VISIT DENVER 's long-time communications director, Rich Grant, will retire at the end of December on the 35th anniversary of his joining the tourism agency in 1979.

Grant has promoted Denver to thousands of travel journalists through some of the city's most exciting events including the Summit of the Eight, World Youth Day, both the NCAA Men's and Women's Final Four, the Democratic National Convention, and his own personal favorite, 32 editions of the Great American Beer Festival.

The list of Denver attractions that have opened and been promoted during his tenure would fill a tourism brochure and include the 16th Street Mall (1982); Cherry Creek Shopping Center (1990); the Colorado Convention Center (1990); the Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre (1991); Denver International Airport (1995); Coors Field (1995); Elitch Gardens (1995); the Pepsi Center (1999); Sports Authority Field at Mile High (2001); Ellie Caulkins Opera House (2005); Denver Art Museum Hamilton Building (2006); and Union Station (2014).

"For three and a half decades I've had what many people say is the best job in Denver," Grant said.  "And they were right."

VISIT DENVER president & CEO, Richard Scharf, said, "Rich Grant has become synonymous with tourism in Denver, and from Denver Restaurant Week to Denver Beer Fest and Night at the Museums, his legacy will live on in events that he helped start." 

Grant noted that he has been fortunate to witness some of the most momentous events in Denver's recent history. "When I started, there were cars driving down 16th Street and the D&F Tower was one of the highest buildings in the city, so the transformation of downtown has been nothing short of incredible," he said.

Grant served on the executive board of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and won SATW's Western Chapter's "Hank Kovell Award" for outstanding service to the organization.

Grant will continue to do some travel content consulting and special projects for the Bureau.