Cascadia vote - Reporter-Herald
Thomas Clayton
Greeley Demands Better leads with 54% of the vote as of the final update for election night
Ballot Measure 1A appears set to pass after the city of Greeley’s final update of special election night, with 11,342 yes votes to 9,506 no votes.
The city has counted 20,848 of the 21,170 ballots it has received, making it improbable that 1A will fail. The total number of ballots counted may not be accurate, however, as the city will need to review signature discrepancies and confirm confidential voter signatures with Weld County.
“Democracy delivered exactly what Greeley demanded – no more blank checks for risky projects that put public buildings and hardworking families at risk,” Greeley Demands Better Co-Chair Rhonda Solis said after the first results were posted. “Tonight, we begin building the transparent, responsible future our community deserves.”
Following a successful petition drive in November, Greeley Demands Better brought 1A to the ballot over concerns about the project’s financing and what they’ve described as a lack of transparency from city officials as the $1.1 billion project has moved forward. While building the project will cost about $832 million, the city says about $200 million will cover the cost of borrowing money and other infrastructure work in the area.
Cascadia is a private residential and commercial development that’s set to surround the Catalyst entertainment district, which is set to include a hockey arena, a luxury hotel and a water park — all of which would be owned by the city. The projects drew the ire of residents upon their initial approval in May, with several attempts to derail them, and became an essential part of candidate platforms in the 2025 city election.
Greeley Forward, 1A’s opposition committee, had been advocating for “no” on 1A, citing projections of up to $11 million in additional sales tax revenue and $2.9 billion in economic activity over 10 years, creating 1,385 jobs per year as a result of the project. But with 1A’s passage, the zoning that allowed the project to continue could be repealed, leaving the city and Lind with the task of applying for alternate zoning or waiting one year until they can reapply for planned unit development zoning for the property.
A “Vote No On 1A” sign is pictured in Greeley on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)“We knew it would take a Herculean effort on our part to overcome the months-long, orchestrated smear campaign against Cascadia,” Greeley Forward spokesman Bill Rigler said after the first results were posted. “While we are disappointed in these preliminary results, we are grateful to the thousands of Greeley residents who chose facts over fear, and optimism over defeatism.”
With the passage of 1A, city staff would plan to immediately begin presenting alternative zoning designations for the property. While the ideal zoning is already in place, alternative zoning options would allow construction to begin and keep the project timeline largely intact, according to city staff.
While work on the projects can continue even if the current zoning is repealed, having proper zoning in place will become a key priority for city staff, as it is an important part of the city’s debt-repayment plans for Catalyst. The city had planned to pay off $115 million in certificates of participation (COPs) it had issued, along with a $832 million debt issuance for nonprofit bond financing, which will not be issued without appropriate zoning in place.
This result will also be dependent on the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of voter attempts to challenge planned unit development zoning in a case out of Telluride. Trollco Inc., doing business as The Water Valley Company, Vima Partners LLC and Patriot Energy LLC filed a lawsuit on Monday, seeking to have the election ruled unconstitutional in a manner similar to the previous ballot attempt by Greeley Deserves Better, which was thrown out.
The city council will meet on March 3, when city staff will share the latest financial information and estimates for the Catalyst project, including a detailed explanation of the debt the city will take on. Acting City Manager Brian McBroom has reiterated the city will not raise taxes as a result of this project, as it could not do so without a vote.
The city’s unofficial results will be released in the morning following the special election via the city of Greeley’s Facebook and Nextdoor social media channels, and a news release will be posted to the website the following morning. Daily voter lists are also published on the same page, allowing voters to confirm that their ballot has been received.
 | Tom Clayton Communication and Media Specialist, Public Affairs |
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