WINTER PARK, Colo. – A proposed gondola connecting downtown Winter Park to Winter Park Resort has cleared a major financial hurdle, thanks to the votes of just three people.
According to the Town of Winter Park’s official election results, three ballots were cast in a special election held November 3, 2026. All three voters supported creating a regional transportation authority and authorizing it to take on up to $120 million in debt to support a planned transportation system connecting the town with the ski resort.
The unanimous 3-0 results move the long-planned project forward, although they remain unofficial pending certification, expected by November 17. The vote authorizes borrowing but does not mean the gondola has received final construction approval or that the full $120 million has been secured.
Why Did Only Three People Vote?
Despite the enormous amount of money involved, the election was not open to everyone living in Winter Park. The special election was restricted to registered voters residing within the proposed Winter Park Regional Transportation Authority’s boundaries, a very small district near the resort and its train station. Residents outside that designated area were not eligible to participate in the special election, regardless of how the project might eventually affect them.
Voters were presented with two separate measures. Ballot Question 6F proposed establishing the Winter Park Regional Transportation Authority, while Ballot Issue 6G authorized the new authority to issue up to $120 million in revenue bonds or other debt obligations. Both measures passed unanimously, with three votes in favor and none opposed.
The authority brings together the Town of Winter Park, Grand County and two metropolitan districts to help finance, develop and operate regional transportation infrastructure.
A Gondola Connecting Downtown Winter Park to the Ski Resort
The proposed gondola is part of a much larger effort to transform Winter Park Resort and improve transportation throughout the surrounding community.
Under the Connect Winter Park transportation plan, the gondola would connect downtown Winter Park with the ski resort, giving skiers and snowboarders an alternative to driving or taking a shuttle between the two destinations. The aerial transportation system would also connect with the mountain passenger rail platform at the resort, creating a more convenient connection for visitors arriving aboard Amtrak’s Winter Park Express from Denver.
The gondola is tied to Winter Park Resort’s proposed $2 billion expansion, which includes new lodging, upgraded lift infrastructure, additional ski terrain and improvements to the resort’s base area.
According to the resort’s Winter Park Unlocked development plan, the first planned gondola segment would replace the existing Gemini Express chairlift. Other proposed improvements include a ski-back trail that would give visitors another way to travel between the mountain and downtown.
What Happens Next?
Although the vote represents an important financial milestone, several steps remain before construction of the town-to-resort gondola can proceed.
The approved ballot measure allows the transportation authority to borrow up to $120 million, with a maximum total repayment obligation of approximately $424.2 million. That larger figure represents the authorized repayment ceiling over the life of the debt, not the gondola’s estimated construction cost.
The town is still developing the project’s overall funding strategy, which is expected to involve public and private sources. According to its Downtown Portal planning documents, officials have been examining contributions from private partnerships, urban renewal financing and potential state grants. The town says no new taxes are currently being considered to fund the project.
Final designs, financing arrangements and other necessary approvals must still be worked out before the gondola can become a reality.
