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Colorado - Thu. 05/28/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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AFTER ALMOST 20 YEARS A BIKE PARKING HUB FOR DOWNTOWN DENVER
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In 2007, Continuum Partners, working with local leaders and businesses, produced a master plan for Denver Union Station. That plan envisioned a bicycle parking hub to give cyclists a secure place to keep their bikes. It took 19 years, but the city of Denver and Downtown Denver Partnership had a groundbreaking for that bicycle parking hub in the Plaza of the Americas 1550 Wewatta Street. The Denver Union Station Metropolitan District No. 1 committed $2.8 million to complete the project. The Downtown Denver Partnership conducted a Downtown Denver Bike Parking Study in 2023 using a grant from the Colorado Dept. of Transportation Office of Innovative Mobility which showed that while many office workers had availability of secure bicycle parking at the job location, hospitality and service workers could not. Union Station has already reserved 25 of the 75 spaces in the future bike storage facility.
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REAL ESTATE BOOM IN RESORT TOWNS SLOWING, BUT NOT PRICES
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Real estate sales in Colorado’s Western Slope resort towns had boom years in 2022 and 2023 following the rebound from the COVID years. From 2016 to 2020, home prices in the five Colorado resort counties were increasing around 5 percent to 10 percent a year. From 2020 through 2025, the median price for a home in Eagle County increased 111 percent. It climbed 98 percent in Routt and 80 percent in Pitkin. Prices are up 71 percent in San Miguel and Summit counties in that six-year span. Real estate sales began leveling off in 2024 and that continues. However, prices are not falling after more than doubling two years after the pandemic.
Although sales volume is down, dollar volume remains high as the sales lately have been driven by high-end properties. Although more houses are coming on the market in Eagle County, the number of new listings is down sharply in Pitkin, Routt, San Miguel and Summit counties. Across the state, outside of the Denver metro area, the number of new properties hitting the market is largely flat compared with 2025.
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TRIPLE CREEK RANCH IN SILVERTHORNE FOR SALE FOR $24.5 MILLION
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Triple Creek Ranch, a more than 250-acre property near Silverthorne, long owned by philanthropic power couple Sharon Magness Blake and Ernie Blake, has been listed for $24.5 million. Although it is a beautiful mountain property and equestrian center, it is also a piece of Denver Bronco history. Triple Creek Ranch is one of the homes of Thunder, the iconic Arabian horses that gallop the sidelines after Bronco touchdowns. Thunder 1 and Thunder 2 both spent some time at the ranch and Thunder 3 lived there for five years. The property consists of two lodges, Thunder and Elk, each offering six bedrooms, six bathrooms, chef-equipped kitchens, wood-burning fireplaces, and modern mountain-inspired interiors.
Thunder Lodge spans 7,248 square feet, while Elk Lodge measures 6,278 square feet. Both were built from refurbished logs reclaimed from old cabins in eastern Colorado and recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation. Overlooking three trout ponds, open meadows and surrounding mountain views, the lodges offer frequent wildlife sightings and are conveniently located within walking distance of one another. The ranch features extensive equestrian amenities, including a 12,800-square-foot enclosed and heated riding arena, a 10-stall horse barn with automatic drinkers, and miles of riding trails throughout the property. Thunder Lodge includes two private horse stalls equipped with turnouts and automatic drinkers.
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WILL COLORADO RECEIVE STRONG MONSOON SEASON? SUPER EL NIÑO?
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The National Weather National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center updated its Three-Month Outlooks Official Forecasts June-July-August on May 21 and it does give the possibility of more moisture for the Western Slope.
Here is the three-month outlook:
- Above average: Far Western Slope, along Colorado-Utah border
- Leaning above average: Mountains, Front Range, I-25 corridor and into the Eastern Plains
- Equal chances: Far Eastern Plains
- All of Colorado is leaning towards above average temperature June through August.
In terms of the chances for El Niño, and Super El Niño: The percentages of El Niño and a super El Niño forming this year have continually been increasing.
According to the Climate Prediction Center, here are those percentages as of May 14:
- 82 percent chance of El Niño emerging May through July.
- 96 percent chance of El Niño conditions December through February of 2027.
- 37 percent chance of super El Niño conditions November through January.
Super El Niño conditions are rare, but the winters it did occur in Colorado, 1982-83, 1997-98 and 2015-16, all but 2015-16 had more than 100 percent of normal snowfall, with snowfall in 2015-16 reaching 93 percent of normal.
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CU STUDY: GRADUATES OF CU EARN HIGHER INCOMES THAN MEDIAN FOR STATE
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Chad Marturano, the chief financial officer for the University of Colorado System, and his research team analyzed data from alumni who graduated from the University of Colorado between 1990 and 2024, which showed their median income is 36 percent higher than the median individual income in Colorado. The alumni median income was 57 percent higher than the individual median income in the U.S. A CU graduate’s median household income is 71 percent higher than that of the rest of the nation and 32 percent higher than the median household income in Colorado. The median personal income of a CU graduate since 1990 is $110,570.
Median annual earnings increase with age. Early career professionals, younger than 28, have a median income of $69,123. Late-career alumni, 46 and up, have a median income of $130,327. Among the highest earners are those with degrees in engineering, computer science, math and business. Between 1990 and 2025, CU awarded more than 516,000 degrees to 419,000 individual alumni. More than half of those degrees, 56, were awarded by CU Boulder. Of all alumni who graduated between 1990 and 2024, 54 percent still live in Colorado. Most students who were from Colorado, 74 percent, stayed in Colorado after graduation, and 27 percent of out-of-state alumni stayed. About 86 percent of in-state students who earn a bachelor’s degree from CU stay in Colorado.
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GRAND JUNCTION AIRPORT GETS $5 MILLION FOR AIR-TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER
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The Grand Junction Regional Airport recently received $67 million in federal funding for its runway improvement project. Also, this month, the airport received $5 million as part of the $86 million allocated by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2026 from its FAA Contract Tower program, which helps fund air-traffic buildings owned by airports and staffed by federal contractors, rather than government employees. Grand Junction’s air-traffic control center, built in 1961, is one such tower. While the amount does not seem that great, Grand Junction Regional Airport CEO Angela Padalecki said the funding would make a major difference. As she notes, GJT has a net operating income of about $2.5 million a year, "so to have an influx of $5 million to address some critical needs … that otherwise, the airport would be responsible for covering, that’s a big deal.”
With no matching funds required from the airport, Grand Junction’s award represents the largest allocation announced through the program in 2026, other than those committed to brand-new tower construction. It’s also the only project receiving the cash this year in Colorado, adding to $1.3 million announced for the local airport in 2025, which partially funded a soon-to-finish first phase of renovations that included roof repairs, new handrails and HVAC upgrades for the building’s cab. The newly announced round of funding will pay for more extensive roof and window replacements, as well as HVAC upgrades in the rest of the building, which has four floors.
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COLORADO RIVER DISTRICT TO MEET WITH EAGLE WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT
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Colorado River District General Manager Andy Mueller was in Vail earlier this month as he continued the district’s State of the River tour and expressed concern over several issues including the future of the Colorado River Compact and what would happen; the efforts to purchase and secure the historic Shoshone Hydropower water rights; and even urged the locals in Eagle County to move to a one-day-per-week water scheduling. Mueller returns to Eagle County today, Thursday May 28, for a joint meeting of the Colorado River District and the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District.
Because the Bureau of Reclamation released $40 million to the river district for the Shoshone water rights purchase, Mueller’s update will have a positive point, but even with the funding now available, there still will likely be a court battle. His update on the ongoing discussions of the seven states and the federal government over new operating guidelines for Lake Powell and Lake Mead will not be as positive, with no clear solution in sight. In terms of his push for one-day-per-week water scheduling in Eagle County, the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District board will consider increasing the fines for those who violate water conservation rules. Currently, Eagle County has a two-day-per week water schedule. The joint meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the ERWSD administrative offices in Vail.
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REFERENDUM COMING: ALBERTA WILL VOTE WHETHER TO REMAIN PART OF CANADA
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For several decades, residents in western Canada, British Columbia and Alberta, have felt they are overlooked and underrepresented by federal politicians in Canada’s capital Ottawa. The so-called “western alienation” has now grown to the point where last week Alberta’s premier, Danielle Smith, announced there will be an election in Alberta asking voters whether they want to remain in Canada or begin the process to hold a binding referendum to separate from Canada. The provincial referendum has been scheduled for Oct. 19. The election comes following a year-long effort by separatists to marshal support to separate from Canada, which concluded with a petition effort that garnered 300,000 signatures for an independence referendum.
However, a judge ruled that in organizing the citizen petition group failed to consult indigenous First Nations whose land would be affected should the province become an independent state. The independence petition also mobilized an anti-separationist petition movement launched by Forever Canadian. That petition garnered 400,000 signatures. The population of Alberta Province is slightly more than five million. Smith said she was “deeply troubled” by the judge’s decision and her government appealed the decision. In addition, she decided to move ahead with the referendum rather than “kicking the can down the road…” The most recent polls indicate the majority of Albertans would vote to remain in Canada.
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NTTO FORECAST INDICATES INCREASE IN INTERNATIONAL VISITATION
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Despite a falloff in international visitation to the United States last year and continuing into the first months of 2026, the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) is now forecasting year-over-year increases in international visitation this year and continuing through 2030. In its “Forecast of Total International Visitation to the United States (2026-2030)” NTTO states total international visitation to the U.S. is expected to grow by 25 percent from 68.3 million visitors in 2025 to 85.2 million visitors in 2030. According to the forecast, total international arrivals will increase 3.2 percent to 70.5 million in 2026.
This anticipated growth is partly driven by the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is expected to stimulate travel demand and increase visitor arrivals. International travel to the U.S. is projected to continue to rise 5.2 percent to 74.1 million in 2027 and grow 6.1 percent to 78.7 million in 2028. NTTO forecasts that international visitation to the United States will reach an all-time high of 82.3 million in 2029 before rising further to 85.2 million in 2030. The complete report is available at the link below.
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TOP PAID ATHLETES IN THE WORLD 2026
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The top ten highest-paid athletes in the world in 2026 received a combined $1.4 billion in salary, endorsements and other business ventures. The total represents a slight increase from 2025 and is more than double the $635 million of 2016. Each of this year’s top ten also posted at least $100 million for the third year in a row. The top ten highest paid in 2026, with on-field and off-field earnings:
- Cristiano Ronald, Portugal: $300 million; soccer; on-field: $235 million; off-field: $65 million
- Canelo Álvarez, Mexico: $170 million; boxing; on-field: $160 million; off-field: $10 million
- Lionel Messi, Argentina: 140 million; soccer; on-field: $70 million; off-field: $70 million
- LeBron James, USA: $137.8 million; basketball; on-field: $52.8 million; off-field: $85 million
- Shohei Ohtani, Japan: $127.6 million; baseball; on-field: $2.6 million; off-field: $125 million
- Stephen Curry, USA: $124.7 million; basketball; on-field: $59.7 million; off-field: $65 million
- Jon Rahm, Spain: 107 million; golf; on-field: $97 million; off-field: $10 million
- Karim Benzema, France: $104 million; soccer; on-field: $100 million; off-field: $4 million
- Kevin Durant, USA: $103.8 million; basketball; on-field: $54.8 million; off-field: 49 million
- Lewis Hamilton, U.K.: $100 million; auto racing; on-field: $70 million; off-field: $30 million
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MARKET UPDATE - 05/27/2026 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 05/21/2026)
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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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