YOUR AD HERE »

Letter: Get out and vote ‘no’

Get out and vote ‘no’

What is cool about a building that would be almost three times bigger than what current zoning allows? A project that would drastically under-mitigate housing that you desperately need? A box that would block out the views and crowd the sidewalk in our beloved town? A so-called affordable hotel that I expect to bring more old, frugal guests than hip youngsters into Aspen? Let’s get this straight: Base2 is not cool.

I feel that the environmentally green argument of getting rid of that eyesore gas station serving as many as 200 cars a day was designed specifically to make my blood boil. Would getting rid of a gas station stop 200 cars from coming into Aspen? Absolutely not! If anything, it would cause 200 cars a day to fill up at the Shell station three blocks down the street, plus another 45 cars for employees and guests of this new big-box, small-room lodging. But alas, that point is moot; either way, that gas station is long gone.



How many of us are trying to find a place to live? Well, if you vote “yes,” it’s about to get much harder. Sure, maybe your friends could come stay for $200-plus a night, but you likely would be run out of town and catching the next VelociRFTA to come visit them in their swanky, tiny hotel room. I’ve seen Hunter Thompson’s name brought up in the pro-Base2 argument — did you ever stop to think what Hunter would do? Remember what happened to the windmill. I’m not entirely sure that a “no” vote would or would not result in a Walgreens, but I know one thing for sure: One way or another, Marky Mark and his investor funky bunch would make sure to earn back the millions they already have invested in the Fat City they claim to love.

Lastly, there are 2,300 18- to 40-year-olds in Aspen, a town of 6,800. I’d say that is a pretty good percentage. Of course, remember an embarrassing 1,500 of them were too cool to vote in the last election. So, hey cool kids, I know you were given 50,000 reasons to stand up and be the voice of my generation (thanks, but no thanks), but please don’t be too proud to change your mind, and most importantly, don’t be too cool to vote this time. Vote “no” on 2A.




Andy L. Curtis

Aspen