Campaign Launches Initiative to Repeal Risky Cascadia Financing Deal
Petition Drive Begins Following Strong Polling Support
Signature Gathering will Start Next Week through August 6th
GREELEY, CO - June 17, 2025 - Today, a coalition of concerned Greeley citizens filed an initiative to repeal Ordinance 2025-15, which exposes taxpayers to over $1 billion in financial risk and unlimited liability for the controversial Cascadia West Greeley Project. The ordinance authorized the City to mortgage 46 essential public buildings—including City Hall, Police Department, and Fire Stations —as collateral for the private development. The campaign, operating under the name "Greeley Deserves Better," will begin collecting petition signatures upon approval of the petition form by the Greeley City Clerk, with a deadline of August 6th to qualify for the November ballot.
The initiative comes after recent comprehensive and scientific polling by Pulse Decision Science showed strong public support for reconsidering the financing arrangement. After learning details about the deal's financial terms and risks to taxpayers, 87% of likely municipal voters supported repeal.
Community Leaders Unite for Fiscal Responsibility
The campaign is co-chaired by Pam Bricker, former Executive Director of the Greeley Downtown Development Authority and founding member of the Greeley Creative District, and Dan Wheeler, a a multi-generational Greeley real estate leader with Wheeler Managmement Group, Inc. Both bring decades of experience in community development and fiscal management to the effort.
"After 30 years of working to build up this community, I've seen what happens when we make smart investments versus risky gambles," said Bricker. "This deal asks Greeley taxpayers to shoulder over $1 billion in risk while guaranteeing a private developer millions in profits regardless of whether the project succeeds. Greeley deserves better than a deal that puts our police stations, fire houses, and City Hall at risk to subsidize someone else's business venture."
Wheeler emphasized the campaign's focus on community unity: "This isn't about being anti-development or anti-progress. This is about ensuring that any major financial commitment of this magnitude serves the broader community and includes appropriate protections for taxpayers. When one developer gets guaranteed profits while taxpayers hold all the risk, it’s time to say: Greeley deserves better.”
Polling Reveals Strong Public Opposition to Current Deal
The initiative follows comprehensive polling that revealed significant concerns among Greeley voters:
69% oppose the current financing approach after learning details
92% believe the developer should be required to invest their own money or provide financial guarantees
78% would be willing to sign a petition to put repeal on the ballot
87% support repeal after hearing arguments from both sides
The polling also showed that 68% of voters would be less likely to support candidates who voted for the financing deal, and 87% consider the issue important in determining their November votes.
Key Concerns Drive Citizen Action
The campaign identifies several critical issues with the current financing structure:
Financial Risk to Taxpayers: The deal exposes Greeley citizens to unlimited liability exceeding $1 billion, with no cap on financial obligations if the project underperforms.
Essential Buildings at Risk: 46 critical city buildings, including City Hall, Police Department, and Fire Stations, have been mortgaged as collateral and could be lost if the city cannot meet debt obligations.
Developer Protected from Risk: While taxpayers bear all financial risk, the developer receives guaranteed fees of $25-30 million regardless of project success and provides no financial guarantees.
Deferred Infrastructure Needs: Essential projects like Recreation Center renovations ($250 million) and a new City Hall ($125-160 million) are being postponed to finance the entertainment district.
Democratic Process and Community Input
“Our city’s most valuable public assets are being used as collateral — and the public never got a vote,” said Pam Bricker, co-chair and longtime advocate for downtown Greeley. “We’re not against development. We’re against bad deals. Repealing this ordinance gives Greeley the chance to renegotiate a smarter, fairer plan. Our polling confirms that Greeley residents believe they deserve better than having this rushed through without adequate input."
The campaign emphasizes that repealing the ordinance doesn’t need to kill the project entirely but would force renegotiation of terms more favorable to taxpayers and potentially require a public vote on any revised proposal.
Signature Gathering Begins Next Week
Citizens will find petition signature gatherers at Greeley Stampede events starting next weekend and throughout the festival. The campaign must collect the required number of valid signatures by August 6th to qualify the repeal measure for the November municipal ballot.
"We're asking our fellow Greeley citizens to take a few minutes to learn about this deal and sign our petition if they agree that Greeley deserves better," said Wheeler. "This is about ensuring that major financial decisions serve our entire community, not just private developers."
Building a Better Future Together
The campaign stresses its commitment to Greeley's growth and development while advocating for responsible fiscal management.
"We all want Greeley to thrive and grow," said Bricker. "But growth should strengthen our community, not put our most essential services and buildings at risk. There's a better way to support development that doesn't require taxpayers to guarantee a private developer's profits while taking on unlimited liability.".
