Serving the community since 1866
WEEK OF DECEMBER 26, 2024
VOLUME 158 | ISSUE 52
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Golden approves financing plan for $60 million municipal center Despite some residents requesting a delay, city moves forward now to lower costs amid good economic conditions BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Jack Wells completes a ski jump March 15 at Golden’s Heritage Dells Park. A group of local college students spent part of the March 13-15 snowFILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN storm building a makeshift ski run and ramp.
2024 in rewind for Golden
The Transcript looks back at the year’s biggest stories, major changes in the community BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLOROADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
2024 was a year of major change in Golden, with numerous projects — big and small — either kicking off or wrapping up. The community noticeably doesn’t look the same in December as it did in January. There are swarms of construction cones along the streets, a few construction cranes along the skyline and several new buildings alongside the old ones. Along with change, this was also a year of celebration, reflection and loss. In these final days of 2024, the Transcript offers a look back at some of the year’s biggest stories:
its 150th anniversary all year with special events and celebrations. In February, it kicked off the celebrations at the Labriola Innovation District’s grand opening. April marked two big events with the Beck Venture Center’s grand opening and the 90th annual E-Days. Graduation ceremonies in May were particularly special as the university revived the Engineer’s Hat tradition and other unique touches. This was not only to celebrate the university’s 150th anniversary but also to celebrate the graduates — many of whom didn’t have traditional high school graduations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the biggest celebration was undoubtedly Homecoming Week Sept. 26-28. About 4,800 Orediggers turned out for the special Blaster’s Bash on Sept. 27,
where they rang in their new Sesquicentennial Bell and unsheathed a specially commissioned ceremonial sword. But that was just a taste of the crowd that turned out for the Sept. 28 Homecoming football game, when almost 7,000 Orediggers packed the Marv Kay Stadium stands to set a new stadium record. (And that record was broken about a month later when 7,800 fans attended Mines’ hosted No. 8 Western Colorado on Oct. 26.) Several Orediggers said it was the most exciting Homecoming week, describing it as a “once-in-a-lifetime event.” With the sesquicentennial year about to end, many were excited for the bicentennial year in 2074 and all that the Orediggers would accomplish in the interim.
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Cheers to 150 years, Orediggers!
Colorado School of Mines celebrated
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12 | CALENDAR: 15 | SPORTS: 16
Golden’s new $60 million municipal center is no longer a matter of “if” but “when.” On Dec. 17, the City Council approved a financing plan a new three-level City Hall and police headquarters at the former Molson Coors property at 311 10th St. With council’s approval, in the coming weeks, the city will pay a $7.5 million down payment and issue up to $52.5 million in Certificates of Participation, not to exceed a 5% interest rate or a 21year term. Certificates of Participation are a form of debt financing akin to a lease-to-purchase agreement. Other municipalities have used them to finance their construction projects, and Golden itself has used them twice in the last 20 years to build the city shops facility and buy the 311 10th St. property, according to city documents. There’s no request to increase taxes, officials have clarified, as Golden would repay its debt through existing revenues. Officials expect to break ground on the municipal center this summer, with move-in scheduled for 2027. This is the first phase of the larger Heart of Golden project. While Goldenites have been split on both the municipal center itself and issuing COPs to finance it, the councilors voted 6-0 to approve the financing plan. Councilor Rob Reed was absent Dec. 17, but said at the Dec. 3 meeting how he supported the project and issuing COPs to finance it.
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