Chamber President Economic Development Presentation

Kevin Hougen President/CEO of the Aurora Chamber will give an in depth presentation of the Economic Development projection in the Eastern Metro Area.

Key Economic Clusters that will be discussed:

AEROSPACE           

• Buckley AFB is only 1/3 built out
• Working to make this the Cyber Security Base in the US
• Working to bring new F-35 to replace the aging F-16
• $26M – Acquired 12 parcels of land (1,030 acres) around Buckley AFB to protect the base from encroachment and for future expansion.  Funds received from: Federal - Readiness & Environmental Protection Integration (REPI), State - Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), Arapahoe County, and City of Aurora.  Potential exists for up to $44M total.   
• 6^th Avenue Expansion (North of BAFB) - $10M expansion/extension to E-470.  Investments from CDOT, Arapahoe County, and City of Aurora, and E-470 ($4M loan).  Opens up east side of E-470 for major housing and commercial development.

• Denver International Airport “master plan” to triple the $5 Billion airport from its current size – 33% increase in gates ($1.5B) and Grand Hall/TSA area will be totally transformed ($1.5B)
• Centennial Airport - #1 busiest general aviation airport.  $1.39B in annual economic impact – 6,000 businesses responsible for 27% of State’s economy.  320,000 annual operations - 800 per/day.
• Front Range Airport, finalizing process to become a “Space Port”.  $7.5 in economic impact 

• $300M Bond Election - Aurora Public Schools
• $250M Bond Election - Cherry Creek Public Schools
• Over $500 million in the past 10 years on capital building projects in both school districts)
• CSU Global - $15M operations center being built near Buckley – partnership with Aurora Public Schools

• Oil and Gas - statewide economic impact is $31.7B.  Over 102,000 employees.  Growth potential high in Arapahoe County

• New VA Hospital opening this year 2018 - $1.6B
• $6.9B – economic impact of Anschutz campus
• Fitzsimmons golf course closed in Dec 2017 – 160 acre campus with 900 housing units, retail/commercial

• Prosper Development building 9,000 new homes over 20 years at I-70 & Airport Road, east
• GOCO and Arapahoe County $6 million in 2016 for open space/trail development & purchase
• Planning Aurora Highlands featuring 20K homes, 10M sf office/retail, 170K jobs

• Gaylord Hotel, 1,501 rooms, 485,000 sq ft of conference center est. $800 M
• Additional 6-8 limited service hotels planning expansion next to the Gaylord est. $180 M
• Hyatt Hotel and Convention Center & garage, across from Anschutz/Fitzsimons - $30 M

• Aurora (R-Line) opened in 2017.  8 stops and potential Transit Oriented Development (TOD) locations
• $84M E-470  widening project (Parker Rd to Quincy Ave) w/additional lane and bike/pedestrian trails completed 2017
• Amazon opened 2^nd distribution center in Aurora.  Amazon 1 – small pkg. delivery, 400,000 sq. ft. and 475 employees.  Amazon 2 – large item delivery, over 1M sq. ft. and 1,000 employees.   Aurora being considered for Amazon HQ.