Colorado's Aerotropolis

Study complete

One of the most compelling economic opportunities in the world is moving forward. The Colorado Aerotropolis Visioning Study concluded in May 2016.

The study team is available for presentations to interested groups about the study and its findings. To schedule a time or request additional information, please contact the following individuals:

  • Michelle Claymore
    City of Commerce City Economic Development Director

  • Evan Dreyer
    City and County of Denver Deputy Chief of Staff

  • John Potts
    Denver International Airport (DEN) Development Director
  • Colorado Aerotropolis Executive Summary
  • Colorado Aerotropolis Study Briefing
  • Colorado Aerotropolis Summary Report
    • Colorado Aerotropolis Outreach
      • Steering Committee
      • Study Review Committee
      • Stakeholder Jurisdictions
      • Other Agencies
    • Colorado Aerotropolis Peer Aerotropolises Memo
    • Colorado Aerotropolis Infrastructure Development
    • Colorado Aerotropolis Assessment of Growth Projections
    • Colorado Aerotropolis Economic and Financial Analysis
    • Colorado Aerotropolis Governance Options

What is an Aerotropolis?

Aerotropolis is an urban plan in which the layout, infrastructure, and economy are centered on and around an airport.

Visioning Study
Overview

The Federal Highway Administration funded a grant for a Colorado Aerotropolis Visioning Study to identify opportunities for the efficient infrastructure needed to foster and support economic development around Denver International Airport (DIA). This study, administered by the Colorado Department of Transportation, came at an opportune time to capitalize on the 1A ballot measure actions approved by Adams and Denver county voters in November 2015. The visioning study concluded in May 2016.

Collaborative Investment

The planning framework identified opportunities for collaborative investments in infrastructure (Transportation, Water, Wastewater, Power, Communications and Drainage).

Stakeholders

Jurisdictions adjacent to or near the airport were major stakeholders of the visioning study including Adams County, Aurora, Brighton, Commerce City and Denver. Economic development corporations, transportation agencies, and other infrastructure agencies were also involved in the study effort.

Visioning Study

Vision Statement

At the onset of the study, participants jointly developed a vision statement:

"A sustainable, efficient, well-connected, and globally recognized Aerotropolis that capitalizes on the economic opportunity surrounding the Denver International Airport through collaborative planning, development, and marketing."

Major Components
  • Setting a collaborative vision
  • Comparing future growth with or without an Aerotropolis
  • Identifying a framework of collaborative infrastructure possibilities
  • Outlining a governance framework and implementation steps

Comparative Analysis

One of the objectives of the study is to provide an economic comparison of a potential Aerotropolis Development Scenario against a Current Development Trend Scenario.

Aerotropolis Scenario

The Aerotropolis Development Scenario represents a higher level of regional coordination relative to infrastructure and development surrounding DIA. It was largely compiled from information derived from master plans from each of the jurisdictions. It has the following assumptions:

  • Only 25 years into the future, there is available data for the 2040 horizon year. Note that DIA has now been operating for 20 years. It is recognized that a Colorado Aerotropolis will develop over several decades — for another 50 years and beyond. On the other hand, initial steps for the Colorado Aerotropolis development could take place in the next 10 to 15 years.
  • An executed Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) Amendment — additional on-airport development, shared revenues, and new accesses onto the DIA property.
  • The Aerotropolis attracts additional development from the region, the state, North America, and the globe.
  • Additional planned roadway improvements as identified.

Current Trends

The Current Development Trend Scenario represents a “business as usual” scenario relative to development surrounding DIA. It is based on the following assumptions:

  • Reflects the federally funded transportation network and socioeconomic dataset in the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Metro Vision 2040 Plan.
  • No amended IGA — therefore, no new on-airport nodes or accesses.
  • Limited local funds

Speaker Series - Presentation Recap

Jeff Fegan: Land Development at DFW International Airport — A Collaborative Journey

About Jeff

Jeff has more than 35 years in the airport industry. He spent 29 years with the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport — 19 years as the Chief Executive Officer.

Jeff's Unparalleled Experience

Jeff is considered a pioneer and innovator in airport commercialization. Since 1994, Jeff has transformed DFW into a high-performance entrepreneurial enterprise with a reputation of excellence in virtually all aspects of the operation.

Under his leadership, DFW became one of the first airports to embrace the Aerotropolis concept, which has resulted in significant new commercial development. Embracing this concept has led to substantial new revenues for DFW from projects like major industrial parks, hotels, foreign trade zone development, and the exploration of natural gas.

Jeff’s personal quest is to provide strategic advisory services to airport and aviation clients to facilitate connecting the needs of the aviation industry with service providers and products.

Summary and Video

As the Colorado Aerotropolis Visioning study looks forward, Jeff Fegan looked back on DFW’s development and the Aerotropolis around it. Highlights of Jeff’s presentation included:

  • Told of DFW’s commercial development focus on air-related warehouse and distribution activities but flexibility to attract others, like medical devices and sports merchandise. DFW hosts three hotels, golf, corporate headquarters and four auto dealerships.
  • Related how a consolidated car rental operation began what turned out to be DFW’s permanent revenue sharing arrangement with the four host cities.
  • Cited a cooperative planning task force, led by DFW’s VP of commercial development, to coordinate leads and to prevent developers from playing one city off against another.
  • Recounted how early DFW development was episodic until surrounding growth occurred. He credited the North Central Texas Council of Governments for leading the development of the surrounding transportation infrastructure.
  • Listed lessons learned—be cooperative, communicate, take risks, have patience, build trust. As a result, development projects got easier.
Watch a video of Mr. Fegan’s entire presentation.

Questions

Jay Hendrickson / 303-512-5991
[email protected]

Chris Primus / 303-323-9838
[email protected]

More About Colorado's Aerotropolis

In the 20 years since Denver International Airport opened, it has become the largest economic driver in the state of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. It is quickly outgrowing the civil infrastructure that surrounds it as businesses locate within the neighboring communities for ready-access to the global marketplace.

The land surrounding the airport represents one of the most compelling economic opportunities in the world.