Denver is trying to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from you, Aurora. It’s not hyperbole.
Last week, Denver officials announced that the skirmish between that city, Aurora, Adams County and other Adams County cities was all-but-settled in regards to Denver’s plan to launch into a major airport development plan they dub “Aerotropolis.”
It’s not true. Denver wants to violate the 1988 multi-government agreement that made Denver International Airport possible because it badly needs money. At the time, it was clear that an expanded Stapleton International Airport was a boondoggle. A bigger airport was needed and it could only be built outside of landlocked Denver. Aurora, Adams County, Commerce City and Thornton agreed to let Denver annex land for DIA, but it came at a huge cost. Denver could allow ONLY airport-related businesses along its narrow flagpole of land connecting DIA to Denver. That limited Denver to hotels, gas stations, parking lots and restaurants. The agreement made sense for both sides. A consortium of state and local governments could have created a new, needed regional airport and effectively shut down Stapleton. It would have been a huge endeavor. But Denver was willing to carry the water the financial risk in creating DIA. The trade-off? Denver got to develop pretty much all airport-related businesses at the perimeter, which is where they count.
But for giving up the chance to ever reap the tax-revenue rewards for thousands of acres of land, Aurora and Adams County took the consolation prize of having sole rights to develop businesses that were aligned with air-travel and the business of air-travel.
If you don’t follow airport news, we can catch you up by pointing out that DIA is not a cash-cow for Denver. Not only does it barely pay the bills, the fees that Denver imposes on airlines and other businesses are so steep that they’re a serious problem. Denver needs cash, and they want into your pocket to get it. They’ve dreamed up “Aerotropolis,” a scam that tries to make it seem like they have the legal right to do it. They don’t. The plan calls for attracting industries like engineering, transportation, aerospace, logistics and renewable energy in something very much akin to the Denver Tech Center. It’s a great idea, but it’s one that belongs to Aurora and Adams County, not Denver.
Denver has tried to soften their conceit, realizing state courts would easily rule against them because the pact was so clearly written and the argument for it was so clearly detailed. So now, Denver is talking about a “joint” effort, where “everybody” can win. By allowing Denver to have any part of an airport business city development, dollars that can fund Aurora libraries, rec centers, roads, schools, cops, event centers and performing arts centers, will go to pay for Denver cops, schools, roads, rec centers and — you get the picture. The land and the rights to develop airport industries belongs only to Adams County and related governments. If those governments find some kind of equitable quid pro quo that would compel them to surrender all that cash to Denver, then it had better be good. If Denver wants to pony up the cost of building such a city and share revenues with Aurora, that’s a good place to start. If Denver wants to publicly back Aurora’s Gaylord project, rather than tacitly support greedy Denver businesses trying to undo it, that could help. If Denver wants to renegotiate other airport aspects that squelched development of Front Range Airport and other possibilities on the airport perimeter, that might be worth looking at.
But for Denver to simply expect that Aurora and company allow them to steal decades of tax revenues, just because they want it, that’s not a disagreement, that’s a crime. And our representatives need to call the cops.
Instead of complaining about where tax revenues could theoretically go, why not write an informative article about why Aurora isn’t talking about an Aerotropolis? Does Aurora have the financial capacity, expertise, or desire to develop an Aerotropolis and if so, why haven’t they articulated that plan in the last 20 years? Are Aurora and Adams County willing to take the upfront risk of stewarding the development? These are all legitimate questions which would be helpful for your readers to be able to compare Denver’s plan to Aurora/Adam’s County objections.
No I dont think Aurora has the financial capacity, expertise but may have the desire to develop an Aerotropolis.
Bottom line, there is already an “aerotropolis” developing in Aurora around DIA, and it has been for 20 years. Gateway Park, Majestic Commerce Center, ProLogis Center, Singletree, and HIgh Point are all Aurora projects started since DIA was opened, and falling squarely in “aerotropolis”. Heck, under Denver’s definition of an aerotropolis, the Fitzsimons/Anschutz campus qualifies, as does the Hyatt Hotel project Corporex is building on Colfax in Aurora. Clearly, the Aurora Gaylord Hotel project qualifies. Denver’s idea is not unique. Aurora has been pursing it for decades. We just didn’t give it a catchy name. Steve Hogan, Aurora Mayor
I love this kind of narrow minded talk. This is amazing to me, this is an incredible inflammatory article. Aurora and the surrounding city have had 20+ year to develop the land around that airport and that has not happened! Now that someone whats to do something all they want to do is scream and stomp there feet that they are not getting anything out of the deal. I would like to know why they have not done this for them selves. It also amazes me that Aurora and their mayor are the only ones that have a problem with this, the rest of the surrounding communities see the opportunity for everyone. What Aurora cant seem to realize is that this is good for the whole region and the state. DIA is a major economic engine for the whole region and there is plenty of opportunity for every one to share in the benefits.
Adams County will honor and, as necessary, enforce its voter-approved agreement allowing annexation of 54 square miles for the development of DIA by Denver. Promises made by Denver to Adams County citizens must be kept. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is trying to use the Press and misinform the public to pressure Adams County to ok a breech of contact – it’s not ok! There is a legal document – an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for the annexation of the land with development restrictions agreed to and executed in 1988 by Denver. All Adams County (and Aurora) is asking them to do is simply honor the agreement. There are strict development restrictions in place so your argument is invalid.
Surely Denver needs additional cash to help support fledgling airport operations, along with the cost of expanding social services in the core city. Of course, additional revenue streams are needed to pay for double-digit salary increases for the mayor and city councilors, and an increasingly bloated city bureaucracy.
(Snark alert)