| We were impressed with South Western Colorado as | | | | are boutiques run by people willing to wither the off |
| a good place to hang your hat and a pretty good | | | | years such as the recent fire year, and drought |
| place to run a business. Great labor supply, good | | | | periods where the National News downgraded the |
| transportation and excellent tourist flows. The town is | | | | area and scared travelers who took those locations |
| growing in Cortez and up the hill in Durango as well. | | | | off their lists. Recovering now, but no small businesses |
| Their nearest trading partners Montrose and | | | | are breaking records. We did see a number of vacant |
| Farmington NM also helped with money flows to the | | | | shops to park trucks in the 1000 -2000 square foot |
| area. We like the area and thought it was completely | | | | range as well as many in the 5000 to 20,000 |
| economically viable and an excellent choice especially | | | | range.The growing Cortez City has about 8,200 |
| for manufacturing.About the only drawback is the drug | | | | projected by years end. Many more women than men |
| issue in the region, but that is with any US City really. It | | | | about 2% difference. They have now also been |
| was not as bad there as we have seen in border | | | | growing wheat. They have been doing the mailings and |
| cities, desert cities of big cities in other parts of the US. | | | | educational activity to be good neighbors and save |
| We talked with police and city officials about this and | | | | water for farmers and downstream cities that are |
| they admitted it was an issue, but felt they had a | | | | more taxed with no reservoirs, more reservoirs are |
| pretty good handle on it and were working hard to | | | | needed down stream. 2006 is the Centennial of Mesa |
| clean things up and that it is no longer a growing | | | | Verde and it is already being planned, the parks bring in |
| problem. They know who the bad apples are and they | | | | 600-7000 thousand tourists per year with 2.3 average |
| keep an eye on them. Anyway that reminded us of a | | | | people per car.We heard of a Juice Company which |
| conversation we had with the City of Cortez | | | | located in Delores which could ship to the Los Angeles |
| Economic Development Association director Bruce A | | | | market fo $ .50 per case and the LA competition did it |
| Johnson, who admitted to us they had a drug problem | | | | for $ .30 per case bu the cost to manufacture made |
| and said even had people making crystal meth in hotel | | | | up for the shipping of oranges and fruit from Florida |
| rooms that they rented and advised us that the drugs | | | | and then to LA after completed processing. Low |
| were made locally and affecting crime rates only a | | | | costs made the difference and they are successfully |
| little. Incidentally they shut that tactic down | | | | competing and hiring more people. Another company |
| quickly.Drinking was also an issue with Indians and | | | | which manufactures Tuff Boxes for security and after |
| young white kids getting into mischief that caused | | | | market auto, and a favorite at the annual Las Vegas |
| several horrific accidents over the years on all the | | | | SEMA show moved their operations from Denver to |
| two-lane roads. Lots of car wrecks there, even | | | | Cortez, stating costs were extremely lower, better |
| witnessed a tourist making a slow left turn in front of a | | | | labor and the owner and his wife could mountain bike |
| local teenager in a Nissan Sentra who broadsided | | | | every night and maintain twice the quality of life with |
| them. Good place for a body shop or tow company. In | | | | none of the I-25 corridor traffic mess, permanent |
| those Utah cities where the kids are migrating to so | | | | construction and free freeway parking at rush hour |
| they can afford to own homes there are kids hanging | | | | issues. Lots of dead head truckers are willing to pick |
| out on every corner and everyone knows everyone. | | | | up loads from trucks traveling through the area. Freight |
| The entire area is challenged by the Old West VS | | | | brokers said that the prices are decent and cheaper |
| New West and Value clash. Value clash of low cost | | | | then out of Denver, Salt Lake, Flagstaff or |
| of living, which has self segregated residents, workers | | | | Albuquerque.Labor in the region except for Durango |
| and retirees or rich and poor. This has really been an | | | | and Pagosa could be hired at $7 per hour for car |
| economical development challenge.The citizens want | | | | washing and detailing and managers at $10.00, anything |
| small businesses not Wal Marts, clean industries and a | | | | more than that and you could get a first class worker |
| proper value fit. The areas are growing middle class | | | | and manager since cost of living where the workers |
| and upper middle tourism area down town and leaving | | | | live is less. Also a new Mormon Stake Center just got |
| it difficult for locals to go downtown to hang out and | | | | built out side of town with labor assistance for their |
| afford things. Some anchor stores have left in | | | | people. For more information on the Economic |
| shopping centers in Cortez making it an issue for | | | | Development Specialist Bruce Johnsons comments go |
| some trying to hold on small businesses. They are | | | | to is also a big noon time meeting ad hoc Business |
| willing to give mass incentives to build office parks, but | | | | Club which meets and they are also countered by the |
| the infrastructure is a problem needing | | | | Rotary Club night time meeting group which is the older |
| telecommunication systems in place first to compete | | | | crowd, we see issues of passing the torch to the next |
| for company recruitment of mid and large | | | | generation there and some small town politics which |
| businesses.Transportation systems need up grade and | | | | are getting worked out. Also working through other |
| some businesses in the area are doing that for the | | | | issues of the area are Hal Shepard of the Police |
| high-end clientele but not the lower end workers. For | | | | Department on the drug issues. They have a good |
| instance taking people to Durango and Pagosa for | | | | handle on it and are winning the local war on drugs. |
| jobs from Cortez and other areas, it is needed for the | | | | There are some wineries also on the NM side, which |
| services required of the richer folks, jobs for others | | | | are getting popular. has the biggest area population of |
| and fairness among issues of real estate values of | | | | the four corners region and lots of transportation |
| distance natural segregation in the towns which are all | | | | companies. Right now using lots of greenhouses and |
| intertwined for commerce and growth and of course | | | | drip irrigation tape to farm. Sweet corn grows well |
| success. Noah's Ark in Durango has two new tour | | | | there and Canyon de Cheilly cliff dwellings and also |
| buses and extended limos and a 1.2 million dollar facility | | | | known as one of the most beautiful canyons of the |
| for tourists, but not workers to the city, perhaps the | | | | world. It is true. You should check it out and spend |
| city or county can fund them on a contract to buy | | | | some money there, see America, travel and go inside |
| another buss or two for that purpose?There is a large | | | | a Keva this summer, nice and cool whereever you |
| labor pool in Cortez many are Navajo and are | | | | are. This concludes our preliminary report on the areas |
| extremely hard working, reliable and dependable, | | | | surrounding region 9 of Colorado and our ability to find |
| others are of the Ute Tribe and many are mixed with | | | | the niches necessary for those looking to expand |
| every nationality you can think of all great family | | | | businesses or find great places to live as well as to |
| people. Many of the workers do not have technical | | | | the people who desire services and jobs to those who |
| training but could learn. The entire four corners region is | | | | are willing to work and show up on time, drug free.One |
| like that. the incentives for people who wish to bring | | | | thing that must be mentioned, the people there in the |
| businesses there to set up shop, although Durango is | | | | region are extremely polite and nice. Honest and |
| somewhat anti-business unless you are willing to join | | | | pleasant and would stop to help you if you needed it. |
| the club of the New West idea and sell high-end nick | | | | Not too many places like that anymore. This is |
| nacks, which not all store owners were making a lot of | | | | definitely one of them. Thank you South Western |
| money, similar to Palm Desert CA, Carlsbad CA, | | | | Colorado for your hospitality, can't wait to get back |
| downtown shops of OH, Jackson Hole WY, Whitefish | | | | and visit.Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum |
| MT or Sun Valley ID and places like that. Lots of | | | | board. |
| competition in the area and many of the businesses | | | | |