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Colorado - Mon. 11/10/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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NOTICE OF HOLIDAY CLOSURE FROM ALPINE BANK
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All Alpine Bank branches will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on Tuesday, Nov. 11. We invite you to use Alpine Online or the Alpine Mobile app for 24/7 banking access, even when we are closed. Learn more at the link below.
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WINTER PARK EXPRESS SKI TRAIN WILL HAVE 57 TRIPS THIS WINTER
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Amtrak announced it will begin service on its Winter Park Express ski train on Dec. 19 and increase operations to four days a week on Jan. 8, 2026. There will be 57 roundtrips scheduled through late March. The Winter Park Express is increasing its trip numbers this winter in hopes of easing congestion on U.S. Hwy. 40 over Berthoud Pass. The seasonal kickoff includes weekend specials: Dec. 19-21 and Dec. 26-28, 2025, plus Jan. 2-4, 2026. Regular operations start Jan. 8, running Thursdays through Sundays until March 29.
Trains depart Denver Union Station at 7 a.m., arriving at Winter Park Resort by 9:11 a.m. and Fraser at 9:41 a.m. Returns leave Fraser at 4:05 p.m. and Winter Park at 4:35 p.m., arriving at Denver’s Union Station by 7:05 p.m. Tickets, starting at $9 for adults and $4.50 for kids, are on sale now at amtrak.com/winter-park-express. This season builds on last winter’s record-breaking season, where ridership surged over 150 percent from the previous year, thanks to a partnership with the Colorado Dept. of Transportation that slashed fares and boosted trips.
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DENVER MEETS ITS GOAL OF PLANTING 4,500 TREES THIS YEAR
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Denver Parks and Recreation set a goal of planting 4,500 trees in the city this year. On Thursday, city officials, including Mayor Mike Johnston, gathered at Benedict Fountain Park to celebrate the planting of the 4,500th tree in the city. The mayor said, “Today is about investing in Denver’s future as a greener, more resilient city, we’re proud to have met this ambitious goal and will continue working toward solutions that improve our climate, for this generation and the ones to come.” One of the most complex planting projects was the planting of 200 trees at the 16th Street renovation, which involved the 200 trees, plus nearly one million pavers. To create a tree canopy for pedestrians, each tree was planted in a soil cell system, allowing for roots to expand beyond what the normal five-by-five hole allowed.
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FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS BEGIN: IMPACT ON DIA & COLORADO AIRPORTS
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Airlines began canceling flights in accord with the orders of the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce the number of flights to accommodate the staffing shortfalls of air controllers. There were 1,000 flights canceled on Friday, and the FAA required a 4 percent reduction by Sunday. On Saturday, there were over 800 flights canceled, affecting 747 routes and 194 airports. Airlines canceled 75 flights on Friday and 60 on Saturday at Denver International Airport. DIA officials have not heard, as of Friday, whether their request to use revenue from DIA operations to cover federal air traffic controllers’ wages until the government shutdown ends had been approved by the FAA.
Aviation analytic company Cirium estimates the planned reduction in air traffic could affect up to 1,800 flights per day nationwide by the time it’s fully implemented on Nov. 14. Airlines officials have said they’ll try to minimize pain for travelers, allowing re-booking at no cost. United Airlines, the largest carrier at DIA, was targeting so-called “regional” flights while trying to preserve high-volume hub-to-hub and international flights. TSA wait times at DIA on Friday averaged around six minutes. In one area of Colorado served by "regional" flights, Grand Junction Regional Airport reported United Airlines had canceled two round-trip flights between DIA and GJT, along with one on Saturday and two on Sunday. United typically runs six flights through Grand Junction per day - more than any other carrier operating in the Grand Valley.
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PLANNING YOUR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY TRAVEL? KEY DAYS FOR FLIGHT REDUCTIONS
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Flight reductions are being phased in due to the government shutdown, with a 4 percent reduction beginning Nov. 7. Here are future dates for further reductions:
- Nov. 11, 2025: The reduction is scheduled to increase to 6 percent.
- Nov. 13, 2025: The reduction is scheduled to increase to 8 percent.
- Nov. 14, 2025: The reduction is scheduled to reach 10 percent.
The Dept. of Transportation has indicated these numbers could increase to 15 percent to 20 percent if the shutdown continues and air traffic controllers do not return to work.
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THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DENVER’S CULTURAL INDUSTRY
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Denver’s cultural industry, which includes museums, theaters, dance groups, orchestras and the zoo, is a major economic driver in the region. A report from the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts released last Thursday documented spending activity including rent, supplies, programs, events, capital projects, renovations, expansions and audience spending. The report was compiled from self-reporting by the 285 arts, culture and scientific organizations who are part of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson County.
- Economic activity from the cultural operations hit $3.12 billion last year
- That is up nearly 20 percent since 2022, when economic activity was $2.6 billion
- The economic impact of tourism for Denver’s arts world went up to $692 million, up from $654 million two years ago
- Employment is up to nearly 14,500 jobs, up by 6.8 percent from 2022
- Arts institutions across the Denver metro area received a total of $286 million in donations and grants in 2024
- That's up 34 percent from 2019, before the pandemic
- Gifts dropped by 2.6 percent since 2022
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TREASURE IN BOULDER, THE BOULDER THEATER, RETURNED TO ART DECO GLORY
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The Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, has been part of the city’s cultural story for nearly nine decades. Before it stood, the Curran Opera House, built in 1906, occupied the same site. By the mid-1930s, that wooden structure was replaced with a new “movie palace” designed by the Boller Brothers, a Kansas City firm renowned for its grand theaters across the country, according to Historic Boulder. When the Boulder Theater opened in 1936, it reflected the optimism of the era: sleek Art Deco design, geometric terracotta detailing and a neon-lit marquee that became an instant downtown landmark. The Boulder Theater is one of very few Art Deco "palaces" that have survived in the Rocky Mountain region. The theater was shuttered in the 1970s when single screen cinemas were overtaken by multiplex theaters. That is when board members of Historic Boulder bought the property and took over maintenance and, now restoration, of the exterior.
Over time, long-term water damage had caused the building’s exterior to crack, crumble and fade. By 2025, nearly half of the surface had been compromised. Historic Boulder undertook a $450,000 restoration project in April. Under the direction of project managers, Ruth McHeyser and Tom Thorpe, Summit Sealants were brought in. Summit Sealants is a specialty contractor known for repairing historic exteriors across the state. The project was completed in October, with crews repairing and sealing the façade to its original colors, reinforced the structural wall behind it, as well as repairing mortar joints and carefully preserving the original terracotta tiles.
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GJ CITY COUNCIL RESTORES FUNDING FOR THE ARTS TO 2026 BUDGET
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At the first public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget for the city of Grand Junction, members of the arts and culture community implored the Grand Junction City Council to restore full funding, a total of $70,000, for the arts to the 2026 budget. In an effort to reduce operating expenses to balance the 2026 budget, that funding was reduced to $40,000, which is what the city had budgeted each year prior to 2021. In urging the restoration to full funding for the arts, Porcia Silverberg, a member of the Commission on Arts and Culture, said that she understood the city's need to balance the budget, but “This is not a matter of choosing arts over essential services.” Ultimately the council voted unanimously to approve the first reading of the budget, including restoring the arts funding to $70,000.
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LEGACY RANCH ON THE FRYINGPAN RIVER GOES TO AUCTION, WITH NO MINIMUM
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The Porcupine Ranch, a 73.8-acre property on the Fryingpan River just five miles from Basalt, is going up for auction. The Nov. 15 auction will be an absolute, no reserve auction, meaning there is no mandated minimum. The Porcupine Ranch has 1,700 feet of frontage on the Fryingpan River, with a 5,739-square-foot main house with five bedrooms, a 1,040-square-foot fishing cabin and two barns. The property is divided into three separately deeded parcels, which does offer a unique opportunity for multi-generation living. Those separately deeded parcels also offer the opportunity for future development, as the owner will not have to go through the entitlement process to split up the parcels or subdivide, but any additional development would be restricted to the building code in Eagle County. Complete information on the auction and the property is available at porcupineranch.com.
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CDOT CLOSING GRAND VALLEY ROAD PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR, MORE COMING IN 2026
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The Colorado Dept. of Transportation is completing work on a few large road construction projects in the Grand Valley, including the reconstruction of a section of U.S. Hwy. 6 in Clifton and the reconstruction of the I-70 Business Loop south of Rood Avenue. Main Street is set to reopen following the tie-in work with East and West Main Street to I-70B. As always, CDOT officials note that work now in completing these projects is dependent on the weather. CDOT has plans for new projects to begin construction next year, including a new roundabout in Palisade at the intersection of Hwy. 6 and Elberta Avenue. The construction will include a new roundabout, converting the existing frontage roads to one-way streets and adding bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
CDOT is in the process of awarding a contract for this project and a start date will be determined when the contract is awarded. The project is expected to be completed in 2026. CDOT is also preparing for its next phase of the I-70B construction east of Third Street to Sixth Street. A major resurfacing project on Colorado Hwy. 340 between Redlands Parkway and I-70B is also planned for next year.
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BRECKENRIDGE OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER: MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MAKEOVER
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In the past few years, the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center has seen dramatic growth in the number of students it is serving and will serve more than 1,000 this year. The BOEC operates on a 39-acre campus, overlooking the Sawmill Reservoir in Breckenridge. The campus site is leased from the town of Breckenridge, and the lease is in effect for about 75 years. As a result of having outgrown the current facilities, the BOEC contracted with Stais Architecture & Interiors to revamp the 30-year-old site. Although there is not yet a confirmed estimate of the cost of renovating the facilities, it will be in the millions of dollars. The project will include creating 12 housing units for interns and around six workforce housing units for staff; replacing and expanding the ropes course; converting current intern housing to offices; renovating the Griffith Lodge; and reconfiguring the parking and entry area.
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FREE BREAKFAST FOR VETERANS
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In celebration of Veterans Day, Alpine Bank would like to say thank you for your service and your sacrifice with a free breakfast on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Let the participating restaurants below know you're a Veteran when you place your order. The offer is available until noon.
Participating restaurants:
Clifton
- Starvin' Arvin's, 3247 F Road
Grand Junction
- Dream Café, 314 Main Street
- Pufferbelly Restaurant, 337 South 1st Street
Fruita
- Starvin' Arvin's, 555 Raptor Road #3
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WHERE AMERICANS ARE LOOKING TO TRAVEL IN 2026
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Last month, travel search engine Skyscanner published its annual report of destinations around the world that are trending for 2026. To determine the ranking, Skyscanner looked at destinations with the biggest year-over-year increases in searches which shows exactly where travelers are most interested in heading to in the upcoming year. Skyscanner, in partnership with OnePoll, an international market research company, surveyed 22,000 travelers from June to July 2025. Skyscanner’s report found that U.S. travelers are looking to visit under-the-radar destinations. Interestingly, Vail was in the top 10.
Top trending destinations for U.S. travelers in 2026:
- Limón, Costa Rica
- Jaipur, India
- Bodrum, Türkiye
- Madeira, Portugal
- Vail, Colo.
- Zadar, Croatia
- Olbia, Italy
- New Haven, Conn.
- Bilbao, Spain
- Mykonos, Greece
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MARKET UPDATE - 11/07/2025 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 11/06/2025)
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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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