Denver Business Journal articles from April 1997

Denver Business Journal archives from April 1997

Police pension revolt has plenty of risk. (police officers of Lakewood, CO, reject new disability insurance plan)(includes related article on Fire and Police Pension Association)
April 25, 1997... The words "officer down" are something the Lakewood Police Department prays it doesn't hear for a long, long time. The Jefferson County suburb is scrambling to cover a $1 million shortfall in its police department disability fund and is...

MCI seeks to slice up $55M pie. (MCI Communications Corp. launches new advertising campaign in Colorado)
April 25, 1997... Long-distance fees key issue in filing MCI Communications Corp. has launched a campaign in Colorado to wring $55 million out of access fees paid to U S West Communications Inc. to connect in-state long-distance calls, a savings that it...

When 'big boxes' go bad. (finding new tenants for failed and empty shopping centers)
April 25, 1997... In the retail era of "big boxes," the dilemma facing retailers and property owners is this: What can be done to fill the empty spaces when retailers fail? That dilemma now is facing Tom Lee, vice president of Frederick Ross Co., whose job is...

The Total tale of a Colorado company's sale. (Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp. acquires Total Petroleum North America Ltd.)
April 25, 1997... Wall Street did not look kindly on the sale of Total Petroleum (North America) Ltd. to Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp. On the day after the deal was announced, Total Petroleum shares plunged $1.50 to $9.50 on the American Stock Exchange....

Your Choice TV will make stand in Denver.
April 25, 1997... The solution to hard-to-program VCRs Your Choice TV Inc. is a gamble. but its creators think viewers will be willing to shell out a buck or so to catch up on TV shows they've missed. And after five years of testing, Your Choice. or YCTV...

Land rush. (real estate development in Denver, CO)(Real Estate)(Industry Overview)
April 25, 1997... Developers scramble to grab their sham of this increasingly valuable commodity Land is such a hot commodity in metropolitan Denver that ground owners couldn't give away a couple of years ago is being briskly pursued. Stew Mosko, manager...

Colo. wheat farmers escape nature's fury.
April 25, 1997... But dry spell on plains endangers crops Extreme weather across the United States has forced Colorado wheat farmers to cross their fingers and pray. Flooding and blizzards in the Dakotas and Minnesota and a deep freeze across Kansas,...

These veteran brokers get better with age. (real estate brokers Arthur Seiden, William Conway III, Richard Bryant and Tim Miles)(includes related article on how their business associates view them)(Real Estate)
April 25, 1997... Seiden, Conway, Bryant, Miles lead way for younger set When it comes to the art of the commercial real estate deal, the Denver area boasts a handful of venerated masters - brokers who not only have stayed in the business for more than 20...

Gateway Park interest keeps developers busy. (mixed-use project near Denver International Airport)
April 25, 1997... The developers of Gateway Park, the 1,200-acre, mixed-use project at Interstate 70 and Pena Boulevard near Denver International Airport, are as surprised as anyone to be putting up an office building. They never thought demand would be this...

Medical centers pop up in Denver's suburbs.(Real Estate)
April 25, 1997... Fleisher-Smyth, Neenan building facilities Joining a growing trend in the metro area's health-care industry, the town of Parker will get its first large-scale medical facility when the new Parker Healthcare Center opens in August. The...

Denver growth rate pushes area to No. 8 spot.
April 25, 1997... Glitter of Las Vegas pulls in the most new residents, swelling city to 1.2 million Denver has cracked the top 20 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, thanks to a whole load of newcomers in the 1990s. Denver claimed the eighth-fastest growth...

It's official: Aurora's back in a big way.(Special Report: Aurora Revival)(Industry Overview)
April 25, 1997... Office, industrial markets lead revival in east Anyone who still thinks Aurora suffers from an image problem should tell the developers, investors and tenants who are flocking to the former suburban stepchild on Denver's eastern border....

LLC status limits both liability and paperwork. (limited-liability companies)
April 25, 1997... As of April 1, 1997, all 50 states, including Colorado, have adopted the limited liability company, or "LLC." The LLC is relatively new to the United States, and most states have adopted LLC laws only within the past few years. Essentially,...

Aurora's secret: low rates, DIA, new image. (Denver International Airport)(Special Report: Aurora Revival)(Industry Overview)
April 25, 1997... In case you haven't noticed, Aurora appears to be growing in popularity, and it's having a definite effect on surrounding areas. An image development campaign, the city's proximity to Denver International Airport, low lease rates, an available...

PC World offers readers a world of helpful hints.
April 25, 1997... Monthly publication also features site I have a personal reason for liking PC World, the monthly magazine that focuses on Wintel (Windows/Intel) products. That reason apart, PC World is a great source for product reviews (both hardware and...

Employers can adapt gracefully aging work force.
April 25, 1997... The aging of America is a trend facing the U.S. work force. We not only have an older work force, we have a labor shortage for skilled workers that has already begun. So, not only is our work force as a whole aging, we have a real need to keep...

Apartment Store finds success.(Residential Real Estate)(Company Profile)
April 25, 1997... Consumers turn to Denver company for help, information Since she founded the Apartment Store in 1980, Anne Dresser has helped more than 81,000 people find a place to live, leasing more than 77 million square feet of residential space....

Ochsner builds franchise into powerhouse. (Chuck Ochsner, owner of Re/Max Alliance Group)(Residential Real Estate)(Company Profile)
April 25, 1997... Re/Max Alliance Group emerges as No. 2 real estate company in Colorado Chuck Ochsner says his goal has always been to be better - not necessarily bigger. But in some ways, bigger is better, the owner of Re/Max Alliance Group admits. "The...

Build consensus to win at the zoning table.(Residential Real Estate)
April 25, 1997... Residential developers must work closely with neighbors, planners and public officials Winning at the zoning table is not a simple "yes" or "no" proposition. Winning is building consensus and obtaining approval for the best planned use for...

Critics push to privatize police pensions.
April 18, 1997... Patrolman death spotlights problems On the day he died, Denver Police Officer Ronald DeHerrera wasn't married. But he had signed an affidavit listing his fiancee, Patty Steffes, as his common law wife, allowing her to receive survivor...

Lillis lobbies for rollup; Media Group chief outlines game plan. (Chuck Lillis, president and CEO of U S West Media Group)
April 18, 1997... Chuck Lillis, president and chief executive officer of U S West Media Group, isn't in any hurry to conclude an agreement with Time Warner Inc. to divvy up their Time Warner Entertainment Co. holdings. Nor does he appear rushed to restructure...

Who's who in travel and tourism '97.
April 18, 1997... Ed Adams OWNER, PRESIDENT PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL CORP. ENGLEWOOD Adams oversees the largest travel-management company in Colorado, with 330 employees and revenue of $220 million in 1996. The company, which specializes in business travel,...

Survey: biz starts faltered in '90s; but Dun & Bradstreet ignores home-based firms. (new businesses)
April 18, 1997... Has this decade proven a springtime for entrepreneurs, with new businesses covering the economy like a carpet of fresh, green grass? Not if you believe Dun & Bradstreet Corp. Numbers gathered by the business information provider show business...

PTC plans national network; U.S. Office Products stock swaps key to growth strategy. (Professional Travel Corp.)
April 18, 1997... In the next few weeks, Ed Adams is expected to seal the deal that turns his Denver-based travel agency into a national company with ambitions of becoming a $3 billion network. When Adams sold the state's largest travel agency, Professional...

Bre-X debacle boosts minerals consultants; profiting from 'very unfortunate incident.' (Bre-X Minerals)
April 18, 1997... Allegations that Canada-based Bre-X Minerals lied about finding the century's largest gold deposit have scared off investors, but at least one group is profiting from the mess - minerals consultants. In a classic case of guilt by association,...

Mountain areas suffer growing pains; Evergreen and Conifer businesses building amid resident protest.(Small Business Strategies)
April 18, 1997... Conflicts between homeowners and businesses are common everywhere, but they seem especially prevalent in the foothills of metro Denver, where residents are concerned that commercial and residential growth will deplete water sources, harm...

Flirting with disaster: entrepreneurs clean up with restoration business.(Small Business Strategies)
April 18, 1997... Mark Davis and Jeff Johnson, two "Generation X" entrepreneurs who bought Rocky Mountain Catastrophe and Stimack Construction Co. Inc. a year ago, are taking steps to turn their company into a national force in the disaster restoration business....

Brewer chases home run near new Phoenix field. (Tommyknocker Brewing Co.)(Directory)
April 18, 1997... PHOENIX - Tommyknocker Brewing Co., the fifth-largest brewer in the competitive Denver area, plans to tap into the potential retail boom near Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix by turning an old red brick warehouse into a $3 million brew-pub and...

RTD picks novice for mall bus revamp. (Denver Regional Transportation District changes old shuttle fleet)
April 4, 1997... The Regional Transportation District's decision to go with a new technology from a new company to replace its aging shuttle fleet on the 16th Street Mall has left several observers worded the district is headed for a crash. If successful,...

Nothing to 'wine' about; vineyards reap rewards of growing industry. (Paonia, CO's vineyards and wine industry)
April 4, 1997... PAONIA - Joan Mathewson, wearing a flannel shirt against a cold west wind, carefully but quickly snips dried branches off the grape vines in her south-facing fields. In a few weeks, as the sun heats the earth, those vines will explode with...

Summit will test telecom; communications key for delegtates, media. (Colorado Convention Center's Summit of Eight)
April 4, 1997... It's 10 weeks to D-Day, the June 20 start of the Summit of Eight, and local organizers are keenly aware that their biggest challenge is making sure the 8,000 expected delegates and journalists can communicate with the world. "It's so...

The greening of golf. (environmental management in Denver, CO's golf courses)(Golf)
April 4, 1997... 'Tread lightly' the new watchword for Colorado links From spikeless golf-shoe requirements and low-maintenance native grasses to wetlands conservation and enhancement of wildlife habitat, Colorado's golf courses are becoming more and more...

City prepares to name hotelier for DIA; Scanticon's plan for property near airport stalls with partner's Chapter 11 filing. (Scanticon International Inc.'s stops Denver International Airport terminal hotel project)
April 4, 1997... With a Denver International Airport terminal hotel finally poised for take-off, Scanticon International Inc.'s DIA golf course hotel has skidded to a halt. The projects are slated to cost in the neighborhood of $70 million each. Local...

Izzo Stix reduces load, increases driving power. (H.D Golf's Izzo Stix golf clubs)(Golf)(Evaluation)
April 4, 1997... Denver-based H.D. Golf hits a winner I'm Tiger Woods. At least I felt that way a few times during a recent test drive of a new set of clubs designed by Denver-based H.D. Golf. Of course, my score wouldn't make me even resemble the same...

Bring home the bacon; a business owner's guide to saving and investing.(Small Business Strategies)
April 4, 1997... Business is good. So good you have more money than you know how to handle. We should all have such problems. But entrepreneurs who struggle for years with no cash can find generating money raises a whole new set of questions. Ideally,...