America鈥檚 obsession with weight loss has given birth to reality shows like The Biggest Loser and Extreme Weight Loss. The latter aired the second installment of its new season with part of the episode shot on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The popular culture influence is reinvigorating Colorado鈥檚 image as a health and wellness destination 鈥� but with a medical twist.
When the ABC show Extreme Weight Loss pitched the idea of having contestants spend three months at the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center in Aurora, their chief strategist John Peters wasn鈥檛 sure about the idea.
鈥淲e said, 鈥榃hat are you talking about,鈥� and then once they explained more about what it was, once we learned it was about transformation and not about a contest, we say 鈥榃ow, this sounds like a great opportunity,鈥� 鈥� said Peters.
It鈥檚 an opportunity that鈥檚 created more opportunities. The Center is launching an October destination boot camp pilot program 鈥� which Extreme Weight Loss will help promote later this month. Over just two years since it was built, the $34 million Health and Wellness Center has created a high-tech space for research and programs.
鈥淲e鈥檙e like an R&D center for wellness,鈥� said Peters. 鈥淭his is where we do the research, and we do the development and then we work with a multitude of partners as the distribution system.鈥�
Colorado: Lean & Green
Even though it鈥檚 , Colorado鈥檚 image as the leanest state is translating into big money. About $3 billion is already coming in thanks to the state鈥檚 ski industry. And there could be even more.
鈥淕lobally it鈥檚 a very powerful brand,鈥� said Ken Lund, Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.鈥淧eople want to be part of a healthy state, a healthy environment.鈥�
Broadly, Colorado鈥檚 $40 billion industry includes traditional and alternative health care, natural food products, health information technology, research initiatives, fitness and outdoor recreation.
"People want to be part of a healthy state, a healthy environment."
Although prevention and wellness is one of the smallest segments, by Lund鈥檚 office on the industry reported it has great potential for growth.
鈥淭hings like Extreme Weight Loss are things people want to know about. We think those broadcast globally are good for Colorado鈥檚 brand that this is place that focuses on health,鈥� said Lund.
Colorado Puts Medical Tourism On The Map
The health focus also takes away some attention around the state鈥檚 other new big industry: legalized marijuana. Then there are the jobs.
In Estes Park recently, Gov. John Hickenlooper, Mayor Bill Pinkham and Stanley Hotel Owner and Grand Heritage Hotel Group CEO John Cullen focused on physical fitness and weight loss. When it鈥檚 up and running, the project is expected to create as many as 70 full-time jobs.
Cullen said University of Colorado鈥檚 Health and Wellness Center will provide consulting and programs for Estes Park center.
鈥淭hey have 150 people just in research on this topic,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t gives us a great opportunity to be their little brother, and quite frankly, put medical tourism on the map for the state of Colorado.鈥�
The project will also include a 50-room boutique hotel. It鈥檚 a $30 million public-private partnership between Grand Heritage Hotel Group and Estes Park Medical Center.
For EPMC, CEO Brian Herwig said the project will provide a much-needed revenue boost in a world of declining insurance and federal reimbursements.
鈥淭his gives us a new service line. It鈥檚 a cash business,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e talk about it being like a guided fishing trip. You pay half down and half when you show up.鈥�
Similar projects from Grand Heritage are in the works for Colorado Springs, Telluride and Denver.
Ultimately, John Peters at Anschutz Health and Wellness Center said the key work making wellness work in a vacation setting is integration.
鈥淚t鈥檚 bringing it to life in a way that it鈥檚 not a bolt-on thing anymore,鈥� said Peters.
With wellness tourism expected to grow to almost $680 billion worldwide over the next three years, Colorado entrepreneurs will have plenty of details to sweat over.
