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Metro State Unveils ‘Cannabis Hospitality’ Program

A new certificate program at Metropolitan State University of Denver aims to serve as a catalyst in reviving the state’s reputation as the “Silicon Valley of Cannabis.”

READ: Weathering the Storm — How the Colorado Cannabis Industry Can Thrive Amidst Market Disruption

MSU Denver will be the first higher-education institution in the nation to offer students a comprehensive view of cannabis hospitality, with an emphasis on the supply chain, said Shannon Donnelly, an affiliate professor in the University’s School of Hospitality and a former cannabis regulator for the City of Denver.

Students in the program will study a wide range of topics that will focus on the responsible sale and consumption of cannabis in dispensaries and in food preparation, she said.

“This represents a significant leap forward in formalized cannabis education,” said Donnelly, who developed MSU Denver’s cannabis curriculum. “We’re defining cannabis in hospitality.”

The University will offer an entry-level Cannabis Hospitality Specialist certificate and a more advanced Cannabis Hospitality Manager certificate. Both certificates will be offered to degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students, with classes to begin this fall.

“We want to equip those working in the industry with the knowledge and skills to create an elevated experience, centered on high-quality, responsible customer service that can only truly be perfected through the hospitality lens,” said Donnelly. “If we’re going to create spaces that are safe enough for users of all levels to consume, we need to understand the entire supply chain.”

Along with the certificates, MSU Denver is forming state and international advisory boards that will provide recommendations to the University and collaborate on joint initiatives. The state board will aim to enhance student opportunities, develop curricula, promote social equity in the industry, foster research collaboration and identify financial resources.

READ: Cannabis Cares Program Aims to Provide Relief to Coloradans with Physical Disabilities

The international board, meanwhile, will aim to contribute to the global standardization of cannabis education, explore international job-placement opportunities, promote student-exchange programs and provide insights on global drug-law reforms.

“It’s encouraging to see MSU Denver hoping to optimize new methods of consumption that allow people to interact with each other in hospitality settings, while keeping safety and responsibility in mind,” said MSU Denver graduate Albert Gutierrez, owner and president of the cannabis company Bud & Mary’s and a member of the state advisory board.

Gutierrez emphasized the importance of the leadership and management courses that will meet a significant need in the industry. “We need people who know how to navigate relationships, since so many regulatory departments have to visit facilities to ensure compliance,” he said. “Sometimes, that professionalism is missing in this industry.”

Exploring the Riches of Colorado’s Wine Country: A Journey Through Vineyards and Vintages

Perched above the Colorado River, surrounded by Palisade’s prized peach orchards, you’ll discover Restoration Vineyards, where co-owners Linda and Gary Brauns grow six varieties of grapes across 10 acres opening to stellar views of the Book Cliffs. Nestled in the vines there’s a winery, tasting room and expansive lawn — the perfect place to watch the sunset while sipping Sauvignon Blanc, or maybe a glass of Barbera, their flagship red.

It’s not Napa, but that’s a plus for tourists demanding a novel wine-tasting experience. Colorado’s arid landscape offers an incredible setting for wine lovers, says Kevin Webber, CEO of Carboy Winery, Colorado’s largest sparkling facility.

Attesting to the area’s natural beauty, USA Today named Carboy’s Palisade tasting room (one of four the company runs statewide) the sixth-best wine-tasting room in the country in 2023.

Beyond the landscape, a uniquely Colorado experience enhances local vino. Many area wineries, Restoration and Carboy included, incorporate all elements of winemaking into the customer experience, from growing and harvesting to processing, aging, production — and tasting, of course. “We include hands-on learning as much as possible,” adds Linda Brauns.

Technically, craft beer has never been the state’s only local pour. Colorado’s wine-production industry dates back to 1890, when former Colorado Governor George A. Crawford planted 60 acres of wine grapes near Palisade. The industry didn’t really take off, though, until the following century, with legislation in 1977 and 1990 permitting small farm wineries and establishing the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, respectively.

READ: A Colorado State of Wine

John Garlich and Ulla Merz, co-owners of Bookcliff Farms, came to the scene in 1996 and have seen the development of Colorado’s wine industry firsthand. From a handful of wineries in the 1990s, the industry has grown to include more than 170 licensed wineries, including 25 cideries and 16 meaderies, plus a sake producer, according to the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, which is housed under the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

Last year, Garlich and Merz sold the winemaking portion of their business, Bookcli Vineyards, with tasting rooms in Palisade and Boulder, but they’ve continued farming on the Western Slope.

“In the beginning, enthusiasm carried us,” Merz says, thinking back to the 1990s, recalling a tight-knit group of dentists, geologists and engineers (like Garlich) who’d been pulled to the region by a common passion. “We’ve since attracted business-oriented professionals and trained winemakers,” Merz adds.

Fresh blood led to an increase in quality. Wine Enthusiast recently reviewed 21 Colorado wines that received an average score of 88.2. Seven wines received 90 points or higher, including BookCli Vineyards’ 2019 Reserve Merlot (91 points) and Carboy Winery’s 2019 Malbec (90 points). Winery at Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City raked in several 90-plus scores. “We’ve made huge strides in classic wines,” says Merz, noting, “The industry here is very receptive to innovation.”

Maybe it’s the trifecta of passion, quality and innovation that explains how Colorado has managed to climb the ranks as a top wine destination. Hu Post listed the Grand Valley as a top U.S. wine destination; the inflight magazine Hemispheres dubbed Palisade a wine region to watch; Wine Enthusiast named The Infinite Monkey Theorem one of the best urban wineries in the U.S.; and Forbes noted the economic growth the wine industry has brought to Colorado.

Colorado grapes hold their own secrets.

It’s the combination of climate, soil and the environment that makes any wine special, explains Horst Caspari, state viticulturist and professor at CSU’s Western Colorado Research Center. “The place a wine is from has a certain expression that can’t be copied anywhere else,” Horst says.

In Colorado, a drier, mild-temperature climate paves the way for one-of-a-kind grapes.

“It’s a misconception that Colorado is a cold-climate grape-growing region,” Jayme Henderson says. She and her husband Steve Steese co-own The Storm Cellar, a boutique winery in Hotchkiss. (In case you’re curious, Henderson clarifies, “The challenges our region experiences surround our compact grape-growing season. We struggle, at times, to get our grapes ripe in time.”)

Mountainous terrain, Henderson continues, channels wind to deliver a warming effect. Local grapes also benefit from drastic diurnal temperature swings that preserve acidity within the grapes, leading to flavorful wines that are crisp and refreshing.

Speaking of acidity, Colorado’s soils are generally more alkaline than the acidic soils of California. Local Merlots might taste like Bordeaux, and Colorado Syrahs can seem closer to Rhône Valley reds than Australian Shiraz. Suffice to say, Centennial State wines taste uniquely Colorado.

Local grape growing regions range in elevation from 4,000 to 7,000 feet, making them the highest in the northern hemisphere.

In addition to elevation, Colorado has sunshine — plenty of it. “The region’s UV intensity produces smaller berries with thicker skins,” Steese says, adding, “The growing season is short, but intense.”

“The trend we are seeing on the growing side is more traditional, cold hearty cultivars that tend to be a crossover of European cultivars,” Horst adds.

Colorado’s nascent wine industry is having a modest yet meaningful economic impact.

According to a 2017 national study conducted by WineAmerica, Colorado’s wine industry contributes more than $300 million to the state’s economy, with the impacts of wine tourism activities on the Front Range and the Western Slope accounting for more than half of the total economic impact.

In 2021, the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board published its own economic impact study, finding that tourism accounts for 25 percent of the wine industry’s economic impact. The same 2021 study showed Colorado’s wine industry contributed less to the state’s overall economy, just $162 million. That last figure seems low to Kyle Schlachter, executive director for the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board.

“Despite the differences in numbers, tourism is an important part of our industry,” he says. The industry has sustained an average annual growth rate of well beyond 10 percent over the last two decades, the WineAmerica study showed.

Wine tourism really took off in Colorado during the pandemic, particularly during lockdowns. “People couldn’t travel and were looking for unique experiences,” Garlich recalls. Webber, too, has noticed “a huge uptick in visitors in Palisade and the Grand Junction area.”

Where should I go to sample Colorado wine?

If you haven’t visited the Western Slope in a while, now’s the time.

“In Colorado, we have two federally designated AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), the Grand Valley and the West Elks,” Schlachter explains. From Palisade to Grand Junction, Grand Valley vineyards make up roughly 85 percent of Colorado’s share. Meanwhile, the West Elks, found along the North Fork of the Gunnison River between Paonia and Hotchkiss, add another 10 percent.

“Everyone says the West Elks is a hidden gem. Um, no, we’re just a gem,” Steese says.

Wine grapes have also taken root in Montezuma, Fremont, Boulder, Larimer, Delta and Montrose counties. Local wineries offer seated tastings, wine-paired dinners, wine trails and live summer concerts. But if you’re looking to broaden your reach, consider one of several large festivals, which have been major drivers of Colorado wine tourism.

Recognized by USA Today as the Best Wine Festival in the U.S., Colorado Mountain Winefest is the big shebang, taking place in Palisade over the third weekend of September. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21, and is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the region.

But first, kick things off at Barrel into Spring — April 19 to 20 and May 10 to 11 — a Grand Valley tradition featuring self-guided tours or seven wineries plus barrel tastings and food pairings. Also in May, the Brauns family collaborates with several Palisade wineries to deliver Sip into Spring, a late-spring festival on Saturday, May 4.

Closer to Denver, Carboy Winery offers Rosé La La La on Friday, June 7, a celebration of Colorado rosé wines. The main event in Hotchkiss is North Fork Uncorked, scheduled for the first weekend in June, when wineries and cideries kick off their spring releases.

The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board hosts its annual Colorado Governor’s Cup Competition, bringing in world-renowned wine experts to evaluate a variety of Colorado wines, some of which will be showcased at a signature November tasting event, Colorado UnCOrked.

The Colorado wine industry might be relatively small compared to other wine-producing regions, but it’s poised to become an increasingly important part of the state’s economy and tourism industry. “Our business is primarily direct-to-consumer,” Linda Brauns says. One of the best ways to support local wine, then, is to visit a farm or vineyard.

We’ll raise a glass to that.

When Voters Say ‘No’ to New Stadiums, What Do Professional Sports Teams Do Next?

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Like a loss in the playoffs, voter rejection of a stadium tax plan will force the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs to reevaluate their approach.

The defeat Tuesday of a three-eighths cent sales tax to fund a new downtown Royals ballpark and renovate the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium was almost assuredly not the end of the matter. Other teams and cities have faced similar setbacks, and that hasn’t slowed a wave of stadium construction underway across the U.S.

READ: Is the Future of Luxury Sports Suites Less… Luxury? Or Just More Practical?

“The next page in the playbook, if they lose this referendum, would be to threaten to move,” said Brad Humphreys, an economics professor at West Virginia University, who researches sports stadiums.

But that doesn’t mean relocation is imminent, or even likely.

Moving to a new stadium within the same region or another state is just one of several options. Teams could tweak their plans and ask voters again. They could build or renovate stadiums without public funds. Or they could avoid a referendum by seeking approval for public subsidies directly from a legislative body such as a city council, county commission or state legislature.

“Usually, team owners just find a new way to get money, and they’ll go the legislative route,” said Geoffrey Propheter, an associate public finance professor at the University of Colorado Denver. “Rarely do team owners just straight up leave.”

DECADES OF DECISIONS

From 1990 through 2023, voters cast ballots on 57 stadium and arena proposals across the country, approving 35 and rejecting 22, according to data compiled by Propheter.

In December, Oklahoma City voters overwhelmingly approved a 1% sales tax for six years to help fund a new downtown arena for the NBA’s Thunder that is expected to cost at least $900 million.

But last May, voters in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe rejected a proposal for a $2.3 billion entertainment district that would have included a new arena for the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. The defeat marked the latest seatback for the hockey team, which underwent a 2009 bankruptcy and is currently playing in a 5,000-seat arena shared with Arizona State University.

The Coyotes haven’t given up on the Phoenix area yet. The team is looking into bidding on a 95-acre tract in north Phoenix.

READ: Live from Colorado — The Future of Sports Betting

NO REFERENDUM NEEDED

Public subsidies for stadiums and arenas often get approved by elected officials without going on the ballot.

Last year, the Nashville City Council approved $760 million in local bonds to go along with $500 million in state bonds — all to help finance a new $2.1 billion football stadium for the Tennessee Titans. There was no public referendum.

Construction also began last year on a new football stadium for the Buffalo Bills that is projected to cost more than $1.6 billion. A total of $850 million is coming from New York and Erie County, with no public referendum.

The proposal from the Royals and Chiefs went to voters because the Missouri Constitution requires a public vote on local taxes. Only voters in Jackson County got a say, because the proposed tax applied only to sales in that county.

Voter approval might not be necessary if the teams can finance their stadiums without a tax. One option is privately financed bonds, but those would still need a funding stream for repayments, said Brent Never, associate public affairs professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Clouds gather over Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game in Kansas City in 2017. (AP File Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MAKING AN END RUN

After losing elections, some teams subsequently sidestep voters to get new stadiums.

In 1997, voters in 11 southwestern Pennsylvania counties rejected a proposed half-cent sales tax to replace a stadium shared by the MLB’s Pirates and NFL’s Steelers with two separate facilities and to fund a convention center expansion. But the next year, a regional development district approved public financing for the new facilities without going back to voters.

Similar scenarios played out elsewhere in the mid-1990s. When voters in King County, Washington, rejected a tax plan for a Seattle Mariners ballpark, owners threatened to put the team up for sale. Within a month, state lawmakers authorized a new financing plan for a new baseball stadium.

After Wisconsin voters rejected a sports lottery for a new Milwaukee Brewers ballpark, the state legislature authorized a regional sales tax to help pay for it. Last year, Wisconsin’s governor signed a law authorizing an additional $500 million of public aid for stadium renovations, again without a voter referendum.

TRYING AGAIN

Teams sometimes bounce back from a stadium election loss to achieve victory with voters.

After Houston voters defeated a new downtown arena for the NBA’s Rockets in 1999, supporters tried again the next year and easily won.

The San Francisco Giants are perhaps the greatest example of electoral persistence.

Voters said “no” to new stadium plans twice in San Francisco, once in Santa Clara County and once in San Jose, before the Giants put forth a privately financed stadium that finally received voter approval for a needed San Francisco zoning change in 1996.

MOVING OUT

The Oakland A’s received MLB approval last year to relocate to Las Vegas, following the path of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders who were similarly lured by a new publicly subsidized stadium. But those deals didn’t involve public votes.

The NFL’s Chargers are the most recent team to move following voter rejection of a stadium referendum. San Diego voters in 2016 defeated a plan to raise hotel taxes for a new football stadium and to expand a convention center. The Chargers then moved to a new privately financed stadium in Los Angeles, sharing it with the Rams, who relocated from St. Louis.

The NBA’s Charlotte Hornets moved to New Orleans in 2002 — later rebranding as the Pelicans — after voters defeated a sweeping plan to fund a new basketball arena, minor league baseball stadium, museums and cultural centers.

But just six months after the team left, the Charlotte City Council approved a plan for a new downtown arena without submitting it to voters. The NBA then awarded Charlotte an expansion team, which later assumed the Hornets name.

Colorado Gold Guide: Top 7 Upscale Public Golf Courses

Here are seven of the state’s most upscale public-access golf courses for those who need a country club just for a day. By 2025, Rodeo Dunes, a project by the developers of Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley, could join the list.

In the meantime, expect outstanding course conditions, nifty golf apps and first-class service at all of these and an elevated food and beverage experience where noted.

READ: How Colorado’s Golf Heroes are Tackling Staffing Shortages, Inflation and Record Traffic to Keep Courses Lush and Green

Arrowhead Golf Club

To soak in the indigenous landscape of Colorado, music lovers go to a Red Rocks concert and golfers head south to Littleton to play Arrowhead. It’s indescribably breathtaking and we the public are lucky to have access to such a beautiful, wild-feeling yet well-maintained golf course. If you’re hosting out-of-town guests in the Denver area, this is your place. Takes reservations up to 30 days in advance at arrowheadcolorado.com.

The Golf Club at Bear Dance

The Colorado PGA section’s home course has a reputation for both its splendor and its difficulty, and the client who is an excellent golfer will want to play here. In Larkspur, it’s a bit of a ride south from Denver, and at 6,800 feet, it’s worth the wait until summer for the Pikes Peak views. The large practice facility and cozy restaurant offer lots of accessory talk time. Takes reservations up to 90 days in advance at beardancegolf.com.

CommonGround Golf Course

The home course of the CGA, in Aurora just over the line from Denver, has a lot going for it. With an acclaimed design by Tom Doak overseen by award-winning superintendent Mitch Savage and a renovated clubhouse opening this spring, the course stands strong as the only walker-friendly layout on this list. And the big plus for business golfers: CommonGround’s free caddie program of middle and high school students creates a wonderful mentoring opportunity for them and a possible source of future interns and employees for you. Takes reservations as far out as 90 days at commongroundgc.com.

Fossil Trace Golf Club

It’s the northern equivalent of Arrowhead, in Golden, with easy access to both Boulder and Denver. But here, beyond lovely views of Table Mountain, there’s a more explicit history, of dinosaurs, no less, and an actual outdoor fossil museum that’s worth a pause after playing the 12th hole. The Jim Engh design is fun for all levels, and Footprints might be the best golf course restaurant in the state. Would love to research that further. Come the first of March, advance tee times will open for the season at fossiltrace.com.

Green Valley Ranch Golf Club

Here’s a unique idea for business travelers with conventions and meetings in Denver. Meet up at Denver International Airport and head for Green Valley Ranch for four blissful hours of golf before you get to the city or, after your hectic business time, reverse the process. Try to include time for the only golf course TrackMan range in the state before the round and Green Valley Smokehouse and Oyster Bar after. Tee times are available up to 90 days in advance at GVRgolf.com.

The Golf Club at Redlands

The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa: Let’s not forget the hard-working folks on the Western Slope, who deserve the occasional fairway business meeting. Redlands Mesa wins national awards, including past recognition as the top public course in the state, and it’s a treat to play. With 11 of the 18 tees elevated atop pristine fairways and greens, vistas include the neighboring and towering Colorado National Monument. Dinner at Ocotillo Restaurant and Bar stands a good chance at sealing that deal. Tee times are available two weeks out at redlandsmesa.com or (970) 255-7400.

The Ridge at Castle Pines North

As the Denver area’s only Troon-managed public course, the well-staffed Ridge offers coun- try-club level service from the moment you drop off your clubs until… well, it’s a stunning 19th hole but you have to walk to the window to order. Like Fossil Trace, the layout is fun for all levels – provided you play from the tee that matches your game. Negotiate that carefully as you stand looking down at the first fairway. It’s as close as many will get to playing the neighboring privates: Castle Pines Golf Club, the Country Club at Castle Pines and the Sanctuary. Tee times are available up to 90 days in advance at playtheridge.com.

If you’re wondering why Berthoud’s TPC-Colorado, Windsor’s acclaimed Pelican Lakes and Colorado’s newest course, RainDance National, didn’t make the list, that’s only because as semi-private clubs they’re difficult to reserve in advance unless you have a group of 12.

For overnight business meetings, Colorado’s most fantastic guest-only golf destinations include the Broadmoor, Flying Horse and Garden of the Gods — all in Colorado Springs. Rain Dance has plans to emulate their exclusive access of members and resort guests in the years to come.

How the EXPLORE Act is Boosting Outdoor Recreation on Public Lands

This week, lawmakers in the House Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously to advance the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, a bipartisan package of outdoor recreation policy that could serve as a companion to America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA). The EXPLORE Act, like AORA, includes many key bills that Outdoor Alliance and its partners have helped develop and refine alongside lawmakers. Now, there are complementary packages of outdoor recreation policies in Congress: the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA) in the Senate and the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act in the House.

READ: How Aspen Groves Are Driving Economic Growth in Colorado’s Mountain Communities

“Outdoor recreation is growing, and Outdoor Alliance is thrilled to the House Natural Resources committee vote to advance the EXPLORE Act, a first-of-its-kind package of outdoor recreation policy that would improve and protect outdoor recreation experiences on public lands and waters,” said Louis Geltman, VP of Policy and Government Relations, Outdoor Alliance. “Millions of Americans get outside each year, and the EXPLORE Act will improve management for climbing and mountain biking, enhance how agencies manage outdoor recreation and invest in parks where they are needed most with the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership.”

Some of the bills highlighted in the EXPLORE Act include:

  • The Biking on Long Distance Trails Act (BOLT Act) would identify and create more long-distance bike trails.
  • The Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act (PARC Act) would safeguard Wilderness climbing.
  • The Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR Act) would modernize recreational permitting for guides and outfitters.
  • Codifying the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership, which funds parks and green spaces in neighborhoods that need it most.

The EXPLORE Act would also help land managers inventory and protect outdoor recreation on public lands. 

There is no denying that outdoor recreation is growing in popularity. According to recently released economic and participation data, there has been a rapid growth in outdoor recreation, and therefore, a need for public land improvements in terms of how recreation is managed and protected to address the increased demand. The EXPLORE Act helps provide a solution for managing this new level of use.

The voice of the outdoor recreation community will matter tremendously in moving this package along. Outdoor Alliance has established a quick-action form to help people send personalized letters to their lawmakers. To learn more, please visit www.outdooralliance.org. 

 

Outdoor Alliance is the only organization in the U.S. that unites the voices of outdoor enthusiasts to conserve public lands. A nonprofit coalition comprised of 10 national advocacy organizations, Outdoor Alliance’s members include American Whitewater, American Canoe Association, Access Fund, International Mountain Bicycling Association, Winter Wildlands Alliance, the Mountaineers, the American Alpine Club, the Mazamas, the Colorado Mountain Club, and the Surfrider Foundation. By working with its member coalitions and helping mobilize the involvement of individuals to protect public lands and waters, OA helps ensure public lands are managed in a way that embraces the human-powered experience. Outdoor Alliance — conservation powered by outdoor recreation.

This Winter Travel Season, Tech is Playing an Important Role in Denver’s Aviation Security

It may not be a surprise for those who frequently travel during the holidays, but the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confirmed that on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, 2.9 million jet setters officially broke a record for most airline passengers on a single day.

Government officials forecasted a record travel season and TSA saw 7 of the 10 busiest travel days in the agency’s history in 2023 alone. Here at home, the Denver International Airport (DIA) prepared for nearly 800,000 people to travel through the airport’s security checkpoints throughout the Thanksgiving holiday, and DIA saw its “busiest air travel day” of the season on December 21.

READ: Colorado’s ‘Small but Mighty’ International Tourists — A Powerful Economic Force

With the winter travel season in full swing, much attention has rightly been paid to the security protocols at our nation’s airports. DIA has struggled to contend with the barrage of travelers boarding flights to destinations across the world. In June, the airport’s security lines stretched into the baggage claim areas as a record-breaking 6.7 million passengers passed through the airport’s checkpoints. Unfortunately, these historic figures have been accompanied by a string of troubling security incidents. In September, all operations at the airport were temporarily suspended after a passenger was able to get through security with a gun. The same protocol was triggered in early November after a passenger was able to simply walk past a security checkpoint. 

While the airport has announced it will open new security checkpoints early next year, there has been a concerted effort to make security screening more effective and efficient. One of the ways DIA is improving its safety procedures is by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the screening process.

Earlier this month, DIA participated in a pilot program where it deployed an innovative AI-enabled security system that utilizes millimeter-wave technology and 3D imaging to identify dangerous and prohibited items at airports, even if they are non-metal goods. The technology can detect items such as liquids, powders, and even ceramic and plastic weapons. Additionally, the system does not require any physical contact, and individuals can keep their jackets on and everyday items in their pockets. Privacy concerns are one of the most important considerations when implementing new screening procedures — thankfully, the system tested at DIA does not retain images of individuals who are screened.

READ: Denver Ranked 3rd Nationally in New Study for ‘Future-Readiness’

For the time being, the AI system at DIA is only equipped for airport employee screening amid concerns of criminal gangs exploiting gaps in security to infiltrate airports. While this application is already having a positive effect on airport safety, the technology is also showing signs of expanded utility beyond employee screening. 

We can only hope this type of technology will be integrated into the passenger screening process as well. However, DIA’s willingness to embrace cutting-edge technology to enhance the airport’s operations represents an important step forward in bolstering aviation security and improving efficiency. Furthermore, as competition continues to fuel innovation in the tech sector, I am confident that AI, 3D imaging, and other technological advancements will serve as indispensable tools to help the travelers get to their destinations safer and faster. 

 

Jeff Price headshotJeffrey Price is recognized as a leading “Aviation Security and Airport Management” expert by U.S. Federal Courts and is a professor in the Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Navigating Beyond Epic and Ikon: The Unique Allure of Colorado’s Independent Ski Areas

Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass and Alterra’s Ikon Pass are juggernauts in Colorado’s nation-leading ski industry, representing 14 of the state’s busiest ski resorts and the lion’s share of its skier-days. 

Nonetheless, the state’s independent ski areas don’t cast themselves as underdogs. In fact, they see what they’re selling as a different product altogether. 

READ: How Aspen Groves Are Driving Economic Growth in Colorado’s Mountain Communities

Just west of Salida, Monarch Mountain has long countered the Epic Pass with reciprocal partnerships that give passholders free and discounted days at a number of other resorts.  

Loveland Ski Area, with some of the nearest slopes to Denver, is one such partner. “That’s huge for us, because we have a similar vibe in both of our ski areas,” says Monarch Marketing Director Dan Bender. “They attract similar people, but there’s really no motivation to drive a couple hours to get to Monarch unless you’ve got a couple of free tickets. 

“I don’t spend very much money in the Denver market because Denver is not ours, it’s Loveland’s, it’s A-Basin’s. But if we can get on their coattails and get people to come over and try us out, that’s incremental business to us.” 

Bender says the destination resorts on Epic and Ikon are “a different animal” than Monarch. “What makes Monarch unique? It’s a simple answer: It’s the people. Because it’s the one consistent thing we have. The snow isn’t, the weather’s not.” 

Not that Monarch is resting on its laurels. In September, the ski area proposed a 377-acre terrain expansion to the U.S. Forest Service. “Our numbers have been growing steadily over the last few years, so we just feel it’s time to do it,” says Bender, noting that skier-days have increased from 135,000 in 2001-02 to 210,000 during the 2022-23 season. 

At Loveland, the growth trajectory is back on track after COVID-19 derailed it for a couple of years. “Last year was our third-busiest season ever,” says John Sellers, Loveland’s marketing director. “We’re expecting that trend to continue.” 

READ: Colorado’s ‘Small but Mighty’ International Tourists — A Powerful Economic Force

The heart of the market is “people who are looking for a little different experience,” says Sellers. “We’re a short drive from the Front Range, we typically get more snow, and you don’t have to deal with the crowds here. 

“It’s a little more laid-back, local vibe here. While certainly the bigger resorts around us are selling lots of passes, there’s still a lot of folks that are looking for something a little different. And we’re able to offer that to them.” 

Like Monarch, Loveland has numerous reciprocal partnerships that give passholders free lift tickets at other resorts. “It’s a way for us to add a little bit of value to our season pass products. I guess that is partly in response to some of the megapasses out there.” 

Rosanne Haidorfer-Pitcher, vice president of marketing and sales at Wolf Creek Ski Area in southwestern Colorado, says her pitch is focused solely on snow and skiing. “We’re not trying to sell anyone on nightlife here, because it’s not here,” she laughs.  

And there definitely are customers looking for that: Skier-days are on the rise, jumping by 8 percent during the 2022-23 season. 

Wolf Creek eschews reciprocal partnerships, in part due to its status as the state’s snowiest ski area. “It used to be that storm cycles kept people away, and now storm cycles attract the customers,” says Haidorfer-Pitcher. 

Instead of cutting into Wolf Creek’s business, the Epic and Ikon passes actually provide a catalyst largely based on comparison shopping, she adds. “I think it helps our business because a lot of times we have really excellent snow and our lift ticket prices aren’t as high as some other areas.” A same-day lift ticket costs $89, where it has eclipsed $200 at many major resorts in Colorado. 

A new beginner lift will start turning for the 2023-24 season, continuing a trend of reinvestment at Wolf Creek, with a major base area upgrade on schedule to begin in 2024. 

Conor Hall, director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, says that skier visits were up  “across the board” for the state’s 2022-23 season. “Vail and Alterra have really moved the ball forward on getting more people skiing … but these small resorts still play an important role in the broader ecosystem,” notes Hall. 

“These independent resorts are an important economic piece in terms of jobs and economic impact in many of our rural and resort communities, but also, I think, core to our identity as a state. When I grew up, my hometown mountain was Monarch Mountain. And there’s nothing quite like a small-town mountain like that, just the character of it and the history.” 

 

Denver-based writer Eric Peterson is the author of Frommer’s Colorado, Frommer’s Montana & Wyoming, Frommer’s Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks and the Ramble series of guidebooks, featuring first-person travelogues covering everything from atomic landmarks in New Mexico to celebrity gone wrong in Hollywood. Peterson has also recently written about backpacking in Yosemite, cross-country skiing in Yellowstone and downhill skiing in Colorado for such publications as Denver’s Westword and The New York Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected]

How Aspen Groves Are Driving Economic Growth in Colorado’s Mountain Communities

Sharing a massive root system, the aspen grove atop Kebler Pass between Crested Butte and Somerset is one of the largest living things on Earth. When its leaves turn from green to gold and red, it’s also a tourism engine.

Andrew Sandstron, marketing director for the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism and Prosperity Partnership, says the county’s lodging tax income reflects the trend. “September is second only to July for us and has been consistently for a number of years,” he says.

READ: Top Company 2023 — Tourism & Hospitality

In September 2015, the county’s lodging tax receipts totaled $209,000. That’s roughly doubled to $400,000 in recent years. 

“Historically, we have our shoulder season when kids go back to school, and not until we open the ski resort does it bump up again,” says Sandstrom. “The biggest growth area in the last 10 or 15 years has been that late summer shoulder season. We still see a big drop-off on August 15 when all the kids go back to school, but September pops up again.”

Between annual events like Vinotok and the Mt. Crested Butte Beer and Chili Festival — not to mention uncrowded fly-fishing and mountain biking — the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism and Prosperity Partnership has strategically aimed to push some of the area’s peak summer traffic into fall. 

“One of the issues in these mountain communities is the booms and busts of business, where July is slammed and October, there’s nothing, then December is slammed, then April, there’s nothing again,” Sandstrom says. “By building up those shoulders — and that fall shoulder season is our biggest growing one — it helps us level out the booms and busts of our economy and allows our businesses to better stay open and offer jobs year-round. It helps us to smooth out our economy.” 

It’s not just Kebler Pass. The state’s other aspen hotspots also reap economic benefits from the turning leaves. The aspen on Kenosha Pass “are important to the Bailey business economy, and people do count on seeing them,” says Robb Green, president of the Platte Canyon Chamber of Commerce in nearby Bailey. “We always joke that we go from the summertime RV and boat show on U.S. 285 to the leaf peepers. Once the leaves are done, winter’s in. Winters are tougher for businesses up here.” 

Jim Myers, proprietor of Sasquatch Outpost, a tourist attraction in Bailey, says the fall colors drive visitation after the peak summer season. “Things would normally slow down mid-September to mid-October, which is when the leaves are at their height, because the kids are back in school, summer traffic has died down, but we’ve found we definitely have an uptick in that period because of people coming through to go look at the leaves.” 

In a good year, the bump lasts for about two weeks, Myers adds, but Mother Nature doesn’t guarantee anything. “It depends on the year. There are years when we don’t have the leaves. It depends on the rain. There are years where the leaf season almost is nonexistent, because it comes and leaves — no pun intended — very quickly.”

 

Denver-based writer Eric Peterson is the author of Frommer’s Colorado, Frommer’s Montana & Wyoming, Frommer’s Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks and the Ramble series of guidebooks, featuring first-person travelogues covering everything from atomic landmarks in New Mexico to celebrity gone wrong in Hollywood. Peterson has also recently written about backpacking in Yosemite, cross-country skiing in Yellowstone and downhill skiing in Colorado for such publications as Denver’s Westword and The New York Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected]

Top Company 2023: Tourism & Hospitality

WINNER 

Holidaily Brewing Co.

Golden, CO

Website: holidailybrewing.com

As part of its Top Company application, Holidaily Brewing Co. was asked about its future business goals. “World domination!” the Golden-based brewer boldly responded. “We want to be the leader and obvious choice for gluten-free beer.” 

The seven-year-old company is off to a good start on that ambition. Founded by Chief Brewista Karen Hertz, Holidaily is the only woman-owned gluten-free brewer in the U.S. as well as the largest gluten-free brewer in the country. 

Holidaily also is a three-time Great American Beer Festival Medal winner and recently won a World Beer Cup Silver Medal. 

The 28-employee company engages with the community through monthly fundraisers called “Raise a Pint, Lend a Hand” on the last Thursday of every month. On those days, Holidaily donates 10 percent of taproom sales to a local nonprofit, selecting organizations that align with Holidaily’s vision, which is to celebrate a life of health and happiness. 

To make its beer, Holidaily sources local gluten-free certified grain (buckwheat and millet); its total cost of producing a beer is five to seven times that of a traditional beer. The company does its own packaging onsite and pays for a gluten-free certification, which requires stringent tracking, testing, training, audits and procedures. 

Since opening in 2016, Holidaily has experienced more than 1,500 percent revenue growth; since 2019, sales have more than doubled, and they’re projected to increase another 13 percent year-over year in 2023. 

FINALISTS 

Footers Catering

Arvada, CO

Website: footerscatering.com

In business for 41 years, Footers caters more than 700 events a year and feeds more than 75,000 guests annually. The company’s in-house hospitality team specializes in cooking fresh onsite at locations across Colorado.  

The hospitality industry is typically plagued by high turnover, staff shortages and a scarcity of growth positions. In response, Footers has created a culture to attract inspired, motivated people who love what they do and retain them by providing professional development opportunities within all levels of the Footers team. Examples include an event coordinator evolving into a venue specialist manager, or a prep chef being promoted to the tasting chef team.   

In 2019, Footers owners Anthony and April Lambatos launched a sister business called MIBE, an acronym for part of Footers Mission Statement to “Make It Better Everyday.” Through MIBE, Footers offers a yearly conference for companies in the hospitality industry that seek to further develop their company culture, improve their employee engagement, empower their teams to embrace innovation, and commit to heartfelt leadership. 

The Lambatos’ belief in Footers was put to a supreme test in 2020 when they decided to go ahead with construction of a new 40,000-square-foot facility despite the devasting impacts of COVID on the entire hospitality industry – including a 70 percent drop in business for Footers. 

Their faith was rewarded, as construction on the new headquarters was completed in February 2021, and revenues have rebounded to levels far surpassing even pre-pandemic numbers. 

International Jet Aviation

Centennial, CO

Website: internationaljet.com

In business for 44 years, International Jet Aviation is an aircraft charter company serving private families, businesses and emergency/medical response teams. 

The charter aircraft industry has undergone significant changes over the years, and International Jet has evolved, too. The company started out transporting mail, checks and various types of cargo. It now specializes in executive transportation and, while it has strived to maintain a small-company atmosphere, it is one of the largest charter operations in Denver and the Rocky Mountain region. 

International Jet was founded in 1979 by William Milam and Lynn Krogh. In 1989, Brian Smith joined the organization and became a partner. Smith is now International Jet’s president; Milam is chairman emeritus. The partners’ combined aviation experience exceeds 100 years. 

“Our fleet of aircraft is centrally located and provides unparalleled service to the Rocky Mountain states with very few competitors in the region,” the company says. 

International Jet’s staff of about 60 professionals includes mechanics, pilots, aircraft fuelers and detailers. One enduring priority: safety. 

ATJ (Asia Transpacific Journeys)

Boulder, CO

Website: atj.com

Founded in the basement of a Boulder home in 1987, ATJ is an award-winning travel agency and tour operator that has coordinated or directed trips to more than 35 countries. 

The “core team” of the 18-employee company has been with ATJ for 17 years on average. 

“We attract very smart and interesting staff members,” says CEO and co-owner Kirsten Louy-Nasty, who has been with ATJ 24 years. “We take a lot of time to onboard new staff and nurture those already with us.” 

Likewise, the CEO and co-owner says, “We attract exceptional clientele who want to visit markets and temples, take a cooking class, understand spirituality, and meet local people in real time to experience their lives. We are always there, real people, helping others experience the trip of a lifetime.” 

The company’s charitable arm, the ATJ Foundation, has contributed to numerous causes over the years, including the “Have You Herd” elephant rescue and awareness campaign in 2020-21, Myanmar relief for legal aid and humanitarian needs in 2021, the Nepal earthquake in 2015, Sri Lanka flooding in 2017, and many others.  

ATJ changed ownership in 2014 when founder Marilyn Downing retired, passing the torch to employee-owners Donna Galland, the company’s CFO; Eric Kareus, director of travel; and Louy-Nasty. 

“We pride ourselves on being experts in Asia and the Pacific,” Louy-Nasty says.  

Colorado’s Thriving Travel-Tech Industry — How Tech and Travel Giants Are Driving Startup Success

Not long ago, travel planning involved paper guidebooks, phone calls and often an assist from a real live travel agent. That’s changed markedly, as the travel industry has embraced technology in a big way in recent decades. 

Colorado is firmly entrenched in both areas. With several travel heavyweights based in the state and an ever-growing tech sector, the overlap is catalyzing startups and snaring satellite offices of established players. 

READ: How Life Sciences Are Fueling the Real Estate Demand in Colorado

“Colorado in general attracts people who have an affinity for experiences,” says Brian Becker, chief growth officer for Denver-based company Evolve. “That affinity for experiences also creates this passion where they bring that to their day-to-day professions and want to really home in on, ‘How do we help others have those experiences?’” 

There’s a virtuous cycle at play, with big companies incubating the next batch of travel-tech entrepreneurs, he adds, with startups from ex-employees of “Vrbo, Vail Resorts, Sage Hospitality, Alterra — the list goes on and on with the businesses that have been built here.” 

Evolve’s story is an archetype for the phenomenon: Becker was one of the company’s first hires after Brian Egan and Adam Sherry founded the company in 2011; all three were veterans of Denver-based Exclusive Resorts, a luxury vacation club that now has more than 300 employees. 

Exclusive Resorts “spawned careers for a lot of us and got us excited about the space and interested in trying to work on other angles and opportunities in the tourism sector,” Becker says. “I was keeping tabs on what they were up to here at Evolve and got really excited about the opportunity to work on a bigger problem in a bigger market.” 

A decade later, the company has 1,100-plus employees, about 800 of whom are based in Colorado. The company recently surpassed 30,000 properties under management in the U.S. “from Alaska to the Florida Keys and Maine to Hawaii,” Becker says. “We’ll have well over a billion dollars in net booking value at those properties over the course of this year.”  

Growth spiked with the arrival of COVID-19, as travelers viewed vacation rentals as a safer lodging option. “For context, we’ve gone from 300-ish to 1,100 people in the last three years,” Becker says. “We think that mainstreaming accelerated by a good five years due to the impacts of the pandemic.” 

The pandemic was also a catalyst for the migration of travel-tech talent to Colorado. Brian Nolan, co-founder and CEO of BookOutdoors, moved from Los Angeles to Parker in late 2020 after the tech workforce largely went remote. He’d sold his previous company to GoDaddy and was looking for a new opportunity when his co-founders approached him to run BookOutdoors in 2021. 

“We looked at Denver, Austin, Seattle, Nashville, and we had a checklist of things that were important to us,” Nolan says. Denver’s weather? Check. Sunshine? Check. Lifestyle and cost of living? Check and check. 

READ: Colorado’s State Parks — Economic Forces of Nature

For BookOutdoors, a reservations platform for campgrounds and other outdoor-oriented accommodations, Nolan says the move has proven serendipitous from a talent standpoint. “Honestly, I didn’t even know there was such a big travel-tech industry here when I moved here,” he says. “It’s been a pleasant surprise that there is so much experience and so many people here that have worked at different travel-tech companies.” 

The Front Range headquarters of both the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds and the American Glamping Association has been another plus, Nolan adds, as has the concentration of campgrounds. 

Joost Schreve, founder and CEO of kimkim, tells a similar story. Schreve founded the company in Palo Alto, California, in 2016 to help people cut down on the amount of time spent online planning a trip with specialists; the team now helps vacationers in 90 countries. 

“Travel in a way has become so much more complex to book, because there’s so much information out there,” he says. “We tried to simplify that.” 

Schreve relocated his family and kimkim’s headquarters to Boulder just after the onset of the pandemic in 2020. The trip-planning company has boomed since, with revenue cresting over the $10 million mark in 2022 and about 30 employees roughly evenly split among offices in Colorado, California and Netherlands. 

Beyond Schreve’s personal, lifestyle-guided reasons for the move, Boulder’s talent and startup infrastructure makes for “the perfect combination” for kimkim as well. “The talent that’s here is actually quite different from the Bay Area,” Schreve notes. “The Bay Area is very heavy on engineers and product managers. It’s actually very hard to even find people there who have a good background in business development or customer support, and if they are there, the cost of living is often very prohibitive.” 

Remote work has alleviated the latter issue to a degree. It’s also a perfect fit for travel tech. 

READ: Remote Workers — 5 Reasons to Move to Grand Junction

Take Redeam, for example. Founded in 2015, the company shut down a Boulder office during the pandemic and is now virtual with more than 40 employees, six of whom are based in Colorado. The company develops digital reservations and ticketing systems for the experiences industry. 

With 25 years in travel with Orbitz and other companies, Erie-based CEO Melanie Meador joined Redeam after it raised a Series A round of funding in 2018. Whereas flights and hotels can be booked on a smartphone, the “things to do” industry has lagged, Meador says. “We’re essentially going through that same transition right now of taking the ‘things to do,’ or experiences, market and transitioning it from offline and manual to online and digitized.” 

With 250 integrations with companies like Disney and Ticketmaster, Redeam is “well on our way at this point,” Meador says. “I just closed a sizable fundraising round, and now we are growing exponentially and bringing on the resources we need to meet the demand we have in play.” 

Whether workers are remote or not, Meador says Colorado has a bright future as a hub for travel tech. The presence of Denver International Airport doesn’t hurt, but Silicon Valley has also lost its luster for many entrepreneurs.  

“I think that speaks well to Colorado for future tech growth,” she says. “California is very costly as far as cost of living, its political standpoint is a bit messy, and now in a post-COVID world where so much can happen in a remote environment, I think a lot of people have moved to Colorado, and that will continue to spur technical advancement.”

 

Eric Peterson headshotDenver-based writer Eric Peterson is the author of Frommer’s Colorado, Frommer’s Montana & Wyoming, Frommer’s Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks and the Ramble series of guidebooks, featuring first-person travelogues covering everything from atomic landmarks in New Mexico to celebrity gone wrong in Hollywood. Peterson has also recently written about backpacking in Yosemite, cross-country skiing in Yellowstone and downhill skiing in Colorado for such publications as Denver’s Westword and The New York Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected]