Denver Business Journal articles from July 1999

Denver Business Journal archives from July 1999

AT&T rethinks strategy for cable; installing new services may be costly.(AT&T Broadband & Internet Services)
July 2, 1999... AT&T Broadband & Internet Services is testing a new strategy to push fiber deeper into neighborhoods, a move that could provide fatter pipelines for future services. The cable operation formerly known as TCI will evaluate the new...

Ascent headed for exit? Company may vanish after selling its assets.(Ascent Entertainment Group Inc.)
July 2, 1999... Ascent Entertainment Group Inc. stockholders are angry at former company chief Charlie for accepting what they consider too-low a bid for Ascent's sports teams and the $170 million Pepsi Center arena now under construction. They're no...

Governor opposes Internet sales tax.(Colorado Gov. Bill Owens)
July 2, 1999... Congress could impose U.S. levies Although Colorado's governor has taken a firm stance against Internet taxation, some legislators nationwide have already begun salivating as they assess how to snare Uncle Sam's slice of the online pie....

Feds push hospitals to improve; program to monitor quality of treatment.(Health Care Finance Administration; Colorado hospitals)
July 2, 1999... The federal government wants Colorado hospitals to do a better job when it comes to treating senior citizens. As part of a three-year, nationwide quality initiative by the Health Care Finance Administration, Colorado hospitals must track...

The Sonic boom: chain of drive-ins making big comeback.(Sonic Corp.)
July 2, 1999... Cliff Hudson is experiencing a Sonic boom. The president and CEO of Sonic Corp., Hudson has overseen rapid sales growth and record revenues since he assumed leadership of the Oklahoma City-based drive-in chain in 1995. Just in time for the...

Berger left mark on Denver finance.(mutual fund manager Bill Berger)
July 2, 1999... Bill Berger was not the greatest mutual fund manager ever. Not by a long shot. His Berger One Hundred fund had a few spectacular years, but it certainly struggled recently. That's just one reason why Berger was an iconoclast among...

Construction drops; report shows office development down in '99.(Denver, CO)
July 2, 1999... Stabilization sums up the Denver area's commercial real estate market in the first half of 1999. So says a midyear report by Cushman & Wakefield of Colorado Inc. issued this week. The rush of excitement that sparked big acquisitions and new...

Metro income moves up.(personal income in Denver, CO)
July 2, 1999... Why is metro Denver's economy booming even as population growth slows? Part of the reason is workers across the metro area are taking home more money. Lots more money. The metro area experienced a hefty 16 percent increase in total...

Hayward outperforms competition; manager of Invesco's Worldwide Communications Fund shares insights.(Special Report: Your Money)(interview with Brian Hayward)(Interview)
July 2, 1999... Colorado's best-performing mutual fund manager in the first half of the year isn't Scott Schoelzel or Tom Marsico, but the manager of Invesco's Worldwide Communications Fund. Brian Hayward has pulled down a 46.6 percent return through June,...

Startup making millions; IT support companies finding quick success.(Small Business Strategies)
July 2, 1999... It is unusual for a small business startup, unless it is blessed with plenty of capital, to achieve a fast liftoff and keep heading straight up. But that is exactly what Unison Systems has done, with no plateau in sight. Less than 2 years...

The new Farmers' Markets.(Small Business Strategies)(Colorado)
July 2, 1999... Outdoor venues offering much more than fresh produce The sun is shining. Couples are pushing baby strollers in and out of stalls displaying fresh vegetables, flowers, smoked salmon, homemade soaps and bonsai trees. A crowd of people is...

What's a phone company to do?(bids for U S West Inc. by Qwest Communications International Inc. and Global Crossing Ltd.)
July 9, 1999... Execs offer unsolicited advice for U S West A pair of eager suitors has been vying for the attention of U S West Inc., courting the Baby Bell with sweet deals and promises of a fragrant future. Love, however, in this case is not blind....

Yahoo! MessageMedia signs up for two big names.
July 9, 1999... MessageMedia Inc. just closed two deals with high-profile clients that may deliver new markets to the e-mail management firm. Partnering with Internet search engine Yahoo! and The Reader's Digest Association, MessageMedia will...

Convergent joins IPO crowd with $72M plan.(Convergent Communications Inc.)
July 9, 1999... Convergent Communications Inc. has filed its plans to go public, hoping to cash in on what already has proven to be a fertile year for telecom IPOs. The Englewood-based company hopes to raise an estimated $72.9 million, selling 6.7 million...

Anschutz farm must pay to repair course wetlands.(Equus Farm to pay a $625,000 fine to EPA)
July 9, 1999... Billionaire Philip Anschutz.' golf game has gotten expensive. One of the nation's richest people has been ordered to pay fines and reparations near a million dollars for disturbing wetlands on his private links southeast of Greeley. ...

E-M Solutions sets sail for Irish expansion.
July 9, 1999... Two years after following its customers' lead across the Atlantic Ocean to the Emerald Isle, Longmont-based E-M Solutions Inc. is ready to expand its high-tech manufacturing operations in Northern Ireland. E-M Solutions is expanding its...

Arizona refuses to put US West to test.
July 9, 1999... Thirteen of the 14 states served by U S West are asking the phone provider to conduct independent third-party tests of its system to determine how easily would-be competitors can tie into the network - but Arizona isn't among them. Arizona...

Comic-book retailer leads charge against distributor.(Mile High Comics Inc.'s antitrust case against Diamond Comic Distributors Inc.)
July 9, 1999... Baltimore businessman Stephen A. Geppi's recent forays into online retailing has upset many in the insular comic book industry and a Denver entrepreneur is leading the opposition to the venture. Geppi's main business is Timonium, Md.-based...

Chipotle to open in Ohio.(Chipotle Mexican Grill)
July 9, 1999... Denver-based restaurant tests Dayton market Big burritos are coming to Dayton, Ohio. Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill is spicing up the old Bruegger's Bagel location in Kettering to open what is to be its first of many Dayton...

Fast-moving Janus trumps Fidelity.(Janus Fund; Fidelity Funding Inc.)
July 16, 1999... Janus Funds has pulled off a huge upset in the race to win loyalty among investors. The Cherry Creek-based mutual fund family attracted more money in the first five months of the year than Fidelity Funds, the country's largest money...

Malls multiply on Web.(online marketing)
July 16, 1999... But some retailers find results lacking Some Denver-area entrepreneurs hoping to cash in on the Internet retail market are learning that virtual malls can produce virtually no business at all. Several retailers have set up sites on...

Brewing a new strategy.(Wynkoop Brewing Co. President and founder John Hickenlooper)
July 16, 1999... John Hickenlooper arrives at an interview 30 minutes late, with sleeves rolled at the elbow and a rickety dog in tow. Apologizing, he explains that his schedule got thrown off when he bumped into Steve Carlton at the Wynkoop Brewpub the...

B&B site bets future on merger.(merger of BedandBreakfast.com and WorldRes Inc.)
July 16, 1999... Innkeepers welcome Web site as a partner BedandBreakfast.com was looking for the latest online reservation technology to ramp up its Web site, but what it ended up finding was a deal. The Golden-based Internet site for the bed and...

Where to find Colorado's best-kept golfing secrets.
July 16, 1999... Taking a walk through seven of the state's most underappreciated courses New golf courses spring up almost weekly in Colorado to meet growing demand from residents and visitors. The Colorado Golf Association estimates 14 percent of the...

Luxury SUVs will turn heads.(sport utility vehicles)
July 16, 1999... If you want to impress your neighbors, buy a luxury sport utility vehicle and park it in your driveway. People will crawl out of the woodwork to come over and chat with you about your new toy. Like-minded drivers with the same car will give...

Denver forum to debate e-commerce regulation.(National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws's meeting)
July 16, 1999... The software industry will have its eye on Denver at the month s end as policy determined here will likely impact e-commerce legislation in all 50 states. The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, or NCCUSL, will meet...

What can you buy with $1M?(Colorado's luxury home market)
July 16, 1999... A look at Colorado's luxury home market In Colorado, roughly $1 million can get a home buyer a circa 1886 renovated miner's cabin in Aspen, a mansion with seven fireplaces in Denver's historic Capitol Hill neighborhood and just a plain...

Finer wines can cost big bucks.
July 16, 1999... Got some business associates or good friends coming over this weekend for an extra-special dinner? Maybe some potential investors You know exactly what the menu will be, but as good as food gets it gets even better with a truly impressive...

Medicare investigation missing the mark.(case of kidney specialist Raymond Garrett)
July 16, 1999... Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are debating the best way to protect patients against health plans that make bad medical decisions. The very fact that the federal government feels obligated to step in and draft patients a "bill of rights" speaks...

Ski resorts offer summer fun.(Colorado's mountain resorts)
July 16, 1999... The ski season is over but Colorado's mountain resorts are offering plenty of activities to attract visitors during the summer months. By adding activities that range from mountain biking to film and music festivals, mountain resorts are...

Colo. investor puts $30M into Hilton venture.(unidentified Colorado investor's $30 million contribution to Hardin Capital LLC's development of six Hilton Garden Inns)
July 16, 1999... Hardin Capital LLC's sinful strategic alliance with Hilton Hotels Corp. has attracted a multimillion-dollar investment and could lead to another large development contract. On July 1, Hardin Capital, an Atlanta-based hotel developer,...

Selecting the right ad agency.
July 16, 1999... How to find the best firm for a campaign One size doesn't fit all when it comes to conducting an advertising agency search, say experts associated with the nation's leading trade organizations. "If you're a small advertiser with a...

Marketing requires strategic mix.(strategic mix of advertising, electronic marketing and public relations)
July 16, 1999... Effective promotions should make use of Internet and public relations As business-to-business marketers focus on value and how to effectively communicate it to their customers, many are realizing the importance of developing a strategic...

The future of advertising.
July 16, 1999... For most of this century, typical advertising agencies have won their contracts at the "marketing manager level" with an occasional visit from the CEO, chief operating officer, or chief financial officer of the client company. With the surging...

Postcards you can snuggle up with.(quilted postcards done by Lisa Link and Sue Poe)
July 16, 1999... You know you're onto something when the gift shop at the Museum of American Folk An in New York City agrees to sell your product. The gift shop is so highly regarded that it receives an extraordinary 400 requests a day from product peddlers...

Welcome mat out for retail.(retail development in Superior, Colorado)
July 16, 1999... Community along U.S. 36 enters next growth phase Two years ago, the only businesses in Superior were a few storage units and two gas stations. But in just the last year, the community that exploded with residential development alongside the...

Are Internet travel sites better than travel agents?
July 16, 1999... Even if you haven't tried them, you've probably heard about the profusion of services for booking travel arrangements online. New services let you investigate and book plane tickets, hotel rooms and rental cars through the Internet. Do...

Performance monitoring can increase sales.
July 16, 1999... How often have you heard comments like, "John is the greatest salesman we have ever had," or "I have the best-trained sales staff in our business?" Just as common as careless comments like these are the informal and subjective methods that most...

The right to honest travel.(airlines)
July 16, 1999... In order to derail Congressional legislation, proposed in response to growing consumer disenchantment, the major airlines have voluntarily adopted an "Air Carrier Bill of Rights." The new "rights" include the following: * The right to...

'Smart growth' is a doable concept.(planning land-use of Colorado)(part 3)
July 16, 1999... Now we come to the thorniest of all issues - local control versus state oversight of land-use. During the last four decades, the subject of regional cooperating has been broached many times in Colorado. Seldom have these discussions borne...

Colorado dealmakers no. 1.(mergers and acquisitions activities)
July 23, 1999... Sell and buy, buy and sell - Colorado companies turned hyperactive in the second quarter when it came to mergers and acquisitions. Buyers announced they would snap up $92.3 billion worth of homegrown companies between April and June,...

Where's Qwest's next deal?(Colorado Dealmakers No. 1)(Qwest Communications International Inc.'s bid to acquire U S West Inc.)
July 23, 1999... Qwest Communications International Inc.'s triumphant bid to swallow U S West Inc. is enough to give most companies indigestion, but in the current telecommunication setting, it's never too soon to begin looking for the next meal. BellSouth...

Flu drugs headed for Colorado; new cures will be heavily advertised.(Glaxo Wellcome and Hoffmann-LaRoche's plan to offer prescription drugs)
July 23, 1999... New cures will be heavily advertised Muscle aches and pains, fever, chills, coughing and a lurking lethargy that can't be shaken for days. Anyone who's ever experienced the bed-ridden misery of this sickness, knows these to be the telltale...

FirstWorld pained by defections, suits.(FirstWorld Communications Inc.)
July 23, 1999... Denver company suffers as it grows PORTLAND, Ore. - FirstWorld Communications Inc., of Denver, Colo., is moving quickly to establish itself as an Internet service powerhouse in the West with the recent acquisition of Portland-based...

Suburban hotels for sale...cheap: asking price less than the cost to build.
July 30, 1999... Some developers of affordably priced hotels in the Denver area could soon pay the price for their recent building frezy. Literally. Builders of generally smaller, less amenity-rich limited-service and extended-stay hotels in the hot Denver...

Law firm makes it move.(Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar and Scott moves to Denver, CO)
July 30, 1999... Fred Bartlit Jr.'s imposing figure, made almost larger than life by a hawk-like intuition and steel-trap wit, has for three decades cut a formidable profile in American courtrooms and carved a legendary reputation for the corporate defense...

Keller's a player once more: money manager reopens Corinthian.(financial analyst John Keller reopen Corinthian Capital Co)
July 30, 1999... Three months of retirement left a bad taste in John Keller's mouth, so be decided to go back to doing what he does best: advising people on their investments. Keller is reopening Corinthian Capital Co., the money management business he...

Resort compromises with town: Crested Butte reviews development plan.(Crest Butte Mountain Resort Inc.)
July 30, 1999... The Crested Butte Mountain Resort in south-central Colorado has butted heads with environmentalists and area government leaders for several years over its ambitious development plans, but by doing some compromising and consensus building, the...

StorageTek celebrates 30 years: company spurred several startups.(Storage Technology Corp)
July 30, 1999... More than 30 companies in Boulder County's history can trace the roots of their family tree back to the day 30 years ago when four engineers left IBM to form a fledgling tape storage company called Storage Technology Corp. Although not all...

Technology changes real estate: industry shifts focus to sustained service.
July 30, 1999... Alan Seiver remembers when fax came into common use in the 1980s, and he had to get permission to send one because it was so expensive. Today, the senior vice president at the Denver branch of national real estate brokerage firm Grubb & Ellis...

KeyCorp.'s banking on its new subsidiary.(McDonald Investment Inc)
July 30, 1999... The investment bank plans to target area companies with sales in the $50 million to $1 billion a year range, he said. Among its clients are Geodyear, Invacare, Budget Car and Truck Rental and American Greetings. KeyCorp. is pushing full...

Brokers cut deals around the world: overseas transactions more common.(real estate consultants Cushman and Wakefield)
July 30, 1999... From his office in Denver, Todd M. Wheeler helps put together commercial real estate deals all over the world. At any one time he could be involved in buying an office block in Bombay, deciding the future of a factory in Frankfurt or...

Silverthorne companies connect Vegas: Colorado contractor builds tram on strip.(Colorado First Construction Co.)
July 30, 1999... Gamblers and gawkers at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip owe the soles of their shoes to two Silverthorne-based companies. Colorado First Construction Co. and Doppelmayr Cable Car North America built a tram that runs between the...

Taking charge: Bosch assumes reins from a popular dean.(interim University of Colorado at Denver College of Business dean Jean-Claude Bosch)
July 30, 1999... Jean-Claude Bosch has some huge shoes to fill. The newly appointed interim dean of the University of Colorado at Denver College of Business replaces departing Dean Yash Gupta, who made a splash in the Denver business community through his...

Librarians master the Internet: DU, Emporia make MLS programs available in Denver area.(University of Denver and Emporia State University offer Master in Library Science degree)
July 30, 1999... Librarians have come a long way since the days of hushing talkative children and riding hard on errant copies of National Geographic. In the age of information, those who can locate, organize and interpret information are in demand....

Helping small biz get on the 'Net: nonprofit agency aims to make computer access more affordable.(Colorado Business Network)
July 30, 1999... Most of the 124,000 Colorado businesses with five or fewer employees are not taking full advantage of technology, according to Greg Goettsch, a member of the small-business arena since 1973. To help alleviate this problem, Goettsch created...