| 01/02/2007 |
| Event centers do well in spite of being off main drag |
| By: Nicole Osborn , The Tribune |
 | ||
 | This lodge is part of Pinecrest, which also includes an event center and chapel, in Palmer Lake. The center does about 150 events a year. | |
The newest addition to the area, The Inn at Palmer Divide, is adding its second phase of three.
Presently, the facility hosts weddings, receptions, retreats, banquets, conferences, meetings, special occasions and dinner patrons.
"We pride ourselves on individual service; attention to your details," said co-owner Al Fritts.
The inn plans to include coffee service in the guest rooms and expand food service to include breakfast and lunch in addition to the current dinner service.
Guest amenities include a massage therapy studio, where Fritts said the inn intends to employ a local massage therapist by appointment, and an exercise room.
He said plans include displays of local art in the hallway between the first phase of the inn and the second and would like to include a small retail store once phase 2 opens.
Down the road, the Pinecrest also offers guest accommodations at its lodge.
The Pinecrest has been around since 1908 and has been used for events since 1995 according to co-owner Jess Smith.
Prior to being an event center, there were sports facilities on the premises, including a bowling alley.
Presently, the center includes a lodge, event center and
chapel.
The lodge has a kitchen, nine rooms and can accommodate about 22 people, co-owner Nikki McDonald said.
The Pinecrest group is like a family and works together to make a relaxed atmosphere for their clients, Smith said.
The Pinecrest has done, among other events, weddings, anniversaries and birthday parties, Smith said.
Weddings have made a name for the center since 1995, so it is not new to the business.
Brides and grooms looking for a traditional Colorado wedding generally book the Pinecrest.
About 65 percent of the Pinecrest's business comes from word-of-mouth advertising, Smith said.
The Pinecrest hosts about 150 events a year, he said, adding about 20 percent of clients come from out of state.
Being in a military town, there are a lot of military personnel who hold events at the Pinecrest.
The Barn in Woodmoor has a history dating back to about 1938 when it was built as a dairy.
The Barn has remodeled three times, the first of which was in 1968.
The Barn keeps a busy schedule, said Woodmoor Improvement Association Executive Director Camilla Mottl. There are two churches that hold services there every Sunday. Physical fitness and art classes are also held there.
Aside from its regular activities, The Barn is used for birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, anniversaries, family reunions, dances and other family events.
Mottl said the facility is especially nice in the summer when water is in the lake and parties can go on the deck off the main room.
The WIA is trying to get more people to use The Barn on weekdays and evenings and recently changed its rate structure for short-term use, Mottl said.
The association is also considering moving Woodmoor Public Safety offices in the downstairs portion of the building.
The Barn's largest room has a capacity of 100 people. The downstairs portion has a conference room that can accommodate 20-30 people depending on what it is used for, Mottl said.
It has a kitchen and storage for the physical fitness classes, WIA forestry department and churches downstairs.
The WIA does rent to residents outside of Woodmoor, but they pay higher fees since they are not members of the homeowners association, she said.
There are probably more non-residents than residents who rent space at The Barn, according to Kate Horton, who handles most of the bookings for the facility.
The majority - about 70 percent - of The Inn at Palmer Divide's MoZaic restaurant customers are from the Tri-Lakes area, Fritts said.
There are some patrons from other areas, mostly along the southern Front Range.
The MoZaic restaurant seats about 180 people.
In addition to five indoor eating areas, there is also a deck, which has been the site of two weddings with parties of about 120 people.
The main floor also has a lounge with a full bar where people can sit and enjoy the view and a drink.
Downstairs, there is a business center with wireless and high-speed internet.
There are three banquet rooms which seat about 250 people and a patio.
Phase 3, slated to start in the spring, will include three guest houses that will be "more executive" than the phase 2 guest space, Fritts said. These rooms will include fireplaces and soaking tubs.
As marketing for the Inn at Palmer Divide expands, Fritts said they hope to attract more patrons.
Right now, they are advertising in newspapers, via the internet and are working on a radio spot. They have also gotten a lot of word-of-mouth advertising.
"We have been very fortunate with community support," Fritts said.
