The Antlers Hotel, run by the Wyndham Resorts & Hotels chain, confirmed that the "Golden Age Gala" gala at which Bannon was slated to speak has been canceled — only ten days before it was scheduled to take place — but didn't offer a reason why.
Colorado Springs television station KRDO 13 reported late on March 17 that the Colorado GOP learned of the cancellation after being told by would-be hotel guests, who'd received emails from the hotel after booking rooms for that night.
The Colorado GOP is was still selling tickets to its "Golden Age" Gala. While the location is listed as "TBA," it will be at a former Boot Barn in the Springs now dubbed Phil Long Music Hall, which has been used for other large Republican gatherings. Prices range from $150 for a single general admission ticket to $14,000 for a table for ten; attending a meet-and-greet with Bannon could cost as much as $1,500.
"A Golden Age Gala will honor the bold leaders and patriots fighting to preserve our republic, rooted in the principles of America First as championed by President Donald J. Trump," the Colorado GOP promises. "This evening celebrates the movement securing our nations sovereignty, protecting liberty, and restoring America's greatness. This Event WILL SELL OUT, so get your tickets now!"
An early Trump supporter, Bannon rose to infamy as a far-right conservative who helped start the Breitbart News Network and later served as the chief White House strategist for about eight months in 2017, during Trump's first term.
He also spent four months in prison for denying a subpoena from a congressional committee investigating the January 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. The Colorado GOP hailed him in its gala invitations as an "unapologetic patriot" and "fierce champion for Tina Peters," the Republican election denier and former Mesa County Clerk serving nine years in prison for tampering with voting systems. Bannon now has his own podcast, Bannon's War Room.
An early Trump supporter, Bannon rose to infamy as a far-right conservative who helped start the Breitbart News Network and later served as the chief White House strategist for about eight months in 2017, during Trump's first term.
He also spent four months in prison for denying a subpoena from a congressional committee investigating the January 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. The Colorado GOP hailed him in its gala invitations as an "unapologetic patriot" and "fierce champion for Tina Peters," the Republican election denier and former Mesa County Clerk serving nine years in prison for tampering with voting systems. Bannon now has his own podcast, Bannon's War Room.
Bannon was first scheduled to speak at an undisclosed location in the Denver Tech Center. Protesters online suggested that it might take place at a Marriott hotel in the area, but the hotel told Westword through GBSM, a PR firm, that it never agreed to host the event. Still, protesters encouraged people to call the hotel and its corporate offices to complain about the Bannon engagement; they planned to rally outside the hotel.
Andy Mountain, president and CEO of GBSM, said that the Colorado GOP "did contact the hotel about their interest in renting the venue for their annual dinner, but the hotel never finalized a contract with them for the event."
The Colorado GOP moved the event to an undisclosed Colorado Springs location in early March; protesters started to get wind of the new location last week. r/DenverProtests, a hub for statewide protest details, posted the new location on Friday, March 14, along with contact information for the Antlers Hotel and Wyndham Resorts & Hotels; the Antlers canceled the event within days.
The Golden Age Gala fundraiser is designed to lead into the March 29 annual meeting where the Colorado GOP will select a new chair. Incumbent Dave Williams has already said he won't seek a second term. The reorganization meeting is set to take place at a church in Castle Rock, according to Colorado Public Radio.
The Colorado Republican Party has not responded to Westword's requests for comment.
