Denver Business Journal articles from January 1997

Denver Business Journal archives from January 1997

Denver lands VentureStar HQ role. (Lockheed Martin Corp.'s rocket ship program)
January 31, 1997... Lockheed Martin Corp. has designated Denver as the headquarters for the wedge-shaped successor to the space shuttle, giving the company's Jefferson County complex a multibillion-dollar mission that will last well into the next century. The...

Drilling back to the future; St. Mary taps venerable Texas basin. (St. Mary Land and Exploration Co.)
January 31, 1997... While independent oil and gas companies have rushed to stake claims in the Lodgepole play of North Dakota, the Gulf Coast or abroad, one Denver player has hit pay dirt in the venerable East Texas Basin. St. Mary Land & Exploration Co. has...

A game of chance, politics and history.
January 31, 1997... We may not know who won the G-7 venue sweepstakes until the June economic summit in Denver is finished. That's because the G-7 meetings themselves represent one of the world's last great examples of the politics of smoke-filled rooms. The...

Mammoth woes hurt Exabyte; Boulder company shuffles to execs. (Boulder, CO)
January 31, 1997... Exabyte Corp. has Mammoth troubles. The Boulder storage company's inability to unkink the production of its next-generation tape drive - a well-received but scarce product called Mammoth has been so chronic that many insiders say the problems...

Real estate name of the game for Vail; as resort owner grows, land development brings in more revenue. (Vail Resorts in Colorado)(Special Report: Power in the Mountains)
January 31, 1997... Colorado's sprawling, faux Bavarian Vail ski resort already is characterized as New York City West by many ski-area insiders because it's so developed. And Vail owner Vail Resorts Inc.'s impending acquisition of more major ski areas -...

Road advocates seek voter 'contract'; ballot key as Colorado leaders slash spending plan to $6 billion.
January 31, 1997... Voters this fall may see a "Contract with Colorado" ballot initiative seeking $2.5 billion over 10 years for roads, bridges and mass transit. The Colorado Transportation Network, which is heading up an effort to win more infrastructure...

Warren Miller 3-D film taking a Cinema Ride.
January 31, 1997... Warren Miller Entertainment Inc., for nearly a half-century the world s best-known producer of ski and snowboard films, is wrapping up its latest movie of snowy thrills and chills. Don't expect to see the latest Miller epic in a theater...

PCS key to cutting delays; U S West has fix for service woes. (personal communications systems; U S West Communications Inc.)
January 31, 1997... U S West Communications Inc.'s drive to package wireless services with its core wired business is part of its strategy to cope with held service orders, the company's vice president of wireless services said. "Wireless allows us to provide...

Sacrebleu! How not to blow it at G-7. (Group of Seven)
January 31, 1997... When the G-7 international economic conference is held in Denver this June, the city will have the opportunity to strut its stuff to the world. The question is, will we know how to behave? To help the city put its best foot forward for world...

A tale of two Vails: ascent of the bottom line. (Vail Resorts Inc.)(Special Report: Real Estate)
January 31, 1997... Not so very long ago, there was a publicly traded resort company called Vail Associates Inc. In the now-forgotten 1980s, Vail, Colo., was a place where executives could predict daily revenue by the length of the lift lines at 10 a.m. at the...

Blue Cross has its turn under state microscope. (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado)
January 31, 1997... As part of its new investigation of the health-care industry in Colorado, the state Division of Insurance is studying Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado for possible violations of state laws governing how health plans advertise and market...

Wall St. mogul holds key to Vail's future. (Leon Black; Vail Resorts Inc.)(Special Report: Real Estate)
January 31, 1997... Leon Black has something to prove. The head of Purchase, N.Y.-based buyout specialist and Vail Resorts Inc. owner Apollo Advisors LP, Black admits he hopes to use his own company to remove some of the taint from his former employer, investment...

TRW, Lockheed score with Buckley contract. (Lockheed Martin Corp.)
January 31, 1997... Defense contractor TRW Inc. will team with rocket manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp. to fulfill a 10-year, $1 billion "black box," or secret, contract at TRW's new Aurora facility, informed sources said. The flow of intelligence dollars to...

Disney of resort owners stakes Colo. claim; land development drives Intrawest.(Special Report: Real Estate)
January 31, 1997... Don't call Intrawest Corp. slick. The Vancouver-based ski resort owner, which will crack the Colorado market with its purchase of Copper Mountain, has been compared to corporate machines such as the Wait Disney Co. and Club Med because of...

Wireless companies await city ruling on tower sites.
January 31, 1997... Wireless companies are dead in the water for the next five weeks while Denver city officials mull over proposed rules concerning siting of new towers and antennas in Denver neighborhoods. Denver City Councilwoman Debbie Ortega filed an...

Amoco jobs at stake in Colorado.
January 31, 1997... Layoffs are imminent at Amoco Corp.'s operations in Colorado. The company, employing about 1,000 people in the state, is reorganizing its North American operations and that means dropping the ax on people and projects that aren't reaping...

Tom Norton's 'takings' proposal reborn for '97. (property rights law)
January 31, 1997... Expect local governments and business to lock horns this session on some tough issues, mainly taxation and property rights. A bill on takings, shorthand for the loss, of use or value in private property because of government action, returns...

Resort hotels fight cyclical economies.(Special Report: Real Estate)
January 31, 1997... Up-and-down seasons stymie development During the peak of Colorado's ski season, Robert Dallain has 430 employees at his award-winning Hyatt Regency Beaver Creek hotel. A few months later, during the "mud season," that number dwindles to as...

Attorneys in bombing trial take gloves off.
January 31, 1997... One of the remarkable things about the Oklahoma City bombing case when it first came to Denver last spring was how courteous the lawyers behaved toward one another. Acting more like Atticus Finch than Christopher Darden, prosecutors and defense...

Giants leaving room for local Internet biz; death knell comes prematurely.
January 31, 1997... Local Internet access providers are so accustomed to hearing their death knell echoing in the distance that it's become little more than background noise. The ominous sound emanating from the approach of telecommunications giants as they...

New resorts can't overcome obstacles; local, federal powers block development.(Special Report: Real Estate)
January 31, 1997... Local, federal powers block development Despite the recent frenzy of big business interest in Colorado resorts, the state hasn't produced an avalanche of new winter playgrounds. Building a new ski area or even expanding an old one has...

Aurora woman teaches phone manners. (Jeannie Davis' firm called Now Hear This Inc.)
January 31, 1997... With the use of faxes, modems, e-mail and voice mail, the concept of talking to an actual human on the telephone almost seems like a memory in the workplace. But Aurora resident Jeannie Davis maintains the telephone is one of the most important...

Air service gains speed after bumpy ride; Mayo Aviation leads charter pack.
January 31, 1997... When Mayo Aviation hit turbulence in the mid-1980s, Gwen Mayo seized control the same way a pilot might seize control from a co-pilot in stormy weather. Mayo returned direct management back to the family in 1988, after the company...

Smaller resorts survive on skiers, not real estate.(Special Report: Real Estate)
January 31, 1997... Megamergers and large real estate deals characterize Colorado's ski industry these days, but Colorado's smaller ski areas are surviving and thriving on skiing, not real estate development. Unlike the owners of Vail, Copper and Aspen, the...

Design-build approach shows Weitz-Cohen construction has "the golden touch"; general contractor completes Newmont Gold technical facility on time, under budget. (Weitz-Cohen Construction)
January 31, 1997... January 31, 1996 Weitz-Cohen Construction has recently completed a 68,000 square foot technical laboratory and office facility for Newmont Gold Co. A design-build approach sped the project to completion in just nine months at an under budget...

Homes slated for Buell land; Perlmutter-Witkin plan could end years of acrimony.(5)
January 31, 1997... A controversial site in tony Cherry Hills Village looks as though it finally will be developed - whether area residents like it or not. Two longtime local real estate development families have teamed up to buy 116 acres at the southeast comer...

Housing market headed for slowdown; five to 10 percent drop anticipated as job growth ebbs.
January 31, 1997... Residential real estate experts expect to sing a familiar tune this year, though not with the same gusto. Homebuilders and real estate agents alike should remain busy, but not frenzied. A drop of 5 percent to 10 percent from last year appears...

TCI's digital TV plan puts bite on subscribers. (Tele-Communications Inc.)
January 31, 1997... Tele-Communications Inc. plans to launch its All TV digital television service in Denver "sometime in 1997," and that may mean higher costs for some TCI of Colorado customers, even if they don't subscribe to the new service. TCI isn't saying...

Concorde will scream into DIA this summer. (Denver International Airport)
January 31, 1997... A vacation package developed by Virginia Horne Travel plans to land a Concorde in Denver, marking the first arrival of a supersonic passenger flight at Denver International Airport. After two years of planning, Virginia Horne Travel received...

Corporate Express plots buying NY-based Sofco.
January 31, 1997... Broomfield-based Corporate Express Inc., one of the country's largest office product suppliers, is ready to cement its acquisition of Sofco Inc. of Scotia, N.Y., according to informed sources. A distributor of commercial papers, office...

Larimer Square shoppers will be wooed by Barnhart. (Barnhart/CMI Inc.)
January 31, 1997... Larimer Square has selected Barnhart/CMI Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations as its new advertising agency after a three-year relationship with Thomas & Perkins. The shopping and entertainment district put its advertising out for bid...

Airline deregulation poses policy puzzle.(Editorial)
January 31, 1997... During the past two weeks these pages have witnessed an unprecedented debate about the aviation industry and its future. Last week, Paul Dempsey, a member of our editorial board and vice chairman of Frontier Airlines, argued persuasively that...

Slower job growth in future may curb influx to Colorado.
January 31, 1997... Since World War II, the state's climate, lifestyle and booming economy attracted immigrants. Between 1950 and 1985 more people moved into Colorado than moved out almost every year. But, from 1986 through 1990, over 65,000 more people left the...

Beginning the electric dereg debate.
January 31, 1997... The Retail Wheeling Coalition has serious concerns regarding retail wheeling, or restructuring of the electric industry. We think our concerns are valid and deserve to be answered. Most of the arguments I read by the proponents of retail...

United Airlines to Frontier: it's time to stop your whining.
January 31, 1997... There has been a lot of press recently concerning how United Airlines competes in Denver. Our business philosophy is based on high-quality service at competitive prices. Simply put, United is highly successful we do a lot of things right for...

Creditors will get their day in court; but Porter McLeod vows to fight bankruptcy trustee's fraud claims. (Porter McLeod Construction Services)
January 17, 1997... But Porter McLeod vows to fight bankruptcy trustee's fraud claims More than 1,000 creditors seeking $4.7 million from the Denver-based Porter McLeod construction companies got an early Christmas present from bankruptcy court. In a key ruling...

Riding high in the saddle. (Davis, Graham and Stubbs partner Glen Keller as head of Westernaires)
January 17, 1997... Glen Keller is a man who wears many hats. The cowboy variety seems to be one of his favorites. The tireless Denver bankruptcy attorney and former federal bankruptcy judge spends a good chunk of his week directing and teaching the...

Janus affair should put funds on notice. (SEC's administrative action against Janus Capital Corp. Portfolio Manager Ron Speaker)
January 17, 1997... Mini-scandal by mini-scandal, mutual funds are losing their squeaky-clean image. In an industry that now counts its assets in the trillions, an infraction involving less than $50,000 in fines may appear small. But the Securities and...

REITs attract investors with high returns. (real estate investment trusts)(Special Report: Your Money)
January 17, 1997... Trusts limit risk, eliminate mystique of buying property Brag all you want about the hot stock market last year, but old-fashioned real estate, particularly real estate investment trusts, handed out returns that made even equities look weak....

U S West unveils image campaign. (U S West Communications Inc.)
January 17, 1997... U S West Communications Inc. has taken the wraps off a major marketing campaign company officials hope will position it as the one-stop shop for every communications need. Analysts say it's a smart move that should help the Baby Bell head...

Schools may reap bonanza; Medicaid funds sought for kids.
January 17, 1997... Colorado's schools may realize a $20 million annual windfall from the federal Medicaid program that could be used to launch new health-care programs for children, especially the thousands of children in the state without health insurance of any...

Gyms use perks, price to woo new members.
January 17, 1997... Health clubs chasing business Sub-zero weather and New Year's resolutions translate to the busiest time of year for Denver-area health clubs, but it takes a hefty investment to retain members while drawing in newcomers. The business of...

Ruling may put Indian back on track. (Indian Motorcycle Company Inc.)
January 17, 1997... The assets of a knot of Indian motorcycle companies have been put up for sale in the federal court, a move that's billed as a potential step toward resurrecting the long-extinct bike. Four companies, cobbled together during a protracted...

Franklin plots direction for Colo. Black Chamber. (Les Franklin, chairman of Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce)
January 17, 1997... The new chairman of the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce wants to change the system. Les Franklin, who took the position last month, said the minority communities in Denver need to pull together their weight to make an impact and get...

Russian chamber hopes to make summit G-8. (Russian-American Chamber of Commerce)
January 17, 1997... Russia may not be an economic powerhouse yet, but its long-range goals point in that direction - at least that's what a little-known trade organization in Aurora is touting. The country, which holds a high percentage of the world's mineral...

Brokers forecast growth in home builder market.
January 17, 1997... Two of metropolitan Denver's top land brokers have landed a lot of business lately from area home builders, and they see that trend continuing this year. Their business reflects a Colorado housing market that continues to see demand rise....

Thornburg preaches bonds in stock frenzy. (Thornburg Funds)(Special Report: Your Money)(Interview)
January 17, 1997... Laddering strategy, low risk keep Santa Fe group at top of class Bond funds have had a tough time of late. Two years of hot stock returns have made them "boring" compared to equities. Investors have pulled billions of dollars out of bond...

Lawmakers debate income tax cut.
January 17, 1997... The Colorado legislative session kicked off Jan. 8, a four-month marathon where only a handful of some 600 bills introduced will actually finish. I scanned through 200 bills introduced in the first few days to plumb any that had a direct...

Health bills open choices to small business.
January 17, 1997... Two bills have been introduced in the 1997 session of the Colorado Legislature to allow small businesses in the state to get their employee benefits - including health insurance - through an employee leasing company. The legislation is in...

Social Security fix: how much is enough?(Special Report: Your Money)
January 17, 1997... In the 1930s, the United States built a new economic home based on concepts such as Social Security. Now, just like an older home, the Social Security system needs fixing. And Congress is grappling with the same sorts of issues that homeowners...

Press motions keeping attorneys hopping. (Oklahoma City Bombing case)
January 17, 1997... With less than three months to go before the start of Timothy McVeigh's trial, prosecutors and the defense teams in the Oklahoma City bombing case have plenty to do. No doubt they are interviewing potential witnesses; poring over documents;...

Lakewood firm forges bombing trial links; Ceavco Audio-Visual wins government, TCI bids to broadcast court proceedings.(Small Business Strategies)(Company Profile)
January 17, 1997... Lakewood's Ceavco Audio-Visual Inc. will help bring Oklahoma City to Denver and news coverage of the Oklahoma City bombing trial to the rest of the world. Officials confirmed the company will build a remote video link allowing witnesses and...

Finding employees in a tight labor market: small businesses seek ways to woo potential recruits.(Small Business Strategies)
January 17, 1997... With declining unemployment rates making it increasingly difficult for Colorado employers to find employees, small businesses are scrambling for ways to recruit. Last November, the jobless rate in Colorado fell to 3.7 percent, compared to an...

Diverse staff makes all the difference.(Small Business Strategies)
January 17, 1997... Recruiting employees in the Denver market is tough, but recruiting multi-cultural candidates can be even tougher. Susan Burks, president of Burks/Butler, said while the 10-person staff at her Denver-based PR and advertising agency is diverse,...

Volatile market sends mixed signals; are stocks near the top? Denver fund managers weigh in on jittery cycle.(Special Report: Your Money)
January 17, 1997... Watch a top spin and the circles it makes usually get larger and larger near the end. The bull market in U.S. stock has behaved like a top the last few weeks. Up sharply one day, down even sharper the next, and often both directions in the...

Job hunters share insights on job market.(Small Business Strategies)
January 17, 1997... Economists have said an earful about metro Denver's economic boom and the current job market. But what are recent job seekers finding as they pound the pavement? And what are they learning? Linda Main is the first to admit she was naive when...

Beware tax pitfalls of mutual funds.(Special Report: Your Money)
January 17, 1997... Many investors do not think about the adverse effect of taxes on their investment returns. Taxes, however, are a significant consideration if you have assets subject to income and capital-gains taxes - assets that are not in individual...

IRA changes allow couples to save more. (individual retirement account)(Special Report: Your Money)
January 17, 1997... In August, the most important change to individual retirement accounts in a decade was signed into law. With the change, Congress increased significantly the amount of money a couple with a non-earning spouse can contribute to IRAs....

Some computer jobs are no-win situations.(Small Business Strategies)
January 17, 1997... How to avoid getting in over your head In 1984 I thought I was interested in a new position being created by the company I worked for. It was called Director of Information Services. I remember my boss urging me not even to apply: "It's...

Manage workers' comp as cost center.(Special Report: Your Money)
January 17, 1997... In Colorado, there's a lot of good news for employers who pay for workers' compensation insurance. For the fourth year in a row, rates have gone down. Part of this welcome decrease is due to a 1991 change in state law that reduced benefits...

Colorado can't afford to wait for this dereg. (telecommunications industry)
January 17, 1997... US West Communications has taken some Baby Bell steps toward operating in a more competitive environment for telecommunications services. In announcing its plan to create three new bundles of service - for home-based businesses, for...

Preservationists tap gaming proceeds to chronicle historic neighborhoods.
January 17, 1997... Gambling in high-rollin', turn-of-the-century Colorado towns has been a godsend for historic preservation efforts as another century ends. Yes, $30.6 million for historical projects has been allotted since 1992 by the Colorado Historical Fund,...

Food fight shaping up in Boulder, (natural foods industry; Colorado)
January 10, 1997... Natural chain takes on Wild Oats Boulder has proven to be fertile ground for natural foods retailers. Both Alfalfa's and Wild Oats were founded there and now their largest rival is preparing to enter the market. Austin-based Whole Foods...

Fiber-optics missing link for confab biz: convention center lacks lure of high-tech tools. (installation of fiber-optic cables at Colorado Convention Center in Denver)
January 10, 1997... The city of Denver, after losing one supercomputer convention valued at $6.3 million because the Colorado Convention Center has become low-tech, may install fiber-optic cables in the 7-year-old center to bring it into the high-tech world....

Drawing a road map to new Strategies. (Small Business Strategies section in 'The Denver Business Journal')
January 10, 1997... With the beginning of the new year, we're pleased to introduce a new approach to our coverage of small business in metro Denver. Our new format, developed by Small Business Strategies Editor Bob Meek, is built around tools our readers need to...

The M.B.A. question: can Denver do better? (struggle for metro graduate business programs to be nationally recognized)
January 10, 1997... Metro graduate business programs gain respect in Colorado, but national recognition eludes During the past decade, Denver has made big strides toward becoming a legitimate national business center, with growth in the telecommunications,...

Gas venture inflates Dietler's fortunes. (Denver oilman Cortlandt Dietler)
January 10, 1997... TransMontaigne stock surges 260 percent Denver oilman Cortlandt Dietler has struck black gold again with his newest energy venture, TransMontaigne Oil Co. The Denver-based company's stock surged 260 percent in its first year of trading on...

Indian Market satisfies appetite for Western art. (Colorado Indian Market and Western Art Showcase)
January 10, 1997... Jan Esty, organizer of the Colorado Indian Market and Western Art Showcase at Currigan Hall, fretted that the Denver Broncos' AFC championship game, slated for Jan. 12, might curb attendance at her event because of the traffic snarl it would...

Weather, move hurt First Night. (alcohol-free family celebration of entertainment in Denver, CO)
January 10, 1997... But events at zoo, gardens flourish Denverites enjoying unusually warm weather stormed the gates of two outdoors attractions in the city during the holidays, but high temperatures may have kept visitors away from the indoor First Night...

HeatWatch catches cows in the moooood. (electronic technology for detecting when a cow goes into heat)
January 10, 1997... Ranchers no longer have to loiter around the pasture like peeping Toms to discover when their cows are feeling frisky. Denver-based DDx Inc. has patented an electronic technology that detects when a cow goes into heat. At a cost of about...

Clinton's inauguration slows Pepsi Center talks. (new stadium in Denver, CO)
January 10, 1997... Denver Mayor Wellington Webb probably will watch William Jefferson Clinton take the presidential oath for a second time before he sits down with Ascent Entertainment Corp. chief Charlie Lyons to negotiate a stadium deal. Because the...

Adam's Mark Hotel moves up opening date. (after expansion and renovation)(Column)
January 10, 1997... The $135 million expansion and renovation of the Adam's Mark Hotel in downtown Denver is going along so well that the "technical opening" date for the hotel has been moved up to Aug. 21, five months ahead of the original schedule. That's...

Companies learn value of sale-leaseback deals. (real estate)(Column)
January 10, 1997... With J.D. Edwards' recent $28 million sale-leaseback of its new suburban headquarters to Washington, D.C.-based CarrAmerica Realty Corp., the Denver software giant is a real estate fashion plate. In a trend that has hit the metro area...

Gold companies mine Wall Street.
January 10, 1997... The price of gold has plunged 16 percent over the last year, taking with it the stock prices of some of the world's largest gold mining companies. Now the mining industry has turned to Wall Street, where predators are seeking acquisition...

DU real estate program building on experience: students design, construct office space. (University of Denver)
January 10, 1997... When Phil Ruschmeyer, now a vice president and office broker at Denver-based Frederick Ross Co., graduated from the University of Denver's real estate program in 1980, a downturn in the local real estate market loomed large. The broker credits...

Relevance to business key for today's B-schools. (business schools)
January 10, 1997... The business school that truly expects to be relevant should have professors in the classroom who are accomplished both in the professional, practitioning arena and in the teaching endeavor. Business schools cannot afford to be irrelevant -...

Companies pay for employee education: firms find that better-educated employees provide high returns.
January 10, 1997... JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In today's ever-changing work environment, it pays for employees to pursue advanced educational goals. Especially when the company is picking up the tab. Many local companies will reimburse their employees to further...

Economic freedom study places U.S. in lead.
January 10, 1997... Heritage index takes on the world The United States and Great Britain have the greatest degree of economic freedom, while Japan, Canada, the major European powers and especially Russia remain one or two levels behind. That's the conclusion...

Getting started: finance fundamentals. (small business finance)
January 10, 1997... How to find funds for your small biz Your business is at a crossroads. You need new technology, you want to expand, or you want to launch a new product line, but your needs exceed your available funds. What's next? It may be time to...

Computer future shocks: new millennium could cause problems. (year 2000 transition)(Column)
January 10, 1997... Within three years, on Jan. 1, 2000, the so-called Millennium Crisis takes effect. The crisis concerns software that identifies a year by means of its last two digits. A program that identifies, say, "1997" as "97" is seriously confused by...

Make goal-setting a new year's resolution: get your financial, marketing and organizational matters in order.
January 10, 1997... The first of the year signals renewal - a time for goal setting, planning and renewed commitment. While many entrepreneurs do their planning in their heads, the most successful know it takes committing a plan to paper for it to work. This has...

Tenure remains an imperfect idea. (of college teachers)(Column)
January 10, 1997... In a study last year for the American Council on Education, a group of civic leaders was asked to offer opinions on higher education today. Their harshest comments were reserved for one of education's most sacred institutions: tenure. These...

Looking back at the Great Trolley War provides lessons for competitors today.
January 10, 1997... Editor's note: In 1997, Denver consumers will face the great telecommunications debate. U S West's historic monopoly will be broken up and new entrants will be allowed to offer local phone service. Writer Tom Anthony takes a look back a century...

Making his father's dream a reality: Greg Stevinson follows course charted out quarter-century earlier. (president of Denver West Realty Co.)(includes brief biography)
January 10, 1997... In the 21st century, Greg Stevinson may lead his family into the position as the most influential power brokers in Jefferson County, a role held firmly by the Coors family during the past 100 years. As the president of Denver West Realty,...