Denver Sports Commission, Visit Denver Merge In Effort To Boost City's Sport Event Hosting

The Denver Sports Commission will “join forces with Visit Denver's sports division in marketing efforts beginning in 2013 -- a merger that is intended to give the city added strength in attracting world-class sporting events,” according to Howard Pankratz of the DENVER POST. Denver Sports will “move to Visit Denver's offices Jan. 1 and merge with Visit Denver's sports division,” and it will ultimately become “a department of Visit Denver, which has 60 employees.” Denver Sports for the past 11 years has “led efforts to position Denver for a possible Olympic bid.” The commission has been “instrumental in bringing numerous sporting events to Denver,” including the “NCAA Women's Final Four, the Rocky Mountain Showdown football game between Colorado State and Colorado, and the Big Air international ski and snowboard event” (DENVER POST, 12/13).