The east I-70 Corridor surrounding Bennett is home to nearly 30,000 residents and more than 500 small, locally-owned businesses. The Bennett trade area and service area extends 6o miles. Since King Soopers opened in 2007, Bennett began to serve the retail needs of a broader community and geographic area. The grocer’s customer profile extends over 60 miles beyond Limon. This location is influenced by a high volume of commuters, including semi-tractor trailers as evidenced by the success of Love’s Truck Stop, which opened in 2011. Additional retailers have opened in recent years include McDonald’s, Tractor Supply Company, Taco Bell, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts and Carl’s Jr.
The evaluation of this market is not traditional. Beyond rooftops on the I-70 Corridor, commuters, travelers and the extended geographical service area must be considered. King Soopers is a testament to the size and mass of the trade area. Commercial and residential development is inevitable given the location, regional growth pressures, proximity to transportation infrastructure, and availability of services.
BUSINESS GROWTH ON THE EAST I-70 CORRIDOR
The east I-70 Corridor continues to be the beneficiary of rising levels of investment from commercial centers creating new employment, commerce and tax dollars. The following are developments within 10 to 20 minutes of Bennett Crossing:
COLORADO AIR & SPACE PORT (FRONT RANGE AIRPORT, WATKINS) | 7 miles west of Bennett | On August 17, 2018, the Colorado Air and Space Port announced the FAA approved its site operator license, a major step forward in establishing a spaceport in Adams County. With the second largest aerospace workforce in America, Colorado Air & Space Port will be America’s hub for commercial space transportation, research and development.
AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER | 15 miles west of Bennett | Amazon’s first Colorado distribution center totaling 452,000sf along the east I-70 Corridor opened in 2016 expanding employment growth in northeast Aurora.
JPMORGAN CHASE DATA CENTER | 15 miles west of Bennett | JPMorgan Chase has acquired 100 acres of land at Aurora Crossroads Regional Activity Center with plans to open an ‘operations site’ by 2019 at the SEC of I-70 and E-470. This nearby investment will benefit the local economy and create numerous well-paying jobs.
GAYLORD ROCKIES AND CONFERENCE CENTER | 17 miles west of Bennett | This $800 million facility boasts 1,500 hotel rooms and a conference center with approximately 485,000 square feet of meeting space in Aurora. The project is located in proximity to Denver International Airport and is expected to bring 2,500 permanent jobs to the area.
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (DIA) | DIA is a significant economic engine and employer for the area supporting approximately 217,459 jobs. With employment in the airport region projected to grow at more than double the rate of Metro Denver, DIA will continue to be a factor in the Denver Metro area’s regional economic stability.
These large sized project spur economic development and job creation, which translates to the need for new housing, added medical services and continued commercial growth.
