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Site selectors get a 'Mile High' welcome at conference
Familiarization tour brings nine consultants to Metro Denver
 The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Metro Denver EDC) and its economic development partners throughout the nine-county region rolled out the welcome mat for nine national site selectors during the Metro Denver Site Selection Conference August 25-27, 2010.
The three-day familiarization tour of Metro Denver is hosted annually to highlight new developments and emerging industries, and to provide updates on Colorado's business legislation and incentives.
The consultants began their Metro Denver experience at a Welcome Dinner at The Fort Restaurant in Morrison. The next morning, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Douglas County Commissioner Jill Repella greeted the attendees at an Economic Briefing Breakfast at Coors Field.
"You'll see during your visit that this is very much a group of cities and counties that collaborate and work together as a region," commented Hickenlooper.
Following a whirlwind helicopter tour with stops at some of the region's leading companies (see next article), the site consultants dined with Governor Ritter and area business leaders at the Hamilton Wing of the world-famous Denver Art Museum.
Ritter highlighted his administration's work to expand Colorado's competitiveness for new jobs through the adoption of single factor tax apportionment, tax credits for companies creating 20 or more jobs, and legislation to increase Colorado's business personal property tax exemption to $7,000 over five years.
Learn More:
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Photo gallery of events - Flickr
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Denver flaunts its charms for visiting business site pickers
- Denver Business Journal
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Positioning Metro Denver for the upturn
- Clark's Cone of Silence Blog
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Site consultants blinded by science
Company tours spotlight industry innovation in region
The nine site consultants attending the Metro Denver Site Selection Conference experienced firsthand the innovation and highly educated labor force at work in Metro Denver. Four companies opened their doors for tours:
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 The
Comcast Media Center in Centennial provides state-of-the-art technology from SD and HD studios, post production and audio post suites, to global transmission via satellite and terrestrial fiber optics, network origination, linear distribution, video on demand, and ad distribution capabilities.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - seeing the set where the MDA telethon is filmed
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Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
in Boulder has a 50-year history as a leading supplier for advanced aerospace technology, software, and hardware. The Boulder campus facilities comprise all of the resources required for the design, development, and production of state-of-the-art satellites, cryogenic devices, and electro-optic instruments for commercial, military, and space applications.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - seeing the $1.5 billion NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft
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Vestas, the world leader in producing high-tech wind power systems, placed its North American manufacturing operations in Colorado. Its four facilities in the state include a blade factory in Windsor, a nacelle factory and a second blade factory in Brighton, and the world's largest tower factory in Pueblo.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - walking in a field of bus-sized nacelles
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The Fitzsimons Life Science District,
located in Aurora, is the center of Colorado's bioscience community. Combined with the adjacent Anschutz Medical Campus, it creates a 578-acre site dedicated to bioscience, healthcare, medical education, and advanced research, making it one of the largest development of its kind in the country.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - flying over the massive development via helicopter
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Panel discussion touches on Metro Denver's top selling points
Over 400 business leaders attend sold-out breakfast event
 In the final event of the Metro Denver Site Selection Conference, site selectors participated in a panel discussion about site selection trends, Making the Cut: Factors Driving Today's Site Selection Decisions.
Moderated by Josh Gould, chairman and CEO of RNL and co-chair of the Metro Denver EDC's Board of Governors, the guests spoke about Metro Denver's position nationally and internationally regarding company relocations and expansions.
When asked about Metro Denver's rank in global competitiveness, the site selectors overwhelmingly agreed the region's labor force is second to none.
"The smart and educated workforce here is outstanding, and you have a great work ethic. You work hard and play hard. I was always under the assumption you guys worked just enough to get to the weekend. My view has completely changed," said Jeffrey Pappas, executive vice president and partner of Arledge Partners Real Estate Group, Dallas.
"I've not seen a region work together as well as you," stated Spiros Antoniadis, senior managing director at Corporate Properties, New York, NY.
"The sheer presence of over 400 members of the business community speaks volumes to your dedication to economic development in the region," added Tracey Bosman, director of strategic consulting at Grubb and Ellis, Chicago.
Denver International Airport Aviation Manager Kim Day updated the audience on the South Terminal Redevelopment Program
by world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, which includes the construction of a train station connecting the airport to downtown Denver, a signature rail bridge, and a planned 500-room hotel. Phase I of the project will cost $650 million, will create more than 6,600 jobs, and is scheduled for completion in 2016.
"What's happening at DIA is simply amazing," said Michael Bennett, Senior Associate with Jones Lang LaSalle, Chicago.
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