Published October 19, 2026
What's Being Built at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park: The Film Center, the Timeline, and What It Means for You
If you've spent any time in Estes Park, you know the Stanley Hotel. The big white hotel on the hill has watched over town since 1909, inspired Stephen King's The Shining, and draws ghost hunters and history lovers from around the world. For those of us who live here, it's simply part of the everyday view. Right now, the Stanley is in the middle of the biggest transformation in its history, and the latest news is good: the project is running months ahead of schedule.
In this Signature Spotlight, Julie Abel of Signature Home Team walks through the sale, what's being built, the updated timeline, and what construction means for you, whether you're visiting, living here, or thinking about calling Estes Park home. We filmed from Knoll-Willows Open Space, which offers a front-row view of the work on the hill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzzVGgxkh1c
Key Takeaways: The Stanley Hotel Expansion at a Glance
• New ownership: In May 2025, the Stanley was sold to SPACE, a nonprofit entity under the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority, in a deal financed by bonds sold to private investors.
• What's being built: A $60 million Stanley Event Center with a 1,000-seat theater and a Blumhouse horror film museum, plus about 65 new guest rooms, a new lobby, and expanded parking.
• Updated timeline: Originally expected to wrap up in late 2028, the project is running several months ahead of schedule with a goal of opening in early 2028.
• Visiting now: The hotel is open, but expect fencing, detours, and tight parking until the new buildings are closed in, which is expected around Christmas 2026.
The Sale: Who Owns the Stanley Hotel Now?
The sale is the foundation for everything else happening on the hill. In May 2025, the Stanley was sold to the Stanley Partnership for Arts, Culture and Education, known as SPACE. SPACE is part of the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority (CECFA), and the purchase was financed through a bond offering of nearly $400 million sold to private investors.
Are Taxpayers on the Hook?
It's one of the questions we hear most. According to former owner John Cullen, the bonds were funded entirely by private capital, not tax dollars. Cullen is still involved as chair and CEO of SPACE, while day-to-day hotel operations are now handled by Sage Hospitality Group.
Why Structure the Sale This Way?
The idea is that public ownership protects the hotel for the long term. Over time, the partnership is also expected to send tens of millions of dollars to arts, culture, and education programs across Colorado. For those of us who live here, the big takeaway is simple: the Stanley isn't going anywhere, and it's being set up to remain a landmark for generations to come.
What's Being Built: The Stanley Event Center and Hotel Expansion
This is the part you can see from just about anywhere in town. The $60 million Stanley Event Center broke ground in September 2025, with part of the funding coming through Colorado's Regional Tourism Act, a state program designed to bring new visitors and new visitor spending into Colorado.
A 1,000-Seat Theater
The centerpiece of the project is a new film and event center built around a 1,000-seat theater, giving Estes Park a venue for film screenings, concerts, and large events right here in town.
A Blumhouse Horror Film Museum
This is the piece Julie is most excited about. Inside the event center, you'll find a horror film museum curated by Blumhouse, the studio behind movies like Get Out and The Black Phone. Plans call for new exhibits to rotate in about every other month, so there will be a reason to come back more than once. Project projections anticipate hundreds of thousands of visitors a year for the museum alone.
More Rooms, a New Lobby, and More Parking
On the hotel side, about 65 new guest rooms are being added to the historic lodging buildings. A brand new lobby should make checking in noticeably smoother, and the project adds significantly more parking for guests and visitors.
The Timeline: Running Months Ahead of Schedule
Here's the good news. The project was originally expected to wrap up in late 2028, but as of the most recent update reported by KUNC, it's running several months ahead of schedule, and the goal is now to open in early 2028.
The next major milestone is closing in the buildings, with the exterior shells expected to be complete around Christmas 2026. After that, most of the work moves indoors, and activity around the property should calm down considerably. The framing for the new theater and the new entry is already up, so you can finally start to picture how it will all come together.
Stanley Hotel Expansion Timeline
• May 2025: The Stanley is sold to SPACE
• September 2025: Groundbreaking on the Stanley Event Center
• Around Christmas 2026: Exterior shells complete and buildings closed in
• 2027: Interior work continues
• Early 2028: Target opening (originally late 2028)
Visiting the Stanley Hotel During Construction
Right now, there's construction fencing, cranes, and staging areas just about everywhere you look on the property. It's not the postcard view of the Stanley we all know and love, and the project team has been upfront about that. They've said this is the peak of the disruption, and that once everything is closed in, the guest experience should return to what people remember. That's still tough to hear in October, when so many people want to be up on the hill and out enjoying the elk.
Tips for Visiting Right Now
• Expect fencing and detours across all parts of the property.
• Give yourself extra time for parking, which can be tight, especially on busy fall weekends.
• Check with the hotel before booking a tour or dinner reservation so you know what's open.
• If you're coming for photos, get creative with your angles, or plan a return trip once the work is done. It's going to be worth it.
The Sundance Connection: What's Real and What's Rumor
With the Sundance Film Festival moving to Boulder, we've gotten plenty of questions about whether the new theater is connected. The answer is yes, but not in the way some headlines suggest.
The Stanley played a real role in bringing Sundance to Colorado. The idea started with pitching the Stanley for Sundance programming and grew into the Boulder bid. The Stanley has also hosted the Sundance Directors Lab for the last few years.
Here's the Reality
Sundance has said its official 2027 festival events will all be in Boulder, and the Directors Lab is heading back to Utah. The new theater won't be open in time for that first festival. Could Sundance events come to the Stanley someday? Maybe, but nothing is confirmed right now. We'll share updates if that changes.
What the Stanley Expansion Means for Estes Park
For Visitors
It's one more reason to plan a trip to Estes Park, and with exhibits rotating through the museum, a reason to come back again and again.
For Residents
For those of us who live and play here, it means more concerts and events close to home and more year-round activity, which is good news for local businesses, especially during the slower months. It also means more traffic on big event nights, something we'll all learn to plan around.
For Anyone Thinking About a Move
A project of this scale is a sign of real investment in our community's future. If you're considering calling Estes Park home, it's worth understanding how landmarks like the Stanley shape tourism, local events, and the year-round rhythm of town.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Stanley Hotel Expansion
What is being built at the Stanley Hotel?
The Stanley Event Center, a $60 million project featuring a 1,000-seat theater and a horror film museum curated by Blumhouse. The hotel is also adding about 65 new guest rooms, a new lobby, and expanded parking.
When will the Stanley Hotel expansion be finished?
The project was originally expected to wrap up in late 2028. It is now running several months ahead of schedule, with a goal of opening in early 2028.
Who owns the Stanley Hotel now?
Since May 2025, the Stanley has been owned by the Stanley Partnership for Arts, Culture and Education (SPACE), part of the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority. Sage Hospitality Group manages day-to-day operations, and former owner John Cullen serves as chair and CEO of SPACE.
Is the Stanley Hotel open during construction?
Yes. The hotel remains open, but visitors should expect fencing, detours, and limited parking. Check with the hotel before booking tours or dinner reservations.
Did taxpayers pay for the Stanley Hotel sale?
According to former owner John Cullen, the bonds that financed the purchase were funded entirely by private capital, not tax dollars. Part of the expansion is supported through Colorado's Regional Tourism Act.
Will Sundance Film Festival events be held at the Stanley Hotel?
Not at this time. Sundance's official 2027 festival events will be held in Boulder, the Directors Lab is returning to Utah, and the new theater won't be open for the 2027 festival. Future Sundance events at the Stanley have not been confirmed.
Connecting You to Estes Park
At Signature Home Team, our mission is connecting people to place, and part of that means keeping you informed about the changes shaping our community. We'll keep following the Stanley's progress and share updates on the Estes Park Living channel as the project moves toward opening day.
If you're thinking about calling Estes Park home, grab our free Estes Park Relocation Guide for an inside look at mountain living. And if you have real estate questions or are considering a move, Julie would love to be your resource.
Relevant Links
• KUNC: Stanley Film Center Ahead of Schedule, Eyes 2028 Opening
• Estes Valley Voice: Groundbreaking at the Stanley Hotel
• Knoll-Willows Open Space (Larimer County)
• Free Estes Park Relocation Guide
• Estes Park Living on YouTube
• Everything Estes Park Facebook Group
• Signature Home Team on Instagram
• Signature Home Team on Facebook
About the Author: Julie Abel is a licensed real estate agent with Signature Home Team, brokered by Keller Williams Top of the Rockies, specializing in Estes Park and Northern Colorado mountain communities. She shares insights about real estate and mountain living through the Estes Park Living channel.
