Durango residents will start seeing long-awaited changes at Durango Mesa Park, formerly Ewing Mesa, in 2021 as the city, county and park foundation embark on a $150 million development project.
For decades, the vast mesa sitting above historic downtown Durango has been a blank slate for community members’ dreams of development. Then Marc Katz, founder of Mercury Payment Systems, which is now FIS Worldpay, bought 1,850 acres atop the mesa, with visions of recreational amenities, open space and economic development in mind.
If all goes to plan, construction on some elements of his vision will start this year.
“This is unique. It’s one of a kind,” said Cathy Metz, Durango’s Parks and Recreation director. “It’s iconic. It’s an opportunity that’s unprecedented for our region.”
The mesa is a prized, 1,850-acre section of undeveloped land long coveted for its development potential.
Rising 300 feet above the city, it offers San Juan Mountain views just 3 miles southeast of downtown Durango. In 2004, an area plan included visions of golf courses, thousands of residential units, a business park and a resort that never came to fruition.
The Durango Mesa Park Foundation, city of Durango and La Plata County have laid out a different plan for the mesa.
The county’s fairgrounds would shift to Durango Mesa, complete with outdoor and indoor arenas, exhibition halls, animal stalls and RV camping.
An event venue with a camping area would host large-scale events, such as music festivals. A “community barn” would serve as a multi-use meeting space that can be reserved.
For the athletically inclined, the mesa will feature a sports field complex; world-class cycling, running and mountain biking facilities; and a BMX track big enough for national events.
Visitors will be able to roam future arts and culture facilities, the handicap-accessible overlook or the hundreds of acres of open space surrounding the development.
For the moment, Durango Mesa Park remains private land, said Moira Compton, the foundation’s executive director.
“Ultimately, the vision for Durango Mesa Park is a community asset that will house recreational, cultural, Western heritage, equine amenities for the community and visitors to our region, generating a regional economic driver,” she said.
Because of progress made in 2020, La Plata County plans to get started on some of those development projects this year, said Megan Graham, county spokeswoman.
The county allocated $5 million from its conservation trust fund, state money intended for projects like Durango Mesa, for implementing a Phase 1 plan.
The county aims to wrap up planning and possibly start construction on projects like an arena and other fairgrounds features that don’t require expensive utility or road improvements.
“The goal really was to try to get activities occurring up on the mesa sooner rather than later, before installing all of the significant infrastructure that will come at great cost and certainly slow the process,” Graham said.
The county can’t take action until the Durango Mesa Foundation completes a land conveyance process – which the county hopes will happen sooner rather than later, Graham said.
The city of Durango also made progress on the Durango Mesa project in 2020 by allocating $1.5 million for 263 acres of land, mostly designated as open space, and getting started on a traffic impact study.
The city of Durango also made progress on the Durango Mesa project in 2020 by allocating $1.5 million for 263 acres of land, mostly designated as open space, and getting started on a traffic impact study.
The foundation intends to use those funds to assist with funding road improvements at state Highway 3 and an emergency access road.
In 2021, the city plans to spend $350,000 for the design of recreation amenities at Durango Mesa Park in collaboration with the foundation. (Think disc golf courses, bike parks, BMX tracks.)
“With the improvements getting underway, that will allow these events to come to Durango and be an economic driver for the community,” she said.
The foundation, officially established in 2020, will soon finalize a land survey started last year while coordinating with the county and the city on mesa projects, Compton said.
“We are pleased to have reached this point with our partners even in spite of challenges everyone is facing during this time,” she said.
smullane@durangoherald.com
An earlier version of this story gave incorrect information about the city of Durango’s anticipated 2021 spending estimates for Durango Mesa Park based on outdated city budget information.
