avoid the rotating blades, for example, or a clown face that requires the putter to aim the ball through the mouth.
"The purpose of installing the mini golf course is to have some activity in Aspen Highlands Village in the summer," said the application, prepared by Aspen planner Glenn Horn. Some observers consider this plan to be the best of Horn's long career in Aspen; he couldn't be reached Friday to elaborate on the course.
Bob Daniel of Hines Highlands LP was in meetings and also unavailable Friday.
This would be the first miniature golf course in Aspen for at least 30 years, if not the first ever. Glenwood Springs has two minigolf courses.
The proposal goes before the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission for review Oct. 17. If approved, the course could be ready for play by next summer.
Aspen Highlands has watched its skier and snowboard-rider visits soar in recent seasons but the village struggles to draw crowds in summers. Hines received approval to build the village in 1998. It was constructed over the next few years and the project was annexed into the city in 2000.
The merchants' association and Hines' firm have thrown numerous special events to try to lure summer visitors.
Jeanette Darnauer, owner of Darnauer Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that is assisting the merchants' association, said the minigolf course is seen as something that could generate excitement on a regular basis during summers.
Scott Condon's e-mail address is scondon@aspentimes.com.
Developer Gerald Hines' company has applied to build an 18-hole "championship mini golf course" at the Highlands ski area base, according to an application filed with the Aspen Community Development Department. The course, which would be decommissioned during winters, would be located east of the existing bowling lawn and southeast of the main plaza building, according to the application. The tightly compacted holes would be terraced into the slope with vegetation and water features mixed in between.
The application doesn't include vital information about the types of hazards the minigolf course would include. Thus, miniduffers will have to wait and see if there are windmills that require the putter to avoid the rotating blades, for example, or a clown face that requires the putter to aim the ball through the mouth.
"The purpose of installing the mini golf course is to have some activity in Aspen Highlands Village in the summer," said the application, prepared by Aspen planner Glenn Horn. Some observers consider this plan to be the best of Horn's long career in Aspen; he couldn't be reached Friday to elaborate on the course.
Bob Daniel of Hines Highlands LP was in meetings and also unavailable Friday.
This would be the first miniature golf course in Aspen for at least 30 years, if not the first ever. Glenwood Springs has two minigolf courses.
The proposal goes before the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission for review Oct. 17. If approved, the course could be ready for play by next summer.
Aspen Highlands has watched its skier and snowboard-rider visits soar in recent seasons but the village struggles to draw crowds in summers. Hines received approval to build the village in 1998. It was constructed over the next few years and the project was annexed into the city in 2000.
The merchants' association and Hines' firm have thrown numerous special events to try to lure summer visitors.
Jeanette Darnauer, owner of Darnauer Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that is assisting the merchants' association, said the minigolf course is seen as something that could generate excitement on a regular basis during summers.
Scott Condon's e-mail address is scondon@aspentimes.com.
