Who we are
CLUB 20 is an organization of counties, communities, tribes, businesses, individuals and associations in Western Colorado. The group is organized for the purpose of speaking with a single unified voice on issues of mutual concern. Its activities include marketing and advertising, public education, promotion, meetings and events, and political action.
Mission Statement
To formulate, through careful analysis, plans and progress for the development, improvement and general welfare of the Western Colorado community; to promote, develop, protect and improve, through coordinated action, all resources, in order to support a strong economy and responsible stewardship of the environment for a stable community throughout the Western Slope.
History
Founded in 1953 by Western Slope business leaders, CLUB 20 was originally organized for the purpose of getting rural roads paved. At the time, the State of Colorado had been spending only 10 percent of its highway funds west of the Continental Divide, even though more than half the roads were there. With each community lobbying for its own roads, small towns were simply drowning each other out. It finally became clear that only by agreeing on a single priority list could all the counties be heard. The process worked. Within a few years, the State was spending 37 percent of its highway funds west of the divide and by the end of the 1950s finally had paved most of the major highways on the Western Slope.
The organization continued to grow, incorporating in 1955 and began working on other issues of mutal concern to all the Western Slope communities. Its activities included water, agriculture, natural resources, energy issues including uranium in the '50s and oil shale in the 70s and, more recently, economic development, public lands, air service, tourism, energy, trails, recreation and telecommunications.
