Denver Business Journal articles from January 1999

Denver Business Journal archives from January 1999

Legislature tackles growth limits.(Colorado's Legislature; land use)
January 1, 1999... Colorado's Legislature will tackle the first serious effort to curb sprawl and guide development under a legislative proposal that touts "responsible growth". The Colorado Responsible Planning Act, also known as the Colorado Responsible...

Exploration of Mars starts at Jeffco.(Lockheed Martin Astronautics' unit Jefferson County, CO)
January 1, 1999... The drama unfolding on a closed-circuit big screen revealed little of the actual tension. Engineers in coats and ties stared into computer screens in a cubicle setting not unlike that of a downtown office building. The surroundings...

New Century pulls plug on vendors; utility cuts out 200 subcontractors.(New Century Energies)
January 1, 1999... New Century Energies' recent decision to buy supplies for its gas and electrical divisions from only two suppliers will hurt dozens of companies across the country. In what it calls an efficiency and cost-cutting measure, the Denver-based...

Remember the name: key players owe plenty to Van Schaack.(Van Schaack & Co.)
January 1, 1999... The key to success in the real estate game historically has been location, location, location. The Denver real estate dynasty that evolved into Van Schaack & Co., particularly the commercial operation, reached the pinnacle of that...

Incubator graduates big tenant; R.A.M. celebrates with new offices.(Enterprise Center' Small Business Incubator; R.A.M. Sports Inc.)
January 1, 1999... David Gonzales, executive director of the Denver Enterprise Center, just said goodbye to one of the center's biggest tenants and he couldn't be happier. R.A.M. Sports Inc. celebrated its graduation from the Enterprise Center's Small...

The glory days of building boom.(Denver, CO)
January 1, 1999... Cervi's Rocky Mountain Business Journal devoted the issue of Sept. 24, 1953, to looking upward - at the skyscrapers just beginning to crop up in the Mile High City. The issue proudly outlined the master plan for turning this cowtown into a...

Montano calls it quits after a lifetime of law.(retirement of Joe Montano from Faegre & Benson)
January 1, 1999... One of Denver's most prominent trial attorneys and the state's foremost expert on public acquisition of private land and property retired from Faegre & Benson Dec. 31. Joe Montano tried more than 300 cases during a legal career that...

Legislature tackles growth limits.(Colorado's Legislature; land use)
January 1, 1999... Colorado's Legislature will tackle the first serious effort to curb sprawl and guide development under a legislative proposal that touts "responsible growth". The Colorado Responsible Planning Act, also known as the Colorado Responsible...

New Century pulls plug on vendors; utility cuts out 200 subcontractors.(New Century Energies)
January 1, 1999... New Century Energies' recent decision to buy supplies for its gas and electrical divisions from only two suppliers will hurt dozens of companies across the country. In what it calls an efficiency and cost-cutting measure, the Denver-based...

Remember the name: key players owe plenty to Van Schaack.(Van Schaack & Co.)
January 1, 1999... The key to success in the real estate game historically has been location, location, location. The Denver real estate dynasty that evolved into Van Schaack & Co., particularly the commercial operation, reached the pinnacle of that...

Incubator graduates big tenant; R.A.M. celebrates with new offices.(Enterprise Center' Small Business Incubator; R.A.M. Sports Inc.)
January 1, 1999... David Gonzales, executive director of the Denver Enterprise Center, just said goodbye to one of the center's biggest tenants and he couldn't be happier. R.A.M. Sports Inc. celebrated its graduation from the Enterprise Center's Small...

Adams probes American Medical.(Adams County, Colorado, officials investigate American Medical Response's failure to respond appropriately to emergency calls)
January 8, 1999... Adams County officials are investigating problems with American Medical Response, putting the corporate ambulance giant's license to operate in several north metro communities in jeopardy. Officials said they are looking into at least two...

Road moves forward: northern burbs will get parkway.(new tollway and parkway to connect Denver International Airport and Boulder County, Colorado)
January 8, 1999... After years of false starts and stalls, the Northwest Parkway has moved out of the pits and is headed for the fast lane. Planners behind the 10-mile combination tollway and parkway have set an aggressive target of linking Denver...

Colorado's broadband cowboy.(Dave Hughes, co-owner of Old Colorado City Communications)
January 8, 1999... COLORADO SPRINGS - A remote monastery in the mountains of northern New Mexico had a problem that many in the secular world could relate to: The brothers needed more bandwidth. Dave Hughes received the unexpected call from Brother Aquinas...

Beer tours world: microbrewer taps markets.(Majestic Brewing Co to export products)
January 8, 1999... Majestic Brewing Co. is a microbrewery with a macro distribution plan. The Louisville craft brewer has cooked up a recipe to send its line of beers deep into Asia, Europe and South America to build a profitable business on the cachet of...

PUC looks at phone revamp: settlement may hurt U S West competitors.(Colorado Public Utilities Commission considers telecommunications regulatory control)
January 8, 1999... The Colorado Public Utilities Commission will consider a landmark settlement that could change the way local phone service competition unfolds in the metro area. But the deal struck between the commission's staff, the Office of Consumer...

Cyprus Amax weighs leaving Denver behind.(Cyprus Amax Minerals Co rumored to relocate from Denver, Colorado)
January 8, 1999... Denver is likely to lose its onetime flagship mining company, Cyprus Amax Minerals Co., but the economic impact won't amount to much. Although the company has stated it has no current plans to move, reports have been flying that the...

Chicago firm buys Southglenn for $52M.(Urban Shopping Centers Inc acquires Southglenn Mall from RREEF Funds)
January 8, 1999... Southglenn Mall, the Denver area's sixth-largest shopping center, finally has a new owner, after being on and off the market the last couple of years. Just before Christmas, Chicago-based Urban Shopping Centers Inc. closed on the purchase...

Denver railroad ready to spend big; OmniTRAX will invest in improvements.
January 8, 1999... WICHITA, Kan. - By all accounts, the past couple of years should have been a boon for Central Kansas Railway and Kansas Southwestern Railway. With five consecutive good wheat harvests beginning in the fall of 1996, the two short-line...

Gambro picks Jeffco for global HQ.(Gambro Healthcare Inc.)
January 15, 1999... Swedish health firm shifts staffers Metro Denver's presence in the global medical technology business got an upgrade Jan. 1 when Lakewood-based Gambro Healthcare Inc. took over worldwide operations for a division of its Swedish parent...

Williams makes his mark.(Thomas Williams, VP and general manager of Teacher Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund's Denver operation)
January 15, 1999... The irony is not lost on Thom Williams that he has spent most of his career in the pension business, and yet his father never enjoyed his own retirement benefits. An unskilled laborer, the elder Williams worked two jobs - as a handyman for...

Looking for a place to land: helicopter biz buzzes Denver.(XL Helicopter Inc.)
January 15, 1999... XL Helicopter Inc. wants to start a chartered helicopter service to downtown Denver but faces a major problem. It has no place to land. "People are asking if we can drop them off downtown," said Patricia DeRoche, a vice president with...

Ringing in the century: musicians expect big $$$ for Y2K.
January 15, 1999... It's only January, but plans for New Year's Eve celebrations are in full swing and many venues are finished with preparations. The hype surrounding New Year's Eve 1999 has led to many entertainers and bands to increase prices since they expect...

Dailies unveil figures.(Denver's newspapers)
January 15, 1999... Price cuts bolster Rocky's circulation The Denver Rocky Mountain News claims it has gained the momentum in the bitterly fought circulation battle with the Denver Post. The Post, for its part, is conceding nothing. The News reported one...

Homegrown banks moving up.(Denver, Colorado)
January 15, 1999... Independents find niche with smaller businesses In a state where giants rule, small independent banks have managed to not only avoid getting stomped on, but to climb the proverbial beanstalk. Homegrown independents such as MegaBank,...

Mutual fund companies growing fast; Denver-area success reflects national trends.
January 15, 1999... As the stock market soars from one record high to another, mutual fund companies in the Denver area continue to demonstrate dynamic growth. "There is a general market euphoria," said Laura Parsons, a vice president at Denver's Invesco...

Sullivan's heats up battle for steak lovers.
January 15, 1999... Denver may be shaking its image as a cowtown, but its residents still like steaks, especially steaks that cost a bundle. The latest company that hopes to gain from Denver's taste for beef is Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon Inc., which will...

Security Life reinvents its reinsurance division.
January 15, 1999... Denver company gets a corporate makeover In 1994, Security Life Reinsurance transformed itself from a low-priced, minimum-service life reinsurer into a full-service life reinsurance company. Since then, the Denver-based life reinsurer...

Stripping its image? Glendale continues to battle not-so-stellar reputation.(Glendale, Colorado)
January 15, 1999... Glendale. The name is loaded, evoking strong opinions even from those who don t know where the city begins and ends. Whether it be strip bars or strip malls, the city of 4,100 has an enduring image that some would like to shake. But Jim...

Fund giants soar past $100 billion.(OppenheimerFunds Inc., Janus Capital Corp. )
January 22, 1999... Janus, Oppenheimer join elite ranks Denver's two largest mutual fund employers have crossed the $100 billion mark in assets, putting them in the major leagues of money management. Only a handful of mutual fund families have ever...

Charting a path for docs.(Pacific health Dimensions' CEO John Gates)
January 22, 1999... Winds blow at more than 60 knots across a vast expanse of ice and frigid water inside the Antarctic circle. Sailors who venture into this exquisitely harsh environment must tie their boats to floating chunks of ice to avoid being crushed by...

Travel industry rolls up: tour operator hopes mergers equal might.(Vista Travel Ventures Inc)
January 22, 1999... The former head of one of the nation's largest tour operators has teamed with a private equity investment firm to launch a new company, Vista Travel Ventures Inc. John Martinen, former CEO of Denver-based Globus & Cosmos, will head the new...

Envirotest may just fade away: Owens could let contract expire in 2001.(Colorado Gov Bill Owens; state's emissions testing program)
January 22, 1999... Opponents of the metro area's emissions testing system hoped Gov. Bill Owen's rise to power would spell an end to seeing their cars looking like a cardiac patient running on a treadmill. Hope as much as they might, the most likely scenario...

Paper losses mount: Anschutz takes hit on Union Pacific.(Philip Anschutz investment in Union Pacific Resources Group Inc)
January 22, 1999... Philip Anschutz has lost about $190 million on his investment in Union Pacific Resources Group in the past year, but that's small change for the Colorado multibillionaire. A paper loss of $190 million would be reason to quit the investment...

A tale of two Year 2000 specialists: Tava Technologies Inc and Accelr8 Technologies Corp confront Y2K challenge.
January 22, 1999... For most businesses, the Year 2000 Problem means an extra column of costs in the ledger book. But for two Denver-based companies Y2K has expanded revenue opportunities, opening the door to new clients that will affect business long after the...

ProLogis lands two big tenants: Samsonite, Coors sign to take space.
January 22, 1999... Aurora-based ProLogis, this country's largest public owner of distribution facilities, recently hooked a couple of big fish for its buildings. "These are two sizable transactions for the Denver market," said Mike Ruen, a ProLogis vice...

Consultants ponder their post-Y2K fate; most expect work into the new millenium.
January 22, 1999... As the new millennium ticks closer and organizations scramble to test their systems and bring them into compliance, one industry isn't particularly worried that Jan. 1 will be disastrous for business. For consulting firms focused on the...

Y2K could spark a 'software recession;' experts surmise that consumers may delay buying new products until after 2000.
January 22, 1999... Although a slice of Denver's high-tech industry saw a revenue boost from the Year 2000 Problem, some in the software community expect to feel a pinch during the second half of 1999 as information technology budgets are frozen, designated as the...

Centennial tug-of-war at a standstill: business owners cry foul over lack of vote in ongoing annexation battle.
January 22, 1999... The tug-of-war between Greenwood Village and the proposed city of Centennial continues with neither side showing any inclination to surrender or compromise. At stake is a vibrant swath of commercial properly in southern Arapahoe County...

Instant salsa mix hot item: product to be carried by all major groceries.(Lindita's Inc.)
January 22, 1999... Business is hot for Lindita's Inc., the instant-salsa company started in Denver in 1995 by Linda Torres-Winters. Lindita's just inked a deal to sell its products in Safeway stores, making the instant-salsa packages available in every major...

Adams pushes for 'GeoTech Alley': county readies national search for jobs.
January 29, 1999... Adams County is mapping out a strategy to become the new prime meridian of the nation's geotechnology business. Geotechnology, the business of charting the Earth, already is a big player in the Front Range's booming high-tech sector. The...

AMR hears call for help; Kaiser patients ring Wisconsin in a crisis.(contract between American Medical Response and Kaiser Permanente)
January 29, 1999... American Medical Response's phones will be ringing off the hook in Kenosha, Wisc., March 15, when the Aurora-based ambulance provider opens a new national call center for Kaiser Permanente patients. Colorado Kaiser members will be the...

Colo. State Bank branches out; new site planned in Cherry Creek.
January 29, 1999... Content to hunker down at home most of its life. Colorado State Bank and Trust, a spry 90 years old is putting on a pair of sneakers and heading out the door. The bank, one of Colorado's oldest remaining independents, expects to open a...

Hoteliers looking at LoDo.(downtown Denver, CO)
January 29, 1999... Bring your bags to Larimer square The upscale boutique hotels that have popped up in lower downtown Denver may not be enough to satisfy the pent-up demand for that product in that neighborhood. The Hotel Monaco, at 17th and Champa...

Stapleton's ambitious developer: founded as a lumber company, Forest City tackles monstrous airport project.(Real Estate)(Stapleton International Airport; Forest City Enterprises)
January 29, 1999... Only a handful of American real estate developers routinely attack huge projects that cost many millions of dollars and take many years, not to mention an incalculable amount of mettle, to finish. Then there's Forest City Enterprises Inc. of...

New Century tilts toward a merger.(New Century Energies)
January 29, 1999... PSCo's parent wants to invest proceeds New Century Energies is going into expansion mode. The parent of Public Service Company of Colorado has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to allow it and a couple of its larger...

Precedent near deal with Texas investor.(Precedent Health Partners; HealthPlus Corp.)
January 29, 1999... Precedent Health Partners is still negotiating a deal with HealthPlus Corp. to make the Houston-based company a partial investor in the physician-run organization. Precedent CEO Dr. Jeffery Mishell confirmed that talks with HealthPlus...

Time Warner Telecom may revive offering.(initial public offering)
January 29, 1999... Time Warner Telecom Inc. may be priming to resurrect its stalled plans for an initial public offering. The Greenwood Village-based telephone company filed amendments to its proposed stock sale with the Securities Exchange Commission Jan....

Behind Lucent Tech's south metro strategy: how the AT&T spinoff chose Highlands Ranch.(Real Estate)
January 29, 1999... After a year and a half of scouting locations for a new southern campus, Lucent Technologies Inc. narrowed its choices to two, optioning both, in late 1998. The New Jersey-based maker of telephone equipment and AT&T Corp. spinoff, which is...

Golden firm delivers a snoutful of beer.(Quoin Industrial's swine-shaped beer container with snout-like spout)
January 29, 1999... A Golden company is trying to redefine the notion of a party animal. The Party Pig, rather than an obnoxious guest, is Quoin Industrial's answer to draft beer at home. The swine-shaped vessel with a snout-like spout is beginning to...

New survey ranks Broncos fans No. 4.(Denver Broncos)
January 29, 1999... Even though the cheering crowds at Mile High Stadium are enough to drown out John Elway's audibles, fans of the Denver Broncos aren't exactly first rate. To tell the truth, Broncos fans are in fourth place. The Green Bay Packers rank...