Petur Williams: Boulder’s Dark Horse will stay open until spring — and it’s thanks to the city

This commentary is by Petur Williams, a general partner of GW LLLP, a family-owned Colorado real estate company that has owned and developed properties in Boulder since the 1950s, including Martin Acres, the Boulder Country Club and the forthcoming Williams Village II project in central Boulder.

For more than half a century, the Dark Horse has been more than just a bar. It has been a meeting place, a rite of passage, a home base for friendships and memories that stretch across generations of Boulder residents, students, alumni and visitors. That is why I am deeply grateful — and genuinely proud — to share that the Dark Horse is able to remain open into spring 2026.

This outcome did not happen by accident. It happened because Boulder’s professional staff, city attorney and city manager did what good government is supposed to do: listen carefully, understand the real human impact of a decision, and work creatively and lawfully to find a solution for a clear and compelling community need.

In recent weeks, many in the community followed news coverage describing the possibility that the Dark Horse would be forced to close by Dec. 31 due to technical requirements tied to the approved redevelopment of eight acres owned by our family for generations. Under that scenario, dozens of employees would have lost their jobs just before the holidays, and only a narrow band of Dark Horse fans would have had a meaningful chance to say goodbye. Thanks to a dedicated group of city staff, that outcome will be avoided.

Staff worked hard with the ownership group to find a way within the existing code requirements to create a process that allows the Dark Horse to stay open into the spring. Because they succeeded within the current code, no special ordinance or city council action was needed — making the solution both elegant and efficient. In my decades of working within Boulder, I can say without hesitation that this is one of the clearest examples of good government in action that I have ever seen.

For me, this moment is profoundly meaningful and personal. We’ve had a continuous business relationship with the Dark Horse owners for many decades, and eat there often. This extension means employees can continue working through the holidays. It means families and friends can plan more gatherings. And it means that the community has an opportunity to properly celebrate the Dark Horse’s 51st anniversary later this spring. It’s an extraordinary milestone that seemed impossible to fathom just a few days ago.

Closing any chapter is hard, and that’s why there was a shared sense of urgency to create a solution that enabled a dignified farewell for the Dark Horse — not an abrupt ending. The Dark Horse’s current home will eventually close, and a new chapter will begin with the Williams Village II redevelopment that will bring new housing, new energy and new opportunities to Boulder. This plan has always envisioned space for the Dark Horse’s next iteration in a brand-new, 6,000-square-foot facility in the very heart of the redevelopment. I am genuinely excited about what comes next. Progress and preservation do not have to be in conflict, and this experience shows that they don’t have to be.

Thanks to Boulder’s staff, we all have a little more time to enjoy this spot. To the Dark Horse fans across the country, this is your chance. Come eat and drink. Buy the T-shirt. Tip generously. Share a story. But please don’t take anything off the walls. The memorabilia belongs to the Dark Horse owners and the staff. Taking it is not keeping a piece of history — it is taking equity from the people who built the institution into what it is.