Town and County Appointed Local Marketing District Board of Directors

The Town of Estes Park and Larimer County appointed 7 Local Marketing District Board Members.  The members chosen live within the designated district in Larimer County.

Interviews were conducted by representatives from the Estes Area Lodging Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Town and the County and the 7 appointed Board Members chosen are Bill Almond, Cory Blackman, Lindsay Lamson, Lee Lasson, Kathy Palmeri, Scott Webermeier, and Chris Wood.

The Local Marketing District will collect a 2% lodging tax specifically earmarked for marketing efforts.  The only people who will pay the 2% tax are those who stay at an overnight lodging facility within the designated district for 30 days or fewer.  The tax is not added to any other bill.  With this tax, the tourists who visit Estes Park will be paying for the marketing that brought them here. 

Bill Almond has been the Director of Reservations and Sales for the YMCA of the Rockies. Prior to the YMCA he worked for Forever Resorts in several different capacities over 15 years including General Manager of the RMNP Trail Ridge Store, General Manager and Area Manager for the Holiday Inn.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia and is also a certified Hotel Administrator.  He is past President of the Children’s Center Advisory Council and Colorado Hotel Marketing Association.

Cory Blackman has been the General Manager of Best Western Silver Saddle for nine years.  He also managed Best Western Lake Estes for 8 years, Heritage Hotel in Greeley for 3 years and Ramada Inn Fort Collins for 3 years.   Blackman holds an Associate Degree in Business Information Systems from Aims Community College in Greeley.  He also serves on the Town’s Marketing Advisory Committee and is past President of the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce and Partners in Quality Education.

Lindsay Lamson is owner of Rocky Mountain  Resorts. The corporation operates 122 vacation property units including those at Fawn Valley Inn, Timber Creek Chalets, Lazy R Cottages, and the Overlook at the Stanley Historic District with numerous homes and condominiums. He purchased his first property in Estes Park in 1988 and began full operation management of the properties in 2004.

Lee Lasson has lived and worked in the Estes Area since 1976 and currently resides in Glen Haven.  He owns and operates Estes Park On-Line (EPOL) and FrontDesk, Inc.. EPOL is an Internet web hosting service and provides a list of links to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.  FrontDesk, Inc. provides programming, network and Internet consulting services, graphic design and web design services.  Lasson is currently on the Board of Directors for the EP Nonprofit Resource Center and has served on the EP Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Advisory Board since its inception.

Kathy Palmeri and her family have owned and operated Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park of Estes for 15 seasons.  During that time she has participated on local, state and national Boards that include the Colorado Campground and Lodging Owners Association, the NFIB Advisory Council for Colorado, the Estes Park Chamber Resort Association, and the Colorado Tourism Office and most recently served as Chairman of National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC). She is currently serving as the Vice Chairman of the ARVC Foundation and working with her husband Tony as Directors of Franchise Sales for LSI, the franchisor for Jellystone Park Camp Resorts.

Scott Webermeier is the general manager for National Park Village, which includes overseeing the Country Supermarket, Other Side Restaurant, Village Store, National Park Village Conoco, and EP Aerial Tramway Gifts.  He is a past president of the EP Chamber of Commerce, served on the Park R-3 School Board of Education, and worked with local Cub Scout Pack 8 as Pack Leader and Den Mother.  He currently serves on the EP Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Colorado State University.

Chris Wood is co-owner of McGregor Mountain Lodge. He came to Estes Park in 1995 and his introduction to the lodging business began in housekeeping and maintenance, then shortly thereafter the role of manager/inn-keeper. Wood formed his own management company in 2001 to run and operate McGregor Mountain Lodge. In 2003 he bought McGregor Mountain Lodge with a business partner, becoming the youngest lodge owner in the history of the Estes Park area.