as Secret Creek.

John Gibson, owner of the company, said showcasing their yurts in a ‘destination area” attracted him to it.

Gibson’s company was the second business, after Mayfly, to get into the Colorado Outdoors project.

‘Being involved in a project for revitalization of an area and being on the ground floor is exciting.’

As it continues to build out and construction advances, Dragoo isn’t the only one excited.

‘It’s one thing to look at pretty pictures on the wall. It’s a whole other thing to start getting neighbors and watching businesses thrive,’ Gibson said.

What’s always been attractive about the Colorado Outdoors is that second word. ‘Outdoors.’ Taking a walk along the trail, it’s clear, even after buildings go

The Flex buildings a_

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Italian restaurant Trattoria di Sofia and more, Gunnison Clamp for the Montrose BusinessTimes up on the land, the place has a sense of nature. And that’s intentional.

Dragoo said there are four components in growing the project. The fourth he mentioned is conservation.

He expressed the importance of keeping the land open.

“It’s not a concrete jungle,” he said. “You want to enjoy being in the great outdoors, and that enhances a lot of the amenities we already have.”

Another part of growing right is making sure the project fills the needs of the people on the land. Bright Beginnings childcare facility moved into the Colorado Outdoors, in one of the Flex buildings. That was intentional.

The project looks for businesses that fit. But businesses also look for communities that fit.

“They look at the schools, and they look at childcare,” Dragoo said.

He discovered that need partially in recruiting businesses. Two of the five classrooms at Bright Beginnings were in use as of earlier this month. It houses infants now, but soon toddlers and pre-school age children will be accepted into the childcare facility.

Some other growth comes naturally. The Marriott, for instance, knew there was a shortage of beds in Montrose, and as businesses pick the Colorado Outdoors campus, they need rooms for visitors.

Looking ahead

The future is bright at the Colorado Outdoors, but that doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing.

Businesses looking to move to Montrose can take advantage of a wealth of incentives, but in Colorado, construction prices are up and continue to grow. Dragoo hopes those will plateau, as they never really shrink.

“Anecdotally, I’d say they’re up about 40% (since the Colorado Outdoors project first broke ground),” he said.

That hasn’t stopped other plans.

The Basecamp apartments at the Colorado Outdoors plan to build more toward the river, Dragoo said. And there are plans for medical offices near the signed front entrance to the campus.

“There’s all these roadblocks in the way that communities don’t realize,” he said.

But the community, which is what Dragoo looks for, is what has helped make the project work. From the city’s help with infrastructure, to incentives, to the fact that there’s plenty of momentum already, there are plenty of reasons for development to move toward the Colorado Outdoors project. And the roadblocks in the way don’t seem to be big enough to stop what’s coming.

Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or 254246-2260.