Grand Junction Zip Line Project Fizzles Despite Lavish Public Subsidies

By Brandon Leuallen | The Business Times

The Las Colonias Riverfront Zip Adventures zip line, which was launched after initial delays in August 2023, then shut down partway through 2024, remains inactive in 2025.

As an anchor business for the $30 million Riverfront development, Bonsai Design, a company that designs aerial-adventure courses and owns the zip line, secured $1.69 million in taxpayer-funded incentives, including payment of development fees, impact fees, land-lease discounts, property-tax breaks and grant support. Bonsai also was entrusted with operating the zip line, adding jobs and recruiting other outdoor businesses to fill the park.

The online bookings page for the zip line states: “We are closed for the remainder of 2024. Thanks for a great season and we hope to see you next year!”

On the zip line’s main website, riverfrontzip.com, it reads:  “We’re not open for the 2025 Season yet, please check back later!” 

Now, nearly two years after the zip line’s opening, Bonsai is not operating it, despite its inclusion as part of its incentive package with the City of Grand Junction and the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.

According to the original agreement that was updated in 2021, Bonsai’s obligations included:

• Building and operating a zip line (at a retail construction cost of no less than $600,000) across the Colorado River at Las Colonias Park.
• Creating a minimum of 15 new jobs.
• Recruiting outdoor recreation manufacturing businesses to the park.
• Maintaining its headquarters at the site for a minimum of 10 years.

In return, the city and its partners awarded Bonsai:

• $42,000 in property tax rebates.
• $1,000,000 to defray building costs.
• $500,000 in a discounted lease rate on city-owned property.
• $78,844 in rebates on building permits and development fees.
• $75,000 in a state of Colorado cash grant.

If Bonsai discontinues operation the city can purchase the zip line

According to the cooperative agreement between the City of Grand Junction and Bonsai Design LLC, “The full value of the incentive package, including land-use breaks and tax reimbursements, was $1,695,844, according to the contract. In the event BONSAI discontinues operation of the Zip Line improvements for more than one (1) year during the Vesting Period, the CITY shall have the option to purchase the Zip Line Improvements at their replacement fair market value as determined by appraisal.

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