Loveland

Loveland has proven that artists don’t have to be starving – at least not when they’re backed by a thriving, entrepreneurial economy.

Known for a culture largely driven by the arts, the city and its population have poured finances and efforts into renovating the downtown, supporting local business and convincing Rocky Mountain National Park tourists its worth more than a pit stop.

Situated at the interchange of Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34, the Sweetheart City offers easy access to communities throughout Larimer and Weld counties, and is less than 30 miles from Estes Park.

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Its fastest growing industry is healthcare, with Mckee Medical Center and the Medical Center of the Rockies topping the city’s employment charts.

The completion of Centera and the promise of more development along the I-25 corridor also has given Loveland momentum.

A library remodel, expanded city center, posh new apartment buildings, a proposed museum renovation and the revitalization of several business facades are just a few examples of the facelift the city has begun.

One of the most recent major business stories for the city was the completed purchase and sale of the former Agilent/Hewlett Packard campus to Cumberland and Western. The hope? To turn the 811,000-square-foot campus into a regional employment center over the next five to 10 years.

The Rialto Bridge Project was another milestone this year. In an equal partnership between the city and a private developer, the project included an expansion and renovation of the city’s historic Rialto Theater. With the purchase of two buildings to the west, the theater was expanded to a 20,000-square-foot, three-story, full-fledged performing art center, complete with a restaurant, offices for rent and a community meeting room.

It helps that Loveland is fairly near the epicenter of the Colorado Higher Education Triangle – University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University and University of Colorado at Boulder. According to the most recent figures, 36.8 percent of Loveland’s population over 25 had a bachelor’s degree or higher level of education.

Loveland also is home to several professional sports teams. The Colorado Eagles, a Central Hockey League franchise, regularly play to sellout crowds at the Budweiser Events Center. The center also hosts the Colorado Ice indoor football team.

Although the city boasts numerous sectors, art is still one of Loveland’s top draws. The municipality is home to the Loveland Sculpture Invitational, an annual event that brings hundreds of artists from all over the world to show and sell their artwork, as well as numerous galleries, extensive public art displays and local foundries.