Air Force Academy's new visitor center soon to arrive
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The view from the mezzanine of the Hosmer Visitor Center. Photo: Glenn Wallace/Axios
The U.S. Air Force Academy's new Hosmer Visitor Center off of North Gate Boulevard will open on May 16, marking the final piece of Colorado Springs' decade-long City for Champions push.
Why it matters: The center is designed as a front door to the academy and the city, closing out a state-backed economic development bet meant to boost tourism and economic growth.
Zoom out: Launched in 2013, City for Champions used $120.5 million in tax-increment money to grow the Springs' economic potential through five projects, including the visitor center, and:
- The UCCS William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center.
- Colorado College's Ed Robson Arena.
- Weidner Field.
- The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum.
Yes, but: Not all of the initiative's promises have panned out.
- Case in point: Attendance at the Olympic and Paralympic Museum has fallen far below projections.
What they're saying: "We'll look at City for Champions as being a turning point event for our city," said Doug Price, CEO of Visit Colorado Springs.
- He compared the effort's long-term impact to the arrival of Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy.
- He told Axios the projects have generated "over $3 billion in economic impact."
What's next: Hosmer will open without a completed mezzanine level, which is planned to include a theater and immersive 360-degree experiences.
- That portion — funded by private donations — is expected to open next year, according to Kelly Banet with the Air Force Academy's Association and Foundation, which helps draw private partnerships and donations.
- Developers told The Colorado Springs Gazette they hope the visitor's center opening will spur more development near the academy's north gate and the nearby Hotel Polaris, which opened in 2023.
The big picture: The Hosmer Visitor Center is just one piece of a larger effort to modernize the academy's aging infrastructure, mostly built in the 1950s.
- A dorm renovation project is underway.
- The iconic Cadet Chapel's extensive renovation is expected to wrap up in fall 2028.
What we're hearing: Plans are in the works for broader academy building upgrades in the future.
- U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, who sits on the academy's Board of Visitors, told Axios in March that talk is ramping up about how to fund more building updates.
- Banet told Axios a public campaign to fundraise for infrastructure improvements is planned for 2028.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove an incorrect reference to Robson Arena as a renovation.