Frank Day, owner of Concept Restaurants, was inducted into the Denver & Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame on March 6, 2024, at the annual VISIT DENVER Foundation fundraising dinner.

“I’m very honored by this award,” states Frank, “We at Concept Restaurants appreciate the importance of VISIT Denver and the Denver & Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame. They promote the second largest industry in our great state, and it’s wonderful to be acknowledged in such a manner for my lifelong commitment to the travel and hospitality industry.”

Frank Day has been pillar of the Colorado hospitality industry for over 50 years, while also enriching local communities through his work, culture, and philanthropy. Now at a youthful 91-years-old, Frank’s lifetime role in Colorado tourism and hospitality can’t be overstated. From founding dozens of restaurants (two of which went on to become national chains), to rescuing and revitalizing the Hotel Boulderado, now considered a cornerstone of the legacy of the City of Boulder, his career has been far-reaching and impactful.

Born in Colorado, Frank grew up in Chicago, where he tried his hand at running doughnut shops and bartending before moving to Boulder in 1970. He has operated more than 80 hospitality businesses in Colorado and beyond, not including the dozens of outposts of Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom and Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, brands he founded that grew into phenomenally successful businesses.

His many other contributions to Colorado and to Denver include establishing the Frank and Gina Day Leadership Academy at the Metropolitan State University of Denver with his wife Gina.

The Denver & Colorado Tourism Industry Hall of Fame was created to recognize outstanding individuals who through their leadership, dedication, and professionalism have made significant additions to the tourism industry in Denver and Colorado. The dinner on March 6 is also a fundraising event for the VISIT DENVER Foundation, which in its history has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships to 535 Colorado students pursuing higher education in the fields of tourism and hospitality.