Amazon, Hampton Inn Announce Montrose Expansions; North Fork Miners Trail Opens in Hotchkiss
Big economic development news came to Montrose this week with two high-profile projects moving forward.
Amazon has finalized the purchase of nearly eight acres near Montrose Regional Airport for a future distribution facility. The deal, first reported by the Montrose Business Times, was facilitated by the Montrose Economic Development Corporation. While the company hasn’t confirmed the facility’s type, MEDC says it will create both full-time and part-time jobs with benefits. The acquisition follows Amazon’s recent expansion into Grand Junction and marks a growing presence on Colorado’s Western Slope.
Also in Montrose, a new Hampton Inn is scheduled to break ground this summer at the Colorado Outdoors development along the Uncompahgre River. The $18.9 million project is supported by more than $2 million in infrastructure incentives from the Montrose Urban Renewal Authority. It’s expected to generate over $5 million in local tax revenue by 2042 and create roughly 30 new jobs. The new hotel will be the second national chain in the development, joining the Fairfield Inn.
In education news, the Montrose County School Board has once again denied an application from the proposed Montrose Classical Academy. The board voted 4–2 to reject the charter school, citing concerns about its ability to secure a facility and serve all students equitably.
In the North Fork Valley, the long-anticipated North Fork Miners Trail is now open in Hotchkiss. The trail runs 1.25 miles from the Delta County Fairgrounds to North Fork High School, including a newly installed pedestrian bridge over the North Fork of the Gunnison River. That bridge, a 204-foot span weighing 75 tons, was a key feature of the project and traveled from Nebraska for installation.
Delta County Commissioner Wendell Koontz credited the collaboration of multiple community partners and grant funders, including CDOT and Great Outdoors Colorado, for making the $3.1 million project possible. Locals say the trail—and its adjoining features like a new disc golf course and playground—have already made the fairgrounds feel like a destination again.
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