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