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Colorado - Fri. 04/11/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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ALPINE BANK AURORA HOSTS GRAND OPENING APRIL 12
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Alpine Bank is celebrating the grand opening of its Aurora location near E. Montview Boulevard and Clinton Street—just three blocks south of the Stanley Marketplace, on Saturday, April 12, from noon to 2 p.m. The event will feature live entertainment, food, and community engagement. Alpine Bank Aurora will be making a donation to the Aurora Public Schools Foundation and CrossPurpose, two organizations dedicated to education and economic opportunity. There will also be a variety of other activities, including a cash booth, giveaways, entertainment for families, and a live performance by Colorado Youth Mariachi.
The new branch is led by Senior Vice President Briana Fernandez Luna, who brings more than 10 years of professional banking experience including an expertise in commercial lending and retail operations. Along with Briana, the team at the Aurora branch includes Marcel Mavangulu, banking officer, Samantha Guardian, operations supervisor and Lilia Cruz, community development mortgage loan originator.
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THE BEST NEW HOTEL IN THE WORLD IS IN DENVER, SAYS ESQUIRE
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Esquire unveiled its list of the best new hotels in the world, which reporters and editors culled “the old-fashioned way,” they wrote – by visiting a slew of new properties in person over the last year. Denver’s nature-inspired Populus Hotel, which opened last October, was not only the sole local spot on the list but also earned the title of “hotel of the year” for 2025. Rising 13 stories into the skyline, the Populus is immediately noticeable for its white exterior covered in oblong windows, designed to mimic the eyes of aspen trees. In fact, its namesake is the scientific term for aspens, Populus tremuloides. Esquire’s Jeff Gordinier gushed about the aesthetic, from the exterior with its arched windows designed to deter birds from flying into the glass to the sheets of reishi mushroom leather decorating the in-house bar, Pasque. The Rocky Mountains vistas from the rooftop bar, Stellar Jay, aren’t bad either, he wrote.
The mission behind the Populus also resonated. The property was designed to be the country’s first “carbon positive” hotel, meaning it aims to make a positive environmental impact. It does so with amenities like a biodigester that turns food scraps into compost, using only renewable energy resources, and planting trees for each night a guest stays there.
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PRADA STRIKES $1.4 BILLION DEAL FOR VERSACE
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Prada said it would acquire Versace from fashion conglomerate Capri Holdings for $1.38 billion, salvaging a deal that was at risk of collapsing because of the market upheaval. The deal was announced Thursday, confirming an earlier report by The Wall Street Journal. Versace, founded more than 40 years ago, is an Italian fashion house known for its flashy and sometimes risqué designs. Last month Capri appointed Dario Vitale to succeed Donatella Versace as chief creative officer of the Versace brand. Capri, whose stable of luxury brands also include Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, struck a $2.1 billion deal for the Versace business in 2018 as part of a plan to create a global luxury fashion group. In 2023, Capri had agreed to sell itself to Coach owner Tapestry for $8.5 billion. That deal died the next year, however, after the Federal Trade Commission said the tie-up would hurt competition in the market for affordable luxury handbags.
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COLORADO COMPANY AT HEAD OF PACK FOR NEW MULTIMODE PROPULSION IN SPACECRAFT
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Space is becoming more crowded and as the number of satellites increases, so too does the risk of a collision, highlighting the need for multimode propulsion in spacecraft, according to industry panelists at the 40th Space Symposium. Multimode means an engine that can operate in a high efficiency/low thrust mode and a high thrust/low efficiency mode. This gives them flexibility to stay in orbit as needed — most spacecraft orbits naturally decay, especially in low earth orbit, but also dodge incoming threats if they emerge.
One Colorado company, Agile Industries, is leading the charge with their Hesperus design. The engine uses hydrazine as a fuel, which CEO Chris Pearson says allows for more immediate introduction because the infrastructure for it already exists. Hydrazine has fueled spacecraft since World War II, so Agile isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Other members of the panel like Phase Four’s Chief Technology Officer Umair Siddiqui admit that hydrazine is great but may not be the fuel of the future. Towards the end of the panel, Siddiqui said we may one day look back on hydrazine as we see sailboats today: antiquated.
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COLORADO GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL HALTING EXPANSION OF HARD LIQUOR SALES IN GROCERY/BIG BOX STORES
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Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Thursday that halts the expansion of hard liquor sales in grocery and big-box stores in an effort to protect small businesses that sell alcohol from further economic decline. Senate Bill 33 was brought in response to the recent expansion of beer and wine sales in grocery stores, which has dramatically reduced the sales of Colorado’s independent alcohol retailers. Colorado law limits the number of grocery stores that can sell hard liquor, like vodka, tequila and whiskey. But that was set to end starting in 2037. There are 36 Colorado grocery and big-box stores that sell liquor right now. Colorado grocery, convenience and big-box stores started being able to sell full-strength beer in 2019. Voters then passed an industry-backed ballot measure in 2022 letting grocery stores start selling wine in 2023. Senate Bill 33 passed the House by a 55-8 vote and the Senate by a 28-5 vote.
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SGAMMA WITHDRAWS FROM NOMINATION TO HEAD BLM
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Kathleen Sgamma, the president of the Denver-based oil and gas trade association Western Energy Alliance, withdrew her consideration to lead the Bureau of Land Management, Senator Mike Lee said during the beginning of a Thursday hearing that would have considered her nomination. Lee, the chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, said White House officials informed him of the change early Thursday morning. Sgamma was the second Coloradan to be nominated by Trump to lead a federal agency. Chris Wright, formerly CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, was previously confirmed as head of the U.S. Dept. of Energy.
The Bureau of Land Management controls about 245 million acres of land, 700 million acres of subsurface and 30 percent of the country’s minerals. The lands have multiple uses, including energy development, mining, livestock grazing and conservation. In Colorado, three national conservation areas, five wilderness areas, two national monuments and 53 wilderness study areas across a combined 8.3 million acres are all controlled by the agency.
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RFTA PLANS ZERO-FARE RIDERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM
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The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority is planning to debut a zero-fare pilot program in the fall to test the feasibility of a larger reduced fare or fare-free ridership program. All RFTA system routes will be free for all riders — including the VelociRFTA BRT, Valley/Local and Hogback routes — from Sept. 22 through Nov. 23 if the RFTA board approves the program. The Maroon Bells shuttle will be excluded from the program. Implementation is contingent upon finding a financial partner to help offset the estimated $550,000 lost in fare revenues during the duration of the program. RFTA staff chose to implement the project in fall 2025 because ridership is often lower in the fall off-season and there is capacity to increase ridership on all routes without the need for extra buses.
The pilot program will give the transportation authority insight on how eliminating bus fares will impact ridership and passenger experience, and the potential need for additional resources. It will also allow RFTA to assess the capacity of existing park and ride lots. The RFTA board expressed unanimous support for the pilot program, but wanted to ensure the pilot ran smoothly and enough data was collected to glean insight on such a program.
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CMU DAY OF GIVING BRINGS IN THOUSANDS FOR STUDENT-LED INITIATIVES
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On Thursday, Colorado Mesa University kicked off its 100th birthday celebration with its annual Day of Giving event, which raises thousands of dollars for dozens of student-focused campaigns. Students gathered at The Plaza for cake and to sign the university’s 100th birthday card Thursday afternoon and Colorado Mesa University President John Marshall spoke about the importance of supporting students during the Day of Giving. CMU Foundation Director of Annual Giving Tina Kleespies said all the fundraising initiatives came from student organizations. There were more than 60 initiatives this year, which raised more than $70,000 as of Thursday afternoon. Kleespies said there were many great causes raising funds for students from engineering to health care to athletics. She said one unique fundraiser was focused on helping students studying to be veterinary technicians.
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BUMP-OUTS IN DURANGO ARE BACK
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Bump-outs, the outdoor seating spaces outside businesses and restaurants on Main Avenue in Durango, are back for the summer. So too are test pedlet structures demonstrating how the city of Durango says Downtown’s Next Step would enhance safety and walkability on Main Avenue. The pedlets are functionally identical to bump-outs and were installed to show the extra space, and reduced lane width on Main Avenue, that wider sidewalks would provide. The pedlets are being funded by a Colorado Dept. of Transportation Revitalize Main Street grant to the tune of $171,000, plus $42,760 from the city’s 2015 half-cent sales and use tax fund.
Twelve businesses applied to install bump-outs again this year, and construction was scheduled to begin last week. The bump-out program is a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, deployed by the city in an effort to support restaurants and businesses while social distancing and other pandemic guidelines and regulations were being practiced. In November 2022, Durango City Council approved an extension of the bump-out program for another five years. The city will reexamine the program in 2027. Business owners, managers and patrons downtown were enthusiastic for bump-outs to return.
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ROUTT COUNTY TO UPDATE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
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The Routt County Office of Emergency Management is working with Synergy Disaster Recovery to update the Hazard Mitigation Plan for 2025. The update, required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency every five years, ensures Routt County remains eligible for hazard mitigation funding. In collaboration with local municipalities, districts and community organizations, the initiative aims to safeguard residents and businesses from hazards such as wildfires, droughts, floods and severe storms. Key benefits of the Hazard Mitigation Plan update include:
- Protecting public safety and preventing loss of life and injury
- Reducing harm to existing and future development
- Maintaining community continuity following a disaster
- Preserving the county’s unique economic, cultural and environmental assets
- Reducing disaster response and recovery costs while minimizing risk exposure for first responders
To learn more, visit Co.Routt.Co.Us/1034/Hazard-Mitigation-Plan.
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SUMMIT FOUNDATION'S SCHOLARSHIP NIGHT: OVER $1M GIVEN TO LOCAL STUDENTS
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On April 2, Summit High School students received over $1 million in scholarships during the Summit Foundation’s Scholarship Night. In total, the Summit Foundation awarded its largest ever investment of $489,500 in scholarships to 163 graduating seniors. Many of these awards include the opportunity for renewal in a student’s sophomore year, and four students received newly launched Bright Futures Fund scholarships. “Seeing these students work so hard makes you want to help every single one of them,” said Don Dankner, a longtime Scholarship Committee member. “With the additional Bright Futures Funds, we’re making an even bigger impact.” This year, 41 percent of recipients were first-generation college students. In addition to town- and organization-sponsored scholarships, support also came from ski area partners including Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Copper Mountain Resort and Keystone Resort.
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THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND, APRIL 11-13
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Check out one of these fun events across Colorado this weekend:
- DENVER — "The Wiz" returns to Denver on an all-new Broadway tour, the first one in 40 years. The groundbreaking twist on "The Wizard of Oz" changed the face of Broadway with a score of soul, gospel, rock and 70s funk and the tale of Dorothy's journey to find her place in a contemporary world. "The Wiz" will be performed at the Buell Theatre through Sunday, April 20.
- ARVADA — The 20th annual Arvada Kite Festival is Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Stenger Sports Complex. The free event features kite flying (bring one or purchase one at the event), kids zone with inflatables and face painting and kite demonstrations by professional flyers. There will be more than 100 vendors and food trucks as well as the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Curiosity Cruiser. Free parking is available on site, with the gates opening at 10:45 a.m.
- CASTLE ROCK — The Castle Rock Home Show features a variety of vendors in home, outdoor living, beauty, décor and DIY. The show hosts local and national exhibitors, offering exclusive deals and discounts. The Castle Rock Home Show runs Friday to Sunday at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
- LONGMONT — Colorado will celebrate Scotland’s cultural and historic contributions to the world with a celebration of family, community, nation, and heritage at this weekend’s Colorado Tartan Day Festival. The celebration takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. The free, family-friendly event offers historic reenactments, Celtic merchants, children's activities, beer tent, food vendors and live music. Check out ColoradoTartanDay.com for the complete weekend schedule.
- GEORGETOWN — The Georgetown Loop Railroad offers spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. The railroad's website says the train transports riders back to a "time where the railroad ruled, mining was a way of life and outlaws littered the land." You can purchase tickets online at GeorgetownLoopRR.com.
- PALISADE — The annual International Honeybee Festival is back in Palisade for a 16th year. The festival celebrates Palisade's agricultural roots and brings attention to the threatened honeybee population. Held at the Town Plaza in downtown Palisade, the festival opens at 10 a.m. Saturday. There will be music, live demonstrations, food vendors and kids’ activities. For more information and a complete schedule, visit PalisadeHoneybeeFest.org.
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MARKET UPDATE - 04/10/2025 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 04/10/2025)
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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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