Northern Colorado Cities Court NASA For Innovation Park
LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) - Louisville, Loveland, Erie, Firestone, Longmont and Greeley are among the communities in the running for a manufacturing and innovation park that has ties to NASA.
As part of Loveland's pitch to bring the NASA innovation park to the HP/Agilent campus, the city sent more than 3,000 Valentines to the decision makers. Loveland says it's the perfect place for a community-supported quick launch of a park to bring space technology down to Earth.
"We believe the space is ready to go, which it is, and we also know that it meets that size requirement. They were looking at 600,000, 800,000, a million square feet of space," said Betsey Hale, Loveland Business Development Director.
The effort to find down-to-Earth uses for NASA's high-flying technologies has communities in northern Colorado working to land the aerospace and clean energy park.
"Where we stand out, we think, is our community infrastructure and amenities. We have it. We can move. We're very nimble," said Fred Diehl, City of Erie Spokesperson.
Erie has a site for new construction along Interstate 25. Diehl says most important is that the park is successful wherever it's built.
"We're going to stand to benefit even if it doesn't come to Erie, but that we can provide the quality housing stock that's also growing, so we could meet that need," Diehl said.
"Just having it close, to be honest with you, is going to have a huge effect on the residents in Firestone," said Wes LaVanchy, Firestone Town Administrator.
Firestone's proposal is also for Greenfield, or brand new development of a site where 100 companies could innovate with NASA technologies.
"You've got water and sewer and sanitation. You've got a major corridor, four-lane highway, Highway 119, I-25 right here," LaVanchy said.
The economic development leaders say the innovation park will benefit all of northern Colorado,no matter which community wins NASA's heart.
