April 4, 2016
Jonathan Toman
[email protected]
Colorado Spring mayor John Suthers came to campus on March 31 in an event hosted by SGA.
He discussed the infrastructure challenges and successes that the city faces, along with the economic impact of UCCS on Colorado Springs.
While Suthers said UCCS currently contributes around $400 million to the Colorado Spring economy, he said that in the next five to seven years, the city expects UCCS to be a “$1 billion a year economic driver in Colorado Springs.”
The main reason for the expanded impact, Suthers said, will be the development of the North Nevada corridor, with buildings such as the existing Lane Center and planned Ent Center for the Arts, medical branch of the CU system and cybersecurity hub at the current Mortgage Solutions Financial Expo Center now owned by UCCS.
Suthers said that when he grew up in Colorado Springs, the city had 40,000 people in it. Now, he said, the city has over 40,000 college students.
“College students are a big part of the fabric of our community,” Suthers said.
The mayor took audience questions after speaking.