When seeking team-building fun or a break from the rigor of meetings, there are places to play and game that provide turnkey options. To help get the ball rolling, Colorado Meetings + Events has highlighted Centennial State attractions that deliver the bonus of private event space and group packages, and sometimes amenities like lodging and spas.
Let’s set the stage by looking at two time-proven favorites: Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park and Dave & Buster’s. Celebrating its 135th anniversary, Denver’s Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park is the country’s only downtown theme and water park. From intimate gatherings of 10 to large-scale events of up to 10,000, Elitch Gardens blends 54 rides and attractions with versatile event spaces and dining options. For example, the Mountain Grove Picnic Pavilions are ideal for company picnics and social gatherings, Trocadero Theatre is a historic and elegant setting for banquets and presentations, and Elitch Arena holds up to 6,000 for concerts and large-scale productions.
In 1982, Dave & Buster’s opened its first location in Dallas after two young men, Dave Corriveau and James “Buster” Corley, found an empty 40,000-square-foot warehouse along the city’s Restaurant Row. Since then, the company has perfected the art of a three-in-one arcade, bar, and restaurant, with plentiful TVs to watch sports. Dave & Buster’s first entered the Denver market in 2007 and proceeded to open outlets in Westminster and Colorado Springs.
Casino gaming became part of the Colorado scene in 1991. This story will explore four notable casino resorts well-versed at serving meetings and events, as well as newer, standout forms of entertainment, such as pickleball attractions, indoor miniature golf courses, WhirlyBall, and a former airport flight tower that is now a place for beer, food, and merriment.
Cool Casinos
Colorado’s casinos are centralized in the historic mining towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek, and in the state’s Four Corners region, where two casino resorts are operated by Native American tribes in Ignacio and Towaoc. In Ignacio, Sky Ute Casino Resort is managed by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and has 19,000 square feet of indoor event space, outdoor areas, multiple dining outlets, a bowling alley, an arcade, and 18 holes of miniature golf. The property accommodates up to 2,000 people for concerts, trade shows, events, and other larger gatherings, and serves up to 800 for a sit-down dinner.
Black Hawk, located 35 miles west of Denver, has over a dozen casinos. Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk features 15,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 5,000-square-foot ballroom. In addition, there are three meeting rooms and seven hospitality suites.
In terms of lodging, 536 guest rooms, including 64 suites, keep attendees comfortable and sleeping well. Monarch Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk unveiled its 516-room hotel in 2022, following the addition of restaurants, a spa, and a rooftop pool. Groups of up to 400 can be hosted in the Crystal Ballroom featuring 3,984 square feet of gathering space. Five dining outlets and several bars and lounges are on-site, along with a fitness center and sun deck.
One of the newest gaming options in Colorado is Chamonix Casino Hotel in Cripple Creek, which opened in late 2023. Owned by Las Vegas-based Full House Resorts, Chamonix has 300 guest rooms and suites, 7,400 square feet of function space, and six restaurants and bars. A spa, salon, rooftop pool, and fitness center are ideal for attendees seeking relaxation and workouts.
New Places to Play
FlyteCo Tower in Denver occupies the air traffic control tower building that was part of the former Stapleton International Airport. Owned by FlyteCo Brewing, the 25,000-square-foot brewery, bar, restaurant, and entertainment venue opened in 2022. It’s a prime playground for groups of up to 600 with bowling, miniature golf, arcade games, Ping-Pong, and a large patio featuring outdoor games. A separate entity, Over Flyte Denver, offers ax throwing, darts, golf and sports simulators, and 5,000 square feet of rentable space in the tower portion of the facility for events.
Erase thoughts of the miniature golf of your childhood as the experience has dramatically changed due to entities like Holey Moley Golf Club Denver and Puttshack Denver, which both opened in 2023. Play up to 27 holes at Holey Moley and choose from a variety of event packages that can include golf, food, reserved space, and hosting by caddies. The caddies oversee the overall experience, including complimentary games such as duck pong (where attendees throw miniature rubber ducks into red cups) and putting challenges.
“Holey Moley Golf Club Denver can cater to any group, from small team-building sessions or celebrations all the way to whole venue buyouts of up to 200 people,” says Holey Moley Sales Manager Kete Blonigen. “We can create fully customized packages to suit any budget and personalize parties to bring your company’s vision to life.”
For a corporate event or team happy hour, Puttshack Denver has semiprivate event space, a large patio, and colorful murals by area artists. The 24,500-square-foot space also features a dining area, two bars, and four nine-hole golf courses. “We had such a great experience organizing an event at Puttshack Denver,” says Angela Sun, an event coordinator for Starknet Foundation based in London, England. “The sales manager was super responsive and extremely helpful during the whole planning period before the event. Then, as soon as I arrived to set up, the team was immediately there on hand to help wherever possible. They helped our guests settle in, made sure everyone had drinks, and even put up with me changing the event schedule halfway through so we could play mini golf for a little longer.”
Head to WhirlyBall in Colorado Springs to have attendees try a sport combining elements of basketball, hockey, and bumper cars. “Our venue can host up to 783 guests; has 12 league-size bowling lanes; two WhirlyBall courts; and games like Ping-Pong, cornhole, giant Jenga, and giant Connect 4,” says WhirlyBall Event Sales Manager Mary Earle.
“We have popular menus such as our taco bar, craft pizza package, as well as live action stations to build your own event menus.”
A private event space at WhirlyBall that can hold up to 160 attendees was used by Dutch Bros Coffee for a meeting before treating employees to food and games. “What a great place to host an event,” confirms Bryan Gumpy, operator of a Dutch Bros Coffee outlet in north Colorado Springs. “The staff is kind and helpful, the food is great, and my team had a blast, whether they were playing the games or just hanging out in a fun and comfortable atmosphere.”
The Pickleball Craze
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. and perhaps one of the most social, resulting in venues that are far more than just courts to play on. Sporty Pickle Bar & Grill in Englewood is a hub for sports with three indoor pickleball courts, other games like pool, and more than 30 TVs for watching sports teams play. Any skill level can participate or spectate from the PicklePit, and there is private event space including the Banger Lounge that opens onto one of the pickleball courts and has three dart lanes.
For larger gatherings, combine multiple spaces at Sporty Pickle Bar & Grill or go all-in with The Big Dill package, a full venue buyout that provides access to the entire restaurant, courts, game room, lounge, and patio for gatherings of up to 300 people. Other packages like The Lil Dill and Dink & Drinks are available, and on-staff pickleball captains can teach participants how to play.
Chicken N Pickle launched in 2017, finding success combining a chef-driven restaurant, sports bar, pickleball courts, and yard games. The company has locations in Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Texas, and is expanding to Colorado with an outlet opening in Thornton in June and in Parker next year. Chicken N Pickle in Thornton will feature bars; multiple dining areas; indoor and outdoor pickleball courts; and games such as cornhole, Ping-Pong, and giant Battleship and Jenga. The main dining area will be spacious enough for gatherings ranging from lunch meetings to large team-building events.
Amusement & Adventure
Accessed by gondola, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs is the country’s only mountaintop theme park at 7,100 feet above sea level. Glenwood Caverns originally opened as the Fairy Caves in 1895 but shut down at the onset of World War I. The caves were closed for 82 years until owners Steve and Jeanne Beckley reopened the caverns in 1999 and created the adventure park, which includes cave tours, amusement rides, laser tag, a 4D motion theater, dining options, and more. Time a gathering well to plug into events, such as the Music on the Mountain summer concert series, Oktoberfest, and Winter on the Mountain.
Glenwood Insurance Agency in Glenwood Springs hosts an annual employee event at the park for more than 45 team members, kicking off the day with a barbecue spread under a large tent. “From [going on] thrilling rides to exploring the breathtaking caverns, our team embraces every adventure the park has to offer,” says Ileha Parsegian, senior people and culture business partner for the company. “One of the highlights is our custom-themed scavenger hunt. Teams race through the park solving clues and competing for the ultimate win, making for some truly fun and memorable moments.”
Located west of Cañon City, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is another iconic Colorado attraction. Constructed in 1929, Royal Gorge Bridge is the highest suspension bridge in the U.S. at 956 feet. Attendees will marvel at walking across the bridge’s 1,257 wooden planks that stretch 1,260 feet across the Royal Gorge, and they can enjoy amusement rides, gondola, and a theater.
“The Royal Gorge Bridge & Park has two outdoor and one indoor dining locations for large corporate groups as well as small events,” says Gail Dexter, sales and events manager for Royal Gorge Bridge & Park. “We also provide unique, bucket-list attractions, perfect for corporate teams to adventure together, such as the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park Via Ferrata, Royal Rush Skycoaster, and Cloudscraper Zip Line.”
ameristarblackhawk.com
chamonixco.com
chickennpickle.com
daveandbusters.com
elitchgardens.com
flytecotower.com
glenwoodcaverns.com
holeymoley.com
monarchblackhawk.com
overflytedenver.com
puttshack.com
royalgorgebridge.com
skyutecasino.com
sportypickle.com
whirlyball.com
