Publisher’s Notebook: John Q. Hammons ups ante in evolution of Interstate 25

Developers continue to cruise Main Street.

John Q. Hammons’ announcement that he will build a $35 million, 250-room Embassy Suites Hotel and 80,000-square-foot conference center in Loveland demonstrates the inexorable push toward development of the Interstate 25 corridor, known as the Main Street of Northern Colorado.

The project, to be located at the northwest corner of I-25 and Crossroads Boulevard, will be joined by a previously announced 120-room Marriott Hotel, to be located on Centerra property at I-25 and U.S. Highway 34.

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Land along I-25 has developed rapidly during the past decade, and momentum continues to build. In addition to two large hotels, the interstate in Loveland soon will see a new hospital, to be built by Poudre Valley Health System.

The area also could see a 500,000-square-foot lifestyle shopping center, in competition with similar proposals in Windsor and Fort Collins.

Already, the interstate is witnessing a transformation, from the new E-470 interchange on the south to Wellington on the north. In between, dozens of projects have sprung up, ranging from retail to industrial, distribution to entertainment.

The new Larimer County Fairgrounds opens this fall, complete with the Colorado Eagles hockey team. Work continues to bring minor league baseball to the corridor as well.

What does all this activity mean for Northern Colorado? Is complete development of the I-25 corridor a wise idea?

On the one hand, it means additional opportunity for the region. Conference space in Loveland will secure business from Fort Collins, Greeley and surrounding areas. New stores will attract shoppers who might otherwise have gone to Denver, Broomfield or beyond.

On the other hand, we soon will see dramatic increases in traffic on an interstate that was never intended to be “Main Street.” More open space will disappear.

But John Q. Hammons and others like him are drawn to the corridor and the opportunities it represents. The fact is that the corridor represents the thread that links Northern Colorado together. It’s also the artery that allows transit to the Denver area and is the entry route for visitors from out-of-state.

And when development in the region is constrained by mountains on the west, I-25 will continue to attract major development, including hotels, shopping centers, housing, industry and entertainment venues.

The only question now is how long it will take to build out — and how long before traffic grinds to a halt.

Christopher Wood can be reached at (970) 221-5400, (970) 356-1683 or via e-mail at cwood@ncbr.com. His fax number is (970) 221-5432.