VSK Energy a no-show in Brighton

BRIGHTON — The much-ballyhooed entrance of VSK Energy and its 900 jobs has apparently fizzled before it could even begin.

The company, a joint venture of India-based solar energy solutions provider Vikram Solar, private equity firm Phalanx Impact Partners, and investment and development firm Das & Co., announced in June 2023 that it would bring 900 jobs to Brighton, and would locate in the city’s 76 Commerce Center. The company had agreed to some performance-based incentives, as well.

But a different company, Broadrange Logistics LLCR, a Georgia-based supply chain logistics company, just leased the remaining two available buildings of more than 1 million square feet at the center. Broadrange specializes in servicing the green-energy sector; and a portion of the property will be used for distributing solar-panel components, according to a news release.

Robin Martinez, economic development director, president & CEO of Brighton Economic Development, said she has been unable to reach anyone at the company in the last few months. She said he heard second-hand that the company was taking a second look at another location in Alabama.

“They were a new venture, so sometimes with new ventures, things change quickly,” Martinez said. “We haven’t been able to get in touch with the actual company for a few months now.  Also, they were supposed to go into the 76 Commerce Center, and there is no more space. It is disappointing.”

Eric Pearson, a partner with Phalanx Impact, responded in an email to questions about VSK coming to Brighton: “Progress continues at VSK, including confirmation of the ideal final facility site,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, no further announcements are available at this time.”

In a prepared statement, Alissa Johnson, senior communications manager for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, responded that the incentives the state had agreed to give VSK were performance-based, meaning that they could not collect without actually creating the jobs they had promised. She wrote:

“On March 16, 2023, the Colorado Economic Development Commission approved Project Pothos (VSK Energy) for up to $9,173,689 for the creation of up to 951 net new jobs with an average annual wage of $65,312 (100% of the average annual wage in Adams County) or 100% of the average annual wage of any Colorado county the company decides to locate over eight years. This approval enables the company to locate outside of Adams County. The company has not yet earned these incentives, nor has it completed the award agreement with the state.”

Paul Hyde, developer of the 76 Commerce Center, said his company was talking to VSK Energy a year ago, but the lease was never signed.

“I’m not sure what they are doing,” Hyde said. “They were looking at something in Alabama, and we haven’t heard from them in a long time.”

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