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Colorado - Wed. 03/12/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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LONGMONT STARTUP ON 'SHARK TANK' LANDS DEAL WITH QVC EXPERT
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A Longmont startup that makes gluten-free baked goods landed a deal and attracted a celebrity investor on the most recent episode of ABC’s long-running television hit “Shark Tank." GoodLove Foods is a gluten-free and celiac-friendly startup manufacturing and selling frozen puff pastry, biscuits, cinnamon rolls and pizza crust. The company operates out of a 2,400-square-foot manufacturing facility in Longmont. On Friday's episode of “Shark Tank,” GoodLove Foods attracted $150,000 from investor Lori Greiner, known as a QVC network expert, in exchange for an 18 percent stake in the business. GoodLove Foods CEO Chennelle Diong appeared on the show asking for $150,000 for 5 percent of her company.
About 85 percent of GoodLove Foods’ business is selling directly to consumers, Diong said on the show. The company has a 30 percent to 35 percent return customer rate and margins of about 75 percent (25 percent when you factor in shipping costs), she added. GoodLove Foods was named a Colorado Startup to Watch in 2024 by Colorado Inno, an affiliate of the DBJ. The startup also won Denver Startup Week’s pitch competition the year prior.
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COLORADO SYMPHONY APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT & CEO
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The Colorado Symphony has appointed a new president and CEO. The century-old symphony named Daniel Wachter to the position on Tuesday. Wachter will officially take over the position on April 1. Mark Cantrell, the group's previous chief, stepped down after roughly two years. Wachter joined the Colorado Symphony Board of Trustees in 2023 and has served as co-vice chair since 2024. Before his work with the symphony, Wachter spent five years at Chromatic Technologies, Inc. (CTI), eventually rising up to CEO at the company. "Under Daniel's leadership, the Colorado Symphony will continue to build on the orchestra's legacy, leading initiatives that further elevate the cultural impact of the orchestra and enhance the experience for all patrons," the symphony said in its press release. The orchestra has had several CEOs since it officially formed in 1989, riding on the heels of the former Denver Symphony, which was formed in 1934.
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'LOVE IS BLIND' REALITY DATING SHOW TO FEATURE DENVER SINGLES IN SEASON 9
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Reality dating show "Love is Blind" is coming to the Mile High City for its ninth season. The popular Netflix series will feature a new batch of Denver singles looking for love — without ever meeting each other face to face. During the Season 8 reunion, show co-hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey enlisted the help of two NFL stars, Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus and Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton, to announce the show's next season in Denver. Denverites will be able to watch their friends take on dating in the "pods" and around the city. The couples will go through a series of in-person dates, including a vacation, before heading back to Denver to try out life with their new partner. At the altar, they'll decide whether the match is truly meant to be. Netflix has not announced an exact airing date for Denver's season.
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CHERRY CREEK'S OLD SEARS STORE TO BE TORN DOWN
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Across the street from Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center, the former Sears department store and the Crate & Barrel building are set to be torn down later this month. Denver-based developers BMC Investments, in partnership with L.A. investment firm Prism Places and Invesco Real Estate, have secured the debt financing needed to begin building its Cherry Lane project at 1st Avenue and Clayton Lane. It will begin with the demolition of the stores next to Cherry Creek’s Whole Foods Market.
The Cherry Lane redevelopment aims to transform the corner into a major outdoor shopping hub. It could make space for up to 35 new businesses within the highly coveted neighborhood, where vacancy rates have been at a record low. Cherry Lane will be a mixed-use project, acting as an extension of the Clayton Lane development finished in 2004. It is set to add 379 apartments and 59,000 square feet of office space. The parking garage on the block will be renovated, with several floors added on top of it. There will also be more than 132,000 square feet of luxury store space on the ground floor, as well as a rooftop space open for lease.
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WEEKEND SNOWSTORM TO DELIVER SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO COLORADO'S SKI AREAS
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A snowstorm that is expected to deliver significant fresh powder to the Colorado Rocky Mountains could also impact weekend ski traffic amid the spring break season. National Weather Service forecasters said the snowstorm is expected to start Thursday evening, March 13, and continue throughout Friday, March 14. The storm could drop between 4 to 7 inches of snow along the Interstate 70 corridor near Summit County, impacting ski traffic between the mountains and Denver, especially on Friday.
The snow will be accompanied by high winds, with gusts between 40-50 mph in the mountains on Friday that could result in “localized whiteout conditions” even if snow totals are lower. Temperatures will remain warm in the mountains, with highs in the high 30s to low 50s, through Thursday. But by Friday, temperatures are expected to drop back below freezing.
The storm is expected to favor Colorado’s southern mountains, with the potential for 10-20 inches between Thursday and Sunday for resorts like Purgatory and Wolf Creek Ski Area. But the state’s northern and central mountains, including ski areas in Summit County, where the snowpack remains higher than anywhere else in the state, could also see between about a half foot and 10 inches by Sunday. Smaller amounts of snow are expected to fall throughout Saturday, creating potential powder conditions on Sunday morning, and the sun and slightly warmer temperatures are likely to return Sunday by midday.
Ski areas including Steamboat Resort, Vail Mountain, Copper Mountain, Loveland Ski Area, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Winter Park Resort, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Resort and Aspen-Snowmass are all forecast to receive more than a half foot by Sunday.
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MASAKO MIKI AWARDED ANDERSON RANCH VISITING ARTISTS PRIZE
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Multimedia artist Masako Miki has been awarded the Anderson Ranch Visiting Artists Prize. The award is part of The Aspen Art Fair’s 2024 Art Prize Program and includes a one-week residency at the arts center from March 10-17. Miki’s visit to the Anderson Ranch Arts Center will be highlighted by a lecture on Thursday, March 13, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by a tour of her studio. The event is free and open to the public. Livestream viewing options will be available.
Miki is a native of Japan and is currently based in Berkeley, California. Her work explores the intersection of mythology, folklore and contemporary social issues through her sculpture, painting and large-scale installations. Recent exhibitions have included shows at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the KMAC Contemporary Art Museum in Kentucky; the Katonah Museum of Art in New York; the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive in California; and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in California. Her work is in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Colección SOLO in Spain; Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation in New York; and the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive in California.
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CARBONDALE CLAY CENTER LAUNCHES FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR NEW CAMPUS
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The Carbondale Clay Center (CCC) is set for a transformative reinvention that will increase its footprint and elevate its role within the community. CCY Architects will lead the design of a new 8,000-square-foot facility at CCC’s current historic location on the east end of Main Street in Carbondale. This expansion will triple the size of the center’s existing programs. Fundraising for the project is underway, and more information can be found at carbondaleclay.org/shaping-the-future. The new, two-story building will feature a larger gallery, additional classrooms for youth and adults, and a flexible maker space with 24/7 access for members. The expansion will also include three times as many rental studios, five times the number of rental shelves for members, and enhanced outreach programming opportunities.
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WEST STAR BREAKS GROUND ON LARGE FACILITY EXPANSION
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West Star Aviation officially broke ground on its 109,000-square-foot expansion project Tuesday morning at the Grand Junction Regional Airport. The expansion, which was announced last October, includes 40,000 square feet of hangar space to accommodate the growing demand for maintenance services, avionics installations and interior refurbishments; 38,000 square feet for offices and back shop space; and 31,000 square feet of ramp space. The project will allow the company to service newer, larger aircraft. The expansion is expected to bring with it up to 100 new jobs. Organizations from the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, as well as the Grand Junction Regional Airport and others assisted in making the expansion possible. Construction is expected to last through 2025 and be completed in the second quarter of 2026.
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TELLURIDE YOUTH HANGOUT IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN APRIL
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After a few delays, youth in San Miguel County will have a spot to call their own in Telluride this spring. The “Youth Hangout” is having its grand opening in April after spring break. The goal is to provide a safe, inclusive and substance-free space for local kids to hang out, Monday through Friday from 3 to 8 p.m. (and 9 p.m. in the summer). The Youth Hangout is open to anyone aged 18 or under residing within the Telluride R-1 School District boundaries, regardless of school enrollment status (public, private or homeschooled). The space will also offer a place for kids to connect with nonprofits and other services.
Renovations to the space cost about $251,000, which the towns of Mountain Village and Telluride and San Miguel County split evenly. Communities That Care (CTC) will oversee programming and operations in the hangout, in collaboration with more than 10 youth-focused nonprofit organizations. CTC estimates that annual operating and programming costs will be around $74,000 for 2025, which Mountain Village, Telluride and San Miguel County will also share equally.
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EAGLE COUNTY 4-H HOSTS ANNUAL ROCKY MOUNTAIN OYSTER FRY ON MARCH 15
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Eagle County’s annual Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, which features food, fun, music, dancing, auction items and absolutely no requirement to eat Rocky Mountain oysters, is set for March 15 at the Eagle River Center at the Eagle County Fairgrounds. The 2024 event drew more than 900 people. Between ticket sales, donations and auction items, the event funded several $6,000 scholarships for local 4-H youth.
- What: Annual 4-H Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry
- When: March 15, starting at 5 p.m.
- Where: The Eagle River Center at the Eagle County Fairgrounds
- What it does: Supports scholarships and funding for local 4-H programs
- The coolest auction item: A custom-engraved Henry rifle
- Tickets: $25 for adults, $10 for kids ages 6-12 and those 65 and older. Kids 5 and younger are free
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STEAMBOAT FOREST SERVICE FRONT DESK CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
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The front desk at the Forest Service office at 925 Weiss Drive in Steamboat Springs is currently closed until further notice. All visitor information, including maps, access locations and recreation site status can be found online or over the phone. Appointments with local Forest Service staff regarding situation- and project-specific topics can be made in advance by phone. Camping and rental reservations, firewood permits, and day-use passes can also be obtained online. For visitor information and questions about the closure, call 970-870-2299 or visit Fs.Usda.Gov/Mbr. Additional information can be found at Facebook.com/FSMBRTB.
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DIA READY FOR HEAVY SPRING BREAK TRAVEL
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Denver International Airport officials say they are ready for spring breakers and are expecting an increase in travelers over last year during the first busy travel season of the year. The airport estimates that from March 13 to March 29, more than 1.2 million passengers will pass through the airport’s security checkpoints. Friday, March 14, Sunday, March 16 and Friday, March 21 will be the busiest days, with more than 80,000 passengers passing through security daily.
Here are the all-time busiest travel days from DIA’s release:
- July 7, 2024 – 93,591 passengers screened (busiest day on record)
- July 21, 2024 – 89,421 passengers screened
- July 16, 2023 - 88,684 passengers screened
Passengers are encouraged to arrive inside the airport at least two hours in advance of their boarding time to ensure they have plenty of time to check bags, travel through security and arrive at their gate. There is the potential for longer security lines, especially during peak times, which are 3 a.m. to 4:30 a.m., 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. DIA has a wide range of services and advice on how to ease travel complications on its website.
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DOGE REPORTS AXING LEASES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER, ELSEWHERE IN COLORADO
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The Dept. of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk’s team of federal government cost cutters, has released a list of agency leases it has terminated in buildings across the nation, with 19 of them being in Colorado. DOGE’s “wall of receipts” shows the terminated leases represent 355,000 square feet in Colorado. Eight of those terminations connect to leased space in the Denver-metro area.
- The largest is for 86,809 square feet of offices in the downtown office tower at 1670 Broadway in Denver. Previous DBJ reporting indicates that square footage corresponds to space in the building rented by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
- Another DOGE lease termination in downtown Denver was for the International Trade Administration at 999 18th St. The lease covers 3,885 square feet.
- In western Lakewood, a 21,105-square-foot space for the Civil Corps of Engineers at 12596 W. Bayaud Ave. is listed as terminated.
- Last week, the General Services Administration released a list of “non-core” federal properties that were considered for sale or disposal. That list, posted to the federal agency’s website and later removed, listed 744,000 square feet in Lakewood spread across 14 buildings at the 623-acre Denver Federal Center. It also included four land parcels on the campus.
Lease terminations in the Denver-metro area include:
- 3,830 square feet for the Geological Survey, at 4725 Nautilus Court in Boulder
- 29,170 square feet for the Geological Survey, at 3215 Marine St. in Boulder
- 8,219 square feet for the Geological Survey, at 4620 Technology Drive in Golden
- 1,250 square feet for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at 9349 S. Commerce Center St. in Littleton
- 10,800 square feet for the Environmental Protection Agency, at 1230 Park St. in Castle Rock
Lease terminations in other areas of Colorado include:
- Fort Collins: Three leases encompassing 117,122 square feet for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Forest Service, and the National Park Service
- Colorado Springs: 875 square feet for the Employment Standards Administration Wage and Hour Division
- Grand Junction: Four leases encompassing 57,552 square feet for the Geological Survey, Social Security Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of U.S. Attorneys
- Durango: Two leases encompassing 10,145 square feet for the Bureau of Reclamation and the Civil Corps of Engineers
- Craig: 4,328 square feet for the Mine Safety Health Administration
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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES MAKES CHANGES
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Southwest Airlines announced Tuesday that it will start charging customers to check their luggage. It’s a $300 million gamble. Last year, Southwest said its “rigorous research” found it would lose that much in market share if it started charging bag fees. The policy has set Southwest apart from its competitors for decades. Getting rid of its famous “two bags fly free” strategy is part of a massive push at the carrier to ditch its long-standing customer perks and policies. Southwest also announced last year that it’s moving from open seating to a single-class cabin in order to raise revenue. Another change announced Tuesday: basic economy tickets that don’t allow free changes.
Here’s what travelers need to know about the new policies:
- Who will pay for bags? Travelers who buy any ticket except Southwest’s top-level Business Select fare will have to pay fees to check bags. Customers who purchase a Business Select ticket will be able to check two bags for free. Top-tier A-List Preferred frequent flyer program members will also get two checked bags for free. A-List level members will be able to check one bag for free, as will those with a Southwest credit card.
- How much will it cost to check a bag? Southwest didn’t disclose how much it will cost to check a bag, but fees start at $35 apiece on competitors Delta, United and American
- When do the new policies take effect? The new checked baggage fees go into effect for tickets purchased on or after May 28.
- Can I still bring a carry-on bag? Carry-on bag policies haven’t changed, even for basic economy tickets. All tickets will include a free carry-on bag, even for the new basic economy tickets.
- Will there be longer airport lines? Possibly. In airport lobbies, Southwest said it could redistribute staff to handle changing customer needs with the new bag rules. It will also equip staff there with mobile printers.
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MARKET UPDATE - 03/11/2025 Close
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(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
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Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
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Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
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30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 03/06/2025)
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*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
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Alpine Bank is an independent, employee-owned organization with headquarters in Glenwood Springs and banking offices across Colorado's Western Slope, mountains and Front Range. Alpine Bank serves customers with retail, business, wealth management*, mortgage and electronic banking services. Learn more at alpinebank.com.
*Alpine Bank Wealth Management services are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not guaranteed by the bank.
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