Weld County has rejected a City of Greeley request to join the Catalyst project in west Greeley, according to a post on the city’s West Greeley Project Updates webpage.
“The City of Greeley met with the Weld County Board of County Commissioners on July 20, 2026, to ask for help regarding the Catalyst Project, but the County Board turned down the request in a letter and has declined to become a partner in the funding for this project,” the city posted Friday.
“The County Board affirmed its commitment to providing essential county services, including roads, public health, law enforcement, and more.
“The City of Greeley will continue to seek a financial partner, as recommended by the West Greeley Citizen Oversight Committee, for the Catalyst Project and to review other alternatives. Updates will be shared by the city as they become available.”
Kim Kappel, communications manager for the city, said she was instructed that the letter could only be shared via a Colorado Open Records Act request. BizWest submitted CORA requests both to the city and county, but the letter, addressed to Mayor Dale Hall by Weld County Commission Chair Scott James, was later emailed to BizWest by Weld County’s public information officer, Jennifer Finch.
“The Board of County Commissioners of Weld County has reviewed the documents submitted by the City of Greeley regarding its offer for Weld County to participate in the financing of the Catalyst Project. We appreciate the robust conversation at our meeting on July 20, 2026, and the explanation of the offer by those in attendance,” James wrote.
“We respectfully decline the City’s offer. The Board does not believe that Weld County’s participation in the financing of the Catalyst Project is the proper role of county government. Our mission as an arm of the State of Colorado is to provide essential county services to Weld County’s residents. Those services include, but are not limited to, safe roads and bridges, fair elections, health services, a jail, law enforcement services by the Sheriff, a courthouse, human services, and coroner services. Weld County’s participation in the financing of the Catalyst Project is not an essential service for Weld County’s residents.
“The Board believes that if the capital markets will not finance the Catalyst Project unless Weld County puts its credit reputation behind it, then Weld County and ultimately its taxpayers are assuming project risk, regardless of whatever it may be called, ‘moral obligation’ or otherwise. Developers should fully realize the risk of a project; not the taxpayers.
“We wish you the best in your work going forward on the Catalyst Project.”
Reached late Friday evening, James said the proposal was not addressed at the Monday or Wednesday meetings of the Board of County Commissioners, but the board had “conversations among ourselves” and had advice from the county attorney before deciding to opt out.
“Ultimately, there was a risk that was to be assumed, and I don’t think it’s the fair thing to do for the taxpayers to assume the risk,” James said.
Catalyst would include a 10,000-seat arena (8,500 capacity for hockey), a 411-room hotel and conference center, a Mattel-branded indoor water park, a three-sheet youth hockey center, as well as funds for improvements to the U.S. Highway 34 and Weld County Road 17 interchange.
The Greeley City Council and Weld County Commissioner held a joint work session, July 20, with the city asking the county to provide backing for “moral obligation” bonds that would be issued for the project.
If Weld County backed the bonds with a moral-obligation pledge, it would have reduced borrowing costs by about $100 million because of the county’s investment-grade credit rating, City Manager Brian McBroom told the boards at the work session.
Greeley Mayor Dale Hall presented the project as “a rare opportunity for a partnership that is smart investment in our community’s infrastructure, economy, and quality of life. By bringing together city and county leaders, local businesses and development partners, we’re creating a vibrant destination with a sports arena, water park, conference hotel and mixed-use neighborhoods. This project is expected to create thousands of jobs, attract new businesses and grow our tax base, all without raising taxes. Our goal is simple: build strong partnerships, connect our community, and support sustainable growth for Weld County together. We’re laying the groundwork for regional success and prosperity, benefiting both residents and visitors.”
But several board members expressed skepticism during the July 20 meeting, questioning whether it was the role of government to get involved in such projects and whether the county’s participation would set a precedent for other communities.
Greeley voters in February repealed the planned-unit-development zoning for the 100-acre Catalyst entertainment district and surrounding 734-acre Cascadia mixed-use development. That has placed the project in limbo, although the validity of the Feb. 24 election is being challenged in Weld District Court.
BizWest has reached out to the city for comment.
Cascadia developer Martin Lind, in a statement texted to BizWest, said, “I’ve been involved with projects in northern Colorado for 40 years. Good projects find a path, bad projects die, this project is terrific it will find a path and Greeley will become the shining city the council has envisioned. I’m sad for my fellow taxpayers in Weld because this offer was a windfall opportunity for all of Weld. “
