On Wednesday, May 22nd, Mayor Steve Bach addressed the Association of General Contractors Breakfast with the Board at the Olympic Training Center. During his remarks, the Mayor focused on his three main goals for the City: Jobs, Transforming City Government, and Building Community.

Mayor Steve Bach addressing the AGC Breakfast with the Board meeting

Mayor Bach stressed that the key to creating an environment to attract jobs is to become the most business friendly City in the nation. The best way to accomplish this is to change from a regulatory culture to a customer service culture that recognizes that citizens are the City’s best customer and employer. Cutting down fees and response time for routine construction and land use business is another critical effort to transform the way City Government operates.

The Mayor also indicated that special focus would be paid to revitalizing four areas critical to building community in our City: Downtown, the UCCS-Nevada corridor, South Academy, and the Colorado Springs Airport.

On Tuesday, May 21st, Mayor Steve Bach joined the Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance at a press conference to welcome international sports software company fuseSPORT to Colorado Springs. fuseSPORT selected Colorado Springs to join offices in Sydney, Australia and London, England following a nationwide search for a site to expand into the U.S. market.

Mayor Steve Bach and Regional Business Alliance CEO Joe Raso with fuseSPORT CEO Chris Clark and his leadership team

According to fuseSPORT Founder and CEO Chris Clark, Colorado Springs was chosen as the location of their new international headquarters due to it being the home of the United States Olympic Committee and 22 of the National Governing Bodies of Olympic sports. A skilled available workforce, great universities and colleges, a travel hub for domestic and international travel, and an atmosphere of business friendliness were also cited as reasons for the selection of the City. “We look forward to being a major contributor to the Colorado Springs and U.S. sports communities,” said Clark.

fuseSPORT has helped major sports events, leagues, and governing bodies operate and communicate more efficiently through use of online software that has serviced large and small organizations worldwide for more than a decade. fuseSPORT software allows organizations to deliver a vastly improved sports participant experience at an affordable price. Clients are located within the U.S., Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Please join Mayor Bach and the Regional Business Alliance in welcoming this exciting new company to Colorado Springs!

On Monday, May 20^th,  Mayor Steve Bach was joined by Councilwoman Jill Gaebler, CSPD Commander Fletcher Howard, CSFD Interim Deputy Chief Ted Collas, and Convention and Visitors Bureau President Doug Price in greeting hundreds of the Colorado Springs Airport’s most frequent flyers.

They handed out free coffee, pastry, and newspapers in order to thank citizens for using our Airport. The event also helped raise media awareness of recent changes and developments at the Airport. Please click here for a Gazette story on this event: http://gazette.com/colorado-springs-mayor-hopes-airport-marketing-plan-takes-off/article/1501014

Mayor Steve Bach thanks a citizen for flying out of the Colorado Springs Airport

Councilwoman Jill Gaebler, CSPD Commander Fletcher Howard, Mayor Steve Bach, and CSFD Interim Deputy Chief Ted Collas

On Saturday, May 18th, Mayor Steve Bach and his wife Suzi participated in a Spirit of the Springs: Spruce Up the Springs work day at Bonforte Park. Interim Fire Chief Tommy Smith and Spirit of the Springs Coordinator Donna Nelson were among the many volunteers who spent the morning at the park planting trees, clearing off the tennis courts, repainting bathrooms and benches, and putting down new mulch. Please join the Mayor and Suzi in thanking the following businesses and individuals for their contributions to a wonderful day!

• Volunteers who spent time helping to improve a neighborhood park
• Anonymous donor of $75,000 for new playground equipment
• Freedom Honda for $10,000 donation to Bonforte Park efforts
• Ace Hardware and C&C Sand for donation of supplies and equipment
• Palmer Tree Coalition for donation of 13 trees to plant in the park
• Safeway for donation of lunch
• Parks Advisory Board for advocacy and support of the park

Spirit of the Springs Coordinator Donna Nelson and Mayor Steve Bach hard at work with a young volunteer

Mayor Steve Bach and Interim Fire Chief Tommy Smith

Mayor Steve Bach and his wife Suzi working at Bonforte Park

Mayor Steve Bach shakes the hand of a young volunteer

A father-son volunteer team help repaint the restrooms at Bonforte Park

Mayor Steve Bach and members of the Palmer Tree Coalition

Mayor Steve Bach thanks Spirit of the Springs volunteers

Spirit of the Springs Coordinator Donna Nelson opens the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new playground at Bonforte Park

Mayor Steve Bach and Freedom Honda General Sales Manager Rob Facundo cut the ribbon on the new playground at Bonforte Park

On Thursday, May 15th, Mayor Steve Bach participated in a welcoming ceremony for the First Tee of Pikes Peak at the Valley Hi Golf Course. World Golf Hall of Famer Hale Irwin, retired PGA legend Dow Finsterwald, and two-time US Olympic weightlifter Wes Barnett were also present at the celebration.

Mayor Steve Bach speaking at the opening ceremony for The First Tee of Pikes Peak

The First Tee of Pikes Peak is a youth development program, serving ages 5 to 18, that uses golf as a tool to teach positive values like honesty, integrity, perseverance, and confidence that are inherent in the game. First Tee participants are also learning and using life skills such as goal setting, interpersonal communication, self-management, and resiliency skills.

Mayor Steve Bach and members of the Board for The First Tee of Pikes Peak

“Organizations that teach valuable life skills and lessons are critical to the next generation. That’s why we are pleased to be donating 20% of the net proceeds from the 2013 Mayor’s Cup charity golf tournament to First Tee of Pikes Peak,” said Mayor Steve Bach.

Mayor Steve Bach shares a laugh with PGA legend Dow Finsterwald

The First Tee of Pikes Peak will offer courses year-round at the Valley Hi Golf Course and a soon-to-be-open indoor training center at the Citadel Crossing Shopping Center.

World Golf Hall of Famer Hale Irwin, National First Tee Board Member Christie Austin, Mayor Steve Bach, and US Olympic Weightlifter Wes Barnett, all graduates of the University of Colorado system

To register for the upcoming summer 2013 sessions or to receive information about volunteering with The First Tee® of Pikes Peak, call 719-286-0506 or email firstteepikespeak@gmail.com.

A First Tee student takes a tee shot

A First Tee student takes a tee shot

A First Tee student takes a tee shot