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Top 5 most-read stories: Billing battle over Limelight Hotel Aspen; Western slope boasts best snowfall in a decade

Staff Report

We’ve rounded up the top five most-read stories on Aspentimes.com from last week.

1.) Billing battle rages over Limelight Hotel Aspen renovation

The remodel of Limelight Hotel Aspen took about six months to complete, but settling more than $3.4 million in overdue debts related to the project has taken twice the time so far. 

The disputes involving project contractors and Limelight owner Aspen Skiing Co. have triggered three civil lawsuits and nine mechanics liens, mostly related to billing and performance disagreements over the project, according to public filings in the Pitkin County Courthouse and Clerk & Recorder’s Office. The first lien was filed in February 2022, and other actions followed. 



As of Friday, one lawsuit and one lien remained active — the other issues having been resolved or combined. The three parties still in the dispute are Limelight Aspen (through Skico), Las Vegas-based PWI Construction, and Georgia-based GAR Mechanical, court records show. 

Rick Carroll




2.) Western Slope boasts best snowfall in 10 years

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day last week and gave his prediction for six more weeks of winter, which is a good thing for skiers and riders eager to make the most out of their season passes. 

The four Aspen Snowmass mountains received 3-6 inches of fresh snow Wednesday night and may get more as a storm rolls through Feb.15-16. 

As for the long term forecast, Accuweather senior meteorologist Paul Pastelok said there are opportunities for more snow through the rest of February and March.

Audrey Ryan

3.) Aspen High School dance team brings home gold with national championship

Taking home the first-place trophy at the United Dance Association nationals was bittersweet for the Aspen High School dance team senior captains and their coach, who has been with them since they were freshmen.

“There’s no better way to see my seniors and the whole team finish the year out,” coach Maddy Miller said. 

The dance team traveled this past weekend to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, for the high school national championships, winning the intermediate varsity pom division on Sunday.

Audrey Ryan

4.) Insurer blames Black Hills, property manager for home flood in wake of attack on Aspen gas lines

The December 2020 sabotage of three gas lines that put 3,500 households and businesses in Aspen without heat was partly due to a utility provider’s failure to “adequately secure its gas service lines from unauthorized tampering and damage,” according to allegations made in an insurer’s complaint against Black Hills Energy.

After paying a homeowner’s claim for flood damage to his Red Butte home, New Jersey-based Federal Insurance Co. is suing Black Hills Energy and an individual property manager. The carrier was contractually obligated under the homeowner’s policy to pay the claim, but Federal Insurance Co.’s lawsuit seeks a judgment ordering Black Hills and the property manager to pay the carrier’s cost and expenses, in addition to damages to be determined at a jury trial.  

Black Hills representatives declined to comment about the suit. The company’s formal response to the lawsuit says it isn’t liable for the damages, and it had no control over events, such as the home flood, that followed the sabotage. 

Rick Carroll

5.) Aspen Thrift Shop empowers women while supporting community since 1949

In a little building nestled on Hopkins Avenue downtown lives a part of the “heart and soul” of Aspen in the form of a thrift shop.

The shop is run by about 200 volunteers — all women. There are second- and even third-generation volunteers who work shifts there twice a month.

“The friendship part is really a huge piece of (volunteering),” said Aspen Thrift Shop Co-Treasurer Lynda MacCarthy, who began volunteering at the shop in the 1980s. “The empowerment of women helping women is a big piece of it, too.”

Audrey Ryan

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