The U.S. Air Force Academy’s Hosmer Visitor Center opened to the public on May 16, serving as an engine for economic development in the Pikes Peak region.
The center walks visitors through the 47-month-long cadet journey, including a glimpse into daily schedules, dorm life, uniforms, athletics, activities and Academy celebrations. It’s named for Gen. Bradley and Zita Hosmer; the general graduated No. 1 in his class in 1959, the first class to graduate from the Academy, and served as superintendent in 1991-94.
At the beginning of the tour, visitors place themselves in the cadets’ footprints and a floor-to-ceiling video screen plays scenes from basic training under the cover of the night sky from April 1, 1954, the day the Academy was founded. The experience culminates with information about careers available to graduates and a QR code to the Academy’s admissions website.
“Our visitor center focuses on our core values. It talks about the oath that all our cadets take, to swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies foreign and domestic,” says Col. Candice Pipes, Air Force Academy admissions director. “These are really the things that make the United States Air Force Academy different.”
The center’s lobby hosts a kiosk from Visit Colorado Springs, where staffers are available to answer questions and give visitors information about attractions and businesses in El Paso, Teller and Fremont counties.
“We’re doing this face-to-face with people in a personalized way, giving them information at the Visitor Center,” says VCOS President and CEO Doug Price. “This is a chance for us to really help disperse visitors all over the Pikes Peak region.”
The visitor center serves as an Air Force outreach tool, but it also attracts tourists who might spend time and money at other local businesses. The previous center, located on the base, logged approximately 1 million visitors per year, according to Michael Peterson, the Academy’s outreach division chief. Located just outside the Academy gates, people can access the new center without contending with restricted base access. Admission is free, with gift shop profits going to the Academy Athletic Association.
The visitor center is part of the larger TrueNorth Commons, which includes Hotel Polaris. The AAA Four Diamond hotel has hosted 79,000 room nights and more than 133,000 guests since opening in November 2024, says general manager Curtis Bova. Boasting flight simulator experiences, several restaurants and bars and 46,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, the hotel experienced 66% year-over-year growth in groups and event business.
Potential future TrueNorth Commons businesses include a senior living community, a gas station, a medical office building, retail, food service and other service-based businesses, says Dan Schnepf, president of Blue and Silver Development Partners. Only gas station company Maverick has signed a letter of intent; Schnepf says he hopes to have new businesses come online in two to three years.
How the Visitor Center Was Financed
$90M — Bonds sold by Blue and Silver Development Partners for the building and infrastructure
$15M — Local and state tax revenue for the exterior build (Colorado Springs Urban Renewal Authority)
$21M — Government dollars for galleries, exhibits and interior features
$10M — Donation from the U.S. Air Force Academy Association of Graduates and Foundation
$232M — Separate bond campaign that financed Hotel Polaris
The Hosmer Visitor Center is the final project in the tax-funded $120 million City of Colorado Springs’ City for Champions Project, which spawned the development of five major tourism projects.
City for Champions — Five Projects
Hosmer Visitor Center · U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum · William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center · Weidner Field · Ed Robson Arena
“These projects are unique, and they’re extraordinary, not only because they will draw visitors, but they will help people see what’s possible in their own lives,” Price says.