Work resuming on Floyd Hill; expect overnight closings

PAGE 7 WEEKLY REGISTER-CALLMay 1, 2025

from betting activities, similar to online

sports betting. Instead, the profits would

go directly to the state, which could al-

locate the money to its budget. Under the

current regulations, the state and its five

host gaming jurisdictions each receive a

portion of the Adjusted Gross Proceeds

collected by Colorado, which is distrib-

uted proportionally to each jurisdiction.

Adjusted Gross Proceeds (AGP) is the to-

tal amount wagered by gamblers, minus

the payout to winners.

If iGaming became legal, the casino

cities and counties would stand to lose

millions of dollars in revenue annually,

forcing host gaming jurisdictions to

slash their budgets, lay off staff, increase

residential taxes, or any similar combina-

tions.

The National Association of iGam-

ing stated, “iGaming threatens established

businesses, diverts revenue from

local communities and weakens

the safeguards that responsible,

in-person gaming provides. The

National Association Against

iGaming (NAAiG) unites businesses, indus-

try professionals and community leaders to

protect local economies against these risks—

The organization stated that its efforts are

gaining traction from non-casino operators,

which include labor unions, chambers of

commerce, tourism and hospitality organiza-

tions, youth organizations, and public safety

advocates, as well as local municipalities and

county governments.

Jason Gumer, a board member of NAAiG

and attorney for Black Hawk’s Monarch Ca-

sino, has warned local leaders that if iGam-

ing is legalized in the state, no one would

construct any new casinos in the state’s three

gaming cities.

Black Hawk City Attorney Corey Hoff-

man told the council last week that the joint

resolution opposing iGaming was created due

to its potential financial impact on the two

counties and three gaming cities. He noted

that social problems related to iGaming,

including a rise in calls to gaming-addiction

hotlines, were not the primary reason for

developing the joint resolution.

“It’s not to suggest the other issues aren’t

significant, but those are issues for others

to fight,” said Hoffman. “We believe [this

resolution] is consistent with what we believe

the voters of the State of Colorado intended

when they initially approved limited gam-

ing in Colorado and the various expansions

thereafter, which all focus on geographic

limitations of gaming in Colorado. This

resolution is the basis for opposing iGaming

Added Mayor David Spellman, “The larger

issue, social and economic issues raised, are

better handled by the group we joined, the

National Association Against iGaming. They

know those issues and that’s specifically

joined that organization. They can deal with

those issues [and] we can deal with the local

We print stu!!

Fast and competitive

proinstaprint@msn.com

Located in Mid Gilpin County

Outdoor fridges, freezers banned to halt bear visits

The weekly influx of ca-

sino buses isn’t a problem

in the City of Black Hawk.

However, bear invasions

pose a different issue,

especially when they roam

through city neighborhoods

in search of food.

City aldermen quickly

approved a new rule during

last week’s council meet-

ing (April 23) to potentially

deter bear visits. However,

in doing so, they may have

opened a can of worms and

ruffled the feathers of those

who love hummingbirds

around town.

The council approved an

ordinance created by City

Attorney Corey Hoffman

that prohibits anyone from

“leaving or storing food,

including food products,

food waste, pet food, grain,

salt or any other materi-

als attractive to or edible

by wildlife, in a manner

that may attract or entice

It also prohibits people

from having refrigerators

or freezers outdoors, unless

they have a bear-proof lock

on them. In April, council

members reported multiple

bear sightings, attribut-

ing the creatures’ visits to

people who left food in an

outdoor refrigerator.

While banning outdoor,

easy-to-access refrigerators

and freezers was consid-

ered a significant step

for deterring bears, the

ordinance’s wording left

several aldermen wonder-

ing whether the new rule

would also prevent resi-

dents from having hum-

mingbird feeders hanging

on their front porches or

elsewhere on their prop-

erty.

bird feeders are filled with

a sugary liquid (one part

sugar to four parts water),

which attracts migrating

species of these tiny, long-

beaked birds. However, the

sweet aroma of the hum-

mingbird food could also

serve as a potential magnet

for thirsty bears.

“The city has had ongo-

ing concerns with wildlife

that have been exacerbated

by the presence of outdoor

refrigerators and freez-

ers,” commented Hoffman.

“This [ordinance] requires

that outdoor refrigerators

are bear-resistant, especial-

ly as it relates to attracting

wildlife. Frankly, it relates

to how it looks to the com-

munity to have an outdoor

Hoffman said the new

regulation would prohibit

someone from putting out

salt sticks for deer, but

wouldn’t include people

who have hummingbird

feeders. However, council

members Hal Midcap and

Benito Torres said the or-

dinance’s wording was “too

broad” and asked if it could

be amended to specify

that hummingbird feeders

wouldn’t be prohibited.

“I don’t want us to shoot

ourselves in the foot by

saying we can’t have them,”

commented Midcap.

The attorney said he

could review the regulation

and bring back an amend-

ment at a future meeting,

noting he was “rushed”

to prepare the ordinance

because of a timely need to

address the bear situation

related to outdoor refriger-

ators and freezers. “I want

to do some research [before

recommending any chang-

es],” noted Hoffman, who

said he plans to discuss

the hummingbird-feeder

situation with the Colorado

Division of Wildlife before

the council meets again on

May 14. “The city wouldn’t

be enforcing the bird feed-

ers under the language of

this ordinance,” according

to Hoffman.

Responded Torres, “I

would prefer to wait for

the research [to be done].

I would agree that bird

feeders are [not] intended

for bears, but they aren’t

intended [to attract] squir-

rels, either. The squirrel

doesn’t scare anybody, but

the bear sure does.”

Mayor David Spellman

said he wanted to get the

new ordinance approved

because this is the time of

year when problems with

bear sightings increase.

dressed.

Torres.

refrigerators and freezers,

not bird feeders. She noted

that if the feeders should

become an issue, she could

consult with CPW before

the next council meeting.

The new Colorado Parks & Wildlife wolf-tracking map was updated online last

Thursday. However, it does not provide a definitive answer regarding the location

of the solo gray wolf that visited Gilpin County in early April.

Courtesy CP&W website

Grey wolf pays short visit to Gilpin

Jurisdictions may take stand against iGaming

Work resuming on Floyd Hill; expect overnight closings

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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