nation's most prominent cycling event.
A majority of city council members said they need about $150,000 in financial help from residents and area business before they support the city's bid. The Grand Junction Sentinel reports that the city's overall tab for the event would be about $300,000.
Supporters of the city's bid expressed their dismay.
[R]ace organizers this year hoped Grand Junction would host the overall start of the race, one of the best opportunities for domestic and international media coverage, supporters say.
“If council’s not going to support this, we have to mobilize,” said Christi Reece after the meeting. “We have to have this happen.”
The Pro Challenge is dealing with its own difficulties; the family that started it in 2011 announced this fall it would no longer finance the race.
