Chronicle Parker
PARKER 2.1.13
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 14
February 1, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourparkernews.com
Developer proposes mass-scale project Offices, homes could be economic boon for county By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com
An anxious cowpoke peeks out from the crowd of kids at the National Western Stock Show Stick Horse Rodeo on Jan. 26. More than 60 kids participated in the annual children’s event.
KIDS AND CRITTERS PHOTOS BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY The National Western Stock Show on Jan. 27 concluded its 107th year. It is always one of the biggest events for ranchers from across the country. Kids and critters make the show in Denver fun and always unpredictable. A quick look around the show found a variety of barnyard favorites as well as a few new exotic breeds making their way into the mainstream. Kids worked, played and gave it their best shot in the annual stick rodeo. Among the standard fare of livestock, many new and exotic breeds have found their way to the National Western Stock Show. Here, a curious Scottish Highlands bull takes an interest in the camera.
Local horse industry generates $100M-plus Study shows equestrian community a strong economic driver By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com The horse industry in Douglas and Elbert counties is estimated to be worth between $100 million and $135 million annually, according to a study commissioned by the Colorado Horse Park. Research by Summit Economics, LLC, an independent firm hired by the international equestrian event venue just south of Parker, confirmed a widely held belief: that horses are a major economic driver in the two counties. Analysts spent months conducting surveys and looking at overall consumer spending on horses in the neighboring counties, including riding lessons, feed, tack, trailers, veterinary bills and boarding. As much as $135 million is spent each year, and Colorado Horse Park founder Helen Krieble says that number would likely be higher in a stable economy. The horse park itself generates more than $15 million in spending by spectators, staff and competitors, many of whom stay in area hotels and eat at local restaurants. Total spending by competitors on lodging, food and other personal shopping was
$917,000 spread over an average of 22 days. Additionally, the facility’s maintenance crew spent roughly $100,000 last year at Home Depot. The study found that the equestrian industry in Douglas and Elbert counties supports between 1,400 and 1,950 direct and indirect jobs, of which more than 300 come from the horse park. Krieble pointed out that horse park officials were careful to hire an outside firm rather than launching an in-house study that could possibly produce skewed numbers. Several key players funded the $15,000 study, including the two counties and various horse advocacy groups. “These are very real numbers,” she said, adding that her long-standing assumptions about the industry are now quantified with solid figures. Krieble hopes the financial impact study results will get the attention of elected officials and business leaders who might be interested in the mutual benefits of a strong partnership. Unlike publicly subsidized venues like the Douglas County Fairgrounds, the Colorado Horse Park is a privately owned entity that relies, in part, on sponsorships from local companies like Parker Adventist Hospital. Private funding enables the horse park to maintain its autonomy. “That’s really what makes a place like this work,” Krieble said. The equestrian industry is being “threat-
Sarah Bowen, 14, of Franktown, poses with Hippo Aug. 21 at The Colorado Horse Park in Parker. She said she had been riding for seven years. File photo
A development group from Washington, D.C., hopes to create a bustling economic corridor that would pave the way for employment centers and new homes between Parker and Castle Rock. John Lay, the former head of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, is representing a group that he says can secure federal and private funding to extend Stroh Road and turn it into a thriving hub of commerce. A study by Aurora-based THK Associates estimates that the $25 million to $30 million road project would ultimately lead to $7.2 billion in market value to the county, including $6.4 billion in residential real estate. Lay, who first presented his ideas to the Parker Water and Sanitation District board of directors in December, also believes the inclusion of more users into the water district would spread the costs of paying off the bonds that funded the construction of Rueter-Hess Reservoir. It would also provide more financial leverage for purchasing water to fill the 70,000 acre-foot reservoir, which now contains less than 10,000 acrefeet of water. “If people are concerned about the lack of water and high water bills, this is the most direct way to solve those problems,” Lay said. The recent discussions are breathing new life into a proposal that local leaders thought had been permanently shelved. The establishment of Hess Road as an alternative route between Parker and Interstate 25 last year was regarded as the answer to the Parker Water and Sanitation District’s opposition to the construction of Stroh Road. Former PWSD district manager Frank Jaeger, who retired at the end of 2012, rebuffed a Douglas County-proposed road alignment that he said would have required the bridging of inlet channels into RueterHess Reservoir. He feared that road chemicals and possible hazardous materials spills could compromise the integrity of the town’s water supply. Bridges would not be required with the proposed road alignment, says Lay, who has had informal discussions with the developers of The Canyons, a residential development planned on the east side of I-25. The group has also contacted leaders from the Town of Parker, who believe that any transportation corridor leading to I-25 would benefit the longterm economic vitality of the town. However, there are several questions that still need to be answered, including determining how federal highway dollars get spent on a county road that is no longer on the Denver Regional Council of Government’s Transportation Improvement Plan. Parker’s town manager Randy Young wants to know whether there have been discussions with major players who would be involved in such a massive undertaking, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Proposal continues on Page 9
ened on every front” by what Krieble calls “hostile regulations” that make it increasingly difficult for smaller operations to stay open. Commercial taxes, mandatory inspections and egregious rules result in smaller profit margins. Krieble says she Horse continues on Page 9
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