Coming attractions: hoop dreams, high fashion and presidential hopefuls are helping Colorado gain national exposure and tourist dollars.

• Author: Mayer, Kathryn
• Position: TOURISM

"While people are here they pump new dollars into the economy--and they pay taxes," Scharf says. "And the more taxes we have paid by out-of-town visitors, the less tax burden on residents."

But while it's easily an economic win when it transpires, it's still a process to make it all come together.

Though there's "perception chat these events just happen," Scharf says, they're actually fantastic examples of competitive business at its best. Selection of where to host everything from sporting matches to music festivals and political showdowns--are carefully taken in consideration and based on "the cities that have the best track record of hosting major events and can provide great accessibility, great facilities, reasonable cost, fantastic service--all in a safe environment that has great destination appeal."

"Because of all this, there are now some 600 destination marketing organizations, all competing against each other," Scharf says. "On a big event like (the Women's Final Four), there are probably 20 cities that could host it, and obviously only one can get it. so you can sec the competition."

But it seems Colorado is stomping its competition for 2012.

Before the Final Four, the annual Colorado Crossroads volleyball tournament drew 11,000 volleyball players and more than 30,000 spectators over two weeks in late February and early March and pulled in roughly $22 million to the state.

The new Clyfford Still Museum, the opening of the History Colorado Center and the Denver Zoo's new 3550 million Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit represent close to a quarter billion dollars of new attractions.

Then there's the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking, celebrated at the Molly Brown House, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen and the year's first presidential debate, lo name a few more.

And to satisfy every fashionista's dream, there's the only North Ameriean showing of "Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective" at the Denver Art Museum (March 25-July 8). It was one reason Fodor's included Denver in its list of top 10 places to visit this spring (in good company with Tuscany, Prague and New York City). Places like the Hyatt hotels in Denver, the Four Seasons and the Hilton Garden Inn Denver Downtown also have been wisely taking advantage of this, offering deals that include lodging and exhibit tickets since early this year.

Kim Oyler, director of communications at Durango Mountain Resort, says this year's impressive...