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Triple Crown might be coming to Hayden.

The Town Board of Trustees discussed the possibility at its meeting Thursday, though it made no decisions. The deal would involve an intergovernmental agreement with Steamboat Springs, which would help pay for two baseball fields at Dry Creek Park in exchange for their use, Town Manager Russ Martin said.

Also Thursday, the Hayden Town Board approved speed limit changes and initiated a move toward home rule instead of statutory governance.

Martin discussed details of the potential Triple Crown Sports agreement during his report to the trustees. Triple Crown brings baseball tournaments to Steamboat each year, accompanied by tourism dollars and concerns about traffic and other issues. Under the agreement, Steamboat would pay about $85,000 this year and $45,000 in 2010 for completion of two fields, Martin said. The town doesn't have the money to finish those fields, he said.

"There's no promise this would happen," Martin said. Steamboat has "asked us to consider it and put it back to them."

Triple Crown's use wouldn't interfere with the town's, he said. The tournament would use the fields starting June 15. The fields would be available to Triple Crown from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday in June and from 10 a.m. to dusk Monday through Saturday starting in July, Parks and Recreation Director Kathy Hockett said.

Steamboat City Council President Loui Antonucci said he thought Steamboat had budgeted money for the Dry Creek fields.

"That's my memory for it," Antonucci said. "The only caveat to the whole thing also is looking at how we're going to cut our budget. That would not be the first place we would cut. Given the state of the economy and possibly the reduction in tourism, we would want to do everything we could do to keep that component."

Triple Crown President Dave King said his company had a two-year contract with Steamboat. The company put out a request for proposals last year for cities that would like to host all or part of its World Series event, he said. Seven or eight proposals have come in, King said.

Steamboat has wanted to make Triple Crown more manageable, King said.

"The contract that we renewed with Steamboat was in light of the fact that the possibility existed for the movement in 2011 to a longer-term relationship, or it involved the possible splitting of the championships into two segments with two cities," he said.

The company wants to sign a 10-year contract for 2011 onward.

"We definitely have interest in some key communities in Colorado other than Steamboat," King said. "We believe we would like to retain a mountain destination or a place with a mountain destination in proximity."

King noted that the year looked good for Triple Crown.

"Registrations for 2009 events are up in all six of our largest major events in the company right now," he said.

The Hayden board is scheduled to formally look at the Triple Crown deal at its Feb. 5 meeting, after the Hayden Recreation Board reviews it, Martin said.

Home-rule governance

Town Board trustees voted Thursday to move forward with a discussion of becoming a home-rule municipality. Hayden is a statutory town, which means it is governed by state statutes. Becoming a home-rule municipality would allow the town more flexibility in taxing and holding elections, for example.

Trustee Jim Haskins said he wanted as much public feedback as possible.

"It always concerns me when we do something like this," he said. "I don't know how to get something like this to people's attention."

Trustees scheduled a public work session for 6 p.m. Jan. 29 at Hayden Town Hall. They plan to invite the Hayden Planning Commission and possibly the Hayden Economic Development Commission. The more people who contribute, the better, Martin said. The town plans to provide food.

Planning Commission member Donna Hellyer offered her two cents. Putting together a town charter is tough, she said.

"That is the biggest argument you'll have is the charter," Hellyer said. "Other than that, it has some great advantages."

Hayden residents would vote on the possible change in governance.

Also at Thursday's meeting, trustees finalized new speed limits on the eastern side of town near the incoming Hayden Police Station.

Hawthorne Street's speed limit will be 35 mph. Crandall Avenue's limit will be 25 mph between Hawthorne and the easternmost entrance to Vista Verde Drive. From that entrance west, the limit will remain 15 mph. The ordinance will go into effect 30 days after being published.