THE EYE: Fed center decision approaches

The Eye˜s nose has been to the ground for several months following the trail of the ever-elusive Natural Resources Research Center. Then government lawyers decided the site-selection process should be more public, and began taking bids from several developers on multiple parcels of land in and around Fort Collins.
Now, word is a final decision will be made early this month. (However, for the past few months, word has been that a final decision would be made each month). If an official announcement is made, common speculation is that it will come back to the CSU land.
"I don˜t know that for a fact," said Jud Harper, vice president for research at CSU. "I hope that˜s right. Some of our developers have put together complete packages. We˜ve done all we can."
We˜ be waiting to see what˜s announced this month. Or the next. Or the next.n n nHow to win friends and influence people.
Celestica Colorado has been busy — perhaps too busy for some other local high-tech manufacturers, given the region˜s chronic labor shortage.
Celestica vice president and general manager Joseph Mixsell, speaking at the Fort Collins Economic Development Corp. semiannual luncheon last month, noted that Celestica has been looking close-to-home for employees as it ramps up to a potential work force of 2,100 at its planned Fort Collins plant.
Where˜s the printed-circuit-board company been looking? Try none other than the plums of the Northern Colorado high-tech economy, namely Comlinear Corp., Symbios Logic Inc., Woodward Governor Co., Dovatron, EFTC Corp., etc.
"Some of the people we may be hiring É their companies are in this room," Mixsell said.