Cañon City Economic Development

08/01/2026

Learn about the Economic Development Department in the City’s second podcast episode!

Episode 002City Administrator introduces Economic Development Mana...

07/31/2026

🎉 Celebrate Colorado Day With Us — All Day Long! 🇺🇸

Mark your calendar and spend the day with us at the Colorado Day Makers Market!

🗓️ Saturday, August 1
🕘 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 Gateway Depot & Plaza
816 Royal Gorge Blvd., Cañon City

We're turning the Gateway Depot & Plaza into a full-day celebration of Colorado's 150th Anniversary of Statehood, filled with everything that makes our community special.

✨ Shop talented Colorado artisans and makers
🥕 Visit the Royal Gorge Farmers Market
🎶 Enjoy live music throughout the day
🌮 Grab a bite from local food vendors
🏛️ Take a Historic Guided Tour of Cañon City's rich past
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Bring the whole family for a day of community, shopping, and fun!

Whether you stop by for an hour or spend the entire day with us, there's something new to discover around every corner. Meet local makers, support small businesses, celebrate Colorado's heritage, and enjoy one of the community's biggest Colorado Day celebrations.

🎉 Admission is FREE!

Come celebrate 150 years of Colorado with the people, businesses, and traditions that make the Royal Gorge Region such an incredible place to call home.

07/28/2026

As Cañon City’s Economic Development Manager, I spend a great deal of time evaluating how our economy arrived in its current state, the pressures that slow growth places on residents and public services, and the opportunities we have to build a stronger future.

I’m pleased to invite the community to the Advancing Cañon City Economic & Development Summit: How We Grow Our Way Forward, August 12–13, 2026, at Skyline Theater and throughout Historic Downtown Cañon City.

This free public summit is designed to bring residents, business owners, entrepreneurs, developers, employers, investors, public partners, and community leaders together for a practical conversation about our local economy. We will discuss why growing the tax base is so important, how private investment can help support infrastructure and community services, how economic development tools like TIF can help turn opportunity into real projects, and how the city can activate private investment.

This forum will talk about our economic history, the steps to economic recovery, where we are in that recovery strategy and how we are working to advance our community to self-sufficiency.

Featured topics will include:

• Cañon City’s economy: how we got here, our current challenges, what we're doing to get out of it.
• Why expanding the tax base and infrastructure capacity are connected
• The critical role of place making
• Understanding Tax Increment Financing and other development tools
• Canon City's development opportunities: Four Mile Ranch and the Abbey planned developments
• Creating Industry - Regional industry and entrepreneurial connections, including Emergent Campus and regional entrepreneurs and business leaders
• Breakout discussions, networking, and site tours

One of the central themes will be the three-legged stool of our local economy, and the interrelationship between the private sector, public sector, and consumer/taxpayer. The broad economic development ecosystem serves as the rungs connecting those legs and helping them work together. Where are we now?

This summit is for residents, developers, government officials, real estate investors, really anyone who wants a better, big-picture understanding about Cañon City’s economy and a desire to learn about emerging opportunities, ask questions, and participate in a constructive conversation about our future.

The event is free and open to the public. I hope you will join us and share this information with others who care about Cañon City and its future.

Learn more and register:
https://www.canoncity.org/712/Economic-Development-Forum

August 12–13, 2026
Skyline Theater & Historic Downtown Cañon City
FREE PUBLIC FORUM

07/21/2026

Episode 001City Council introductions with Mayor Phil Lund and Cit...

06/16/2026

Environmental cleanup work at the former New Method site is scheduled to begin next week.

Contractors are expected to be on site beginning Monday, June 15 with the work expected to take several weeks to accomplish.

The gravel parking lot will be closed during that time while the paved lot accessed off Macon directly adjacent to the former New Method Laundry site will remain open for public use.

Downtown businesses, employees, and visitors may notice construction equipment and activity in the area during this time. We appreciate your patience as this important project moves forward and helps prepare the site for future improvements.

Additional updates will be shared as work progresses.

06/10/2026

Canon City Public Art Committee will be holding a special meeting tomorrow, June 11th at 5:30pm in the City Hall Council chambers to review the community input on this Nick Zimbro mural proposal. If interested in learning more, the public is welcome!

Nicholas Zimbro Mural Vote

The Cañon City Public Art Committee is excited to announce an upcoming summer mural project. As part of their mission to enhance the vibrancy and cultural landscape of our downtown, they have partnered with acclaimed artist Nicholas Zimbro to bring a large-scale work of art to our community this July.

Nick has developed three distinct design concepts specifically for Cañon City. Please review the three and cast your vote for the design you want to see come to life this July.

The community can vote on the design concepts from June 3 through June 10. The top-voted mural design will be recommended to City Council during the June 15, 2026 council meeting. Please vote only once. Multiple votes from the same person will not be counted.

VOTE ON YOUR TOP MURAL DESIGN HERE! https://forms.gle/YUkjRecqbWQpAsgK9