Colorado remains one of the top 10 states adapting to the "new economy," but it has slipped several notches. Over the past five years, Colorado has fallen from third to ninth in information technology and innovation foundation based on global economic activity. Lack of support for higher-education funding is blamed.
Two Front Range cities are ranked among the top 10 fittest cities in the U.S. by Men's Fitness magazine. Colorado Springs came in third and Denver was sixth. Albuquerque and Seattle were first and second while the "fattest" cities were Las Vegas, San Antonio and Miami.
Denver International Airport regained its status as fifth busiest U.S. airport and is now ranked third fastest-growing, behind Beijing and Jakarta. The arrival of Southwest Airlines and new routes added by Frontier and United helped DIA record 47.3 million passengers in 2006, a 9.1 percent increase over 2005.
Prevention magazine named Madison, Wisconsin the “Most Walkable” city in the nation, but Colorado has three cities in the top 30: Colorado Springs, 13th, Denver, 22nd, and Aurora, 27th, all made the list. Factors included air quality, park access, weather, and crime rates.
Metro Denver employment increased by 6,600 during the two final months of 2006, pushing the annual gain to 1.8 percent compared to 1.4 percent nationally. Metro Denver finished 2006 with 1,396,600 total jobs. Ten of the 11 major industry groups reported employment increases the Information/Telecommunications sector was the only loser, down 2.1 percent for the year.
Colorado's exports last year grew at their fastest rate in at least a decade, hitting an all-time high of $8 billion amid a marked increase in semi-conductor shipments and a surge in sales to China and Taiwan.
Weather-related price declines for Denver real estate are now evident with average single-family home prices 3.1 percent below a year ago and average condo prices down 11.4 percent, but increased unit sales have helped push inventory down.
The 2007 Parade of Homes will be held July 28 through Labor Day at Southshore just east of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road in Aurora.
After just a month of bucking industry trends by opening its malls at 8 a.m. on Saturdays, the owner of Park Meadows and Southwest Plaza malls is returning to a later start, and the free shuttle service connecting Park Meadows to the light rail station at County Line Road will be reduced to weekend service only.
International Speedway Corp. is looking at two 1,300-acre sites in metro Denver for a racetrack that would seat about 75,000. Annual impact for metro Denver is estimated at $150 million. The $400 million project faces significant public opposition, but could land in Commerce City or Aurora.
Source: Mile High Market Watch.
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