GREELEY BALLOT MEASURE 2F
WHAT YOU ARE VOTING ON IN GREELEY
ISSUE 2F IS A 0.6% SALES AND USE TAX INCREASE THAT EXPIRES IN 40 YEARS
The City estimates the tax would collect about $20 million in its first year. The City also says approximately $100 million in existing financial obligations from prior investments already exist and would be funded by the new tax. Passage of 2F would allow for the collection of this new tax for up to 40 years.
Revenue would go to the West Greeley Catalyst entertainment district, a new Downtown Civic Campus, and could also be used for parks, playgrounds, pools and trails.
Catalyst includes a hockey sports arena and ice center, a City-owned hotel and conference center, and a City-owned indoor water park.
The Downtown Civic Campus includes a new City Hall, public plaza, parking garage and related infrastructure and improvements.
The ballot measure does not assign a fixed percentage of revenue to any of these projects or a timeline of when each would be addressed.
THE NUMBERS
0.6%
Proposed city sales and use tax increase
$20M
Estimated first-year revenue
$100M
Approximate existing financial obligations
2067
Latest possible expiration date
WHAT'S INCLUDED
ONE TAX. VERY DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
2F combines traditional community amenities with major new City development projects.
A voter cannot approve funding for parks while rejecting funding for Catalyst or a new City Hall.
It is one package.
CATALYST
Rebranded as the “West Greeley Project”, Catalyst includes a hockey arena dedicated to the Colorado Eagles, a City-owned hotel and conference center, City-owned indoor water park, and related amenities.
CIVIC CAMPUS
A new Downtown Civic Campus that would include a new City Hall, public plaza, parking garage, and associated amenities.
PARKS + TRAILS
Parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and trails are included among the eligible uses.
RECREATION
Recreation and cultural facilities are also included in the same tax package.
THE FINE PRINT
No guarantee on how the money will be spent
2F identifies the projects that may receive the new tax revenue, but does not assign each project a fixed percentage or require any project to be funded within a specific timeframe.
Parks, pools and trails, for example, could be addressed years or even decades into the 40-year tax meaning there is no guarantee that they will receive the same amount as Catalyst or the Downtown Civic Campus. The City would determine how money is allocated among eligible projects as financing and project needs develop.
FOLLOW THE MONEY
$20 MILLION VS. $100 MILLION
Two numbers put the size of the existing commitments into perspective.
$20M
FIRST-YEAR ESTIMATE
The City estimates the new 0.6% sales and use tax would generate approximately $20 million in 2027, its first year. This is only the first-year estimate, not the total amount 2F could collect over its potential 40-year life.
$100M
EXISTING OBLIGATIONS
The City says approximately $100 million in existing financial obligations from prior investments already exist, but its 2F information does not provide voters with an itemized breakdown of those obligations.
HOW LONG COULD IT LAST?
2027 → 2067
The additional tax would begin in 2027. It would end when financing for the Downtown Civic Campus and West Greeley Catalyst projects, including any refinancing, has been paid off. The final expiration date is December 31, 2067.
The $20 million figure is a first-year estimate, not the total amount that could be collected over the life of the tax.
A CLOSER LOOK
CATALYST VS. CASCADIA
The Catalyst project was planned around an arena for the Colorado Eagles, three additional sheets of ice, a City-owned hotel and conference center, a City-owned indoor water park, and related infrastructure and amenities.
The City previously estimated the Catalyst portion of the project at approximately $832 million, including financing costs and reserves.
Catalyst is the publicly funded portion of the larger West Greeley development. The neighboring Cascadia development is privately owned and being developed by The Water Valley Company.
THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE CONNECTION
The Water Valley Company, led by Martin Lind, is developing Cascadia, the large privately owned residential and commercial development next to Catalyst. Water Valley also serves as the fee developer for the publicly funded Catalyst project.
Lind also owns the Colorado Eagles, the planned anchor tenant of the new arena. His company is therefore developing the private property surrounding Catalyst, serving as the paid developer for the public project, while his hockey team is expected to occupy the arena.
Critics describe this close relationship between government spending and connected private interests as crony capitalism.
Critics question whether a City-owned entertainment development that includes a hotel and water park is an appropriate municipal role and argue it would be a better fit for private investment.
UNRESOLVED FINANCING
MAJOR COMMITMENTS ALREADY EXIST
Catalyst is paused while the City continues reviewing financing options and looking for additional financial partners.
Voters are being asked to approve a long-term revenue source while approximately $100 million in prior financial obligations already exist and financing for one of the largest projects is still being worked out.
THE TIMELINE
HOW WE GOT HERE
2024
Greeley City Council unanimously authorizes the City Manager to enter into a non-binding agreement with The Water Valley Company to explore a potential public-private partnership for a large mixed-use and entertainment development in West Greeley.
2025
The project moves from exploration to City commitment. In April, City Council votes 5-2 to approve a pre-development agreement with The Water Valley Company for the arena, ice center, hotel, water park and related infrastructure. In May, Council again votes 5-2 to move Catalyst forward and authorize its initial financing structure.
FEBRUARY 2026
In a February 2026 special election, Greeley residents voted to repeal the zoning ordinance associated with the approximately 834-acre West Greeley Catalyst development, ultimately rejecting the project.
The initial City-backed shell game of a financing structure collapsed.
SPRING + SUMMER 2026
The City pauses portions of Catalyst and creates a citizen oversight committee. The committee recommends continuing the search for a financial partner and requesting updated costs and economic projections.
SEPTEMBER 2026
A district court rules the February referendum unconstitutional because the zoning decision was administrative rather than legislative. The zoning ordinance remains in effect. The project can move forward and the City begins seeking new financing options.
NOVEMBER 2026
Catalyst returns to Greeley voters as part of Ballot Measure 2F. Instead of another vote on Catalyst alone, voters are asked to decide on a 0.6% sales and use tax that could fund Catalyst along with the Downtown Civic Campus, parks, pools, playgrounds, trails and other projects. The tax could remain in place through 2067 – and it’s expiration is directly tied to fully funding Catalyst.
ELECTION INFORMATION
BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 7:00 PM, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
BALLOTS MAILED
OCT. 2, 2026
The first day ballots may be mailed to registered voters. 24/7 ballot drop boxes open.
EARLY VOTING BEGINS
OCT. 19, 2026
Early polling locations open to vote in-person, drop off ballots, register to vote, and more.
ELECTION DAY
NOV. 3, 2026
Ballots must be returned by 7:00 PM. Voter Service and Polling Centers available 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. county-wide.