Castle Rock Chamber Of Commerce | Castle Rock in the News

The population of Castle Rock continues to grow, and why not? With our prime location, affordable housing (relative to other nearby towns) stunning natural beauty in the area, excellent schools, world-class shopping and dining, and some of the best golf courses in the country, the question really is, why wouldn’t you want to live in Castle Rock?

CNN Money
Date: August, 2011

Castle Rock, Colorado ranks 19th on Money's list of America's Best Small Towns. The list of Money's terrific small towns stand out in the qualities American families care about most - great job opportunities, top-notch schools, safe streets, economic strength, nice weather, plenty to do, and more. See list here.

Denver Business Journal - by Mark Harden
Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2011, 6:06pm MDT

Colorado has the nation’s 10th best state tax environment for entrepreneurship and small business, according to a report from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.

The Oakton, Va.-based SBE Council’s “Business Tax Index 2011” report gives Colorado the same 10th-place ranking as in 2010 for its business-friendly tax structure.

The report rates Colorado particularly favorably for having low top corporate income tax rates (eighth lowest among the states) and adjusted unemployment tax rates (seventh lowest).

The Centennial State is ranked 10th for best top corporate capital gains tax rates (with first meaning lowest and 50th highest); 14th for lowest sales, gross-receipts and excise taxes; 6th for lowest top personal income tax rates; 18th for top capital gains tax rates as well as for gas taxes; and 19th for state and local property taxes.

The Centennial State is rated less business friendly on wireless taxes (29th among the states).

The SBE Council deemed South Dakota to have the best tax structure for business; that state also topped the list in 2010.

Rounding out the 2011 top 10: Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, Washington, Florida, Alabama, Alaska, Ohio and Colorado.

The report rated the District of Columbia as having the most burdensome tax environment, followed by (in reverse order) Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Iowa.

“Higher taxes have an impact on a state’s competitiveness,” said SBE Council chief economist Raymond J. Keating and author of the report. “There is a reason why low tax states are better able to attract investment, and ‘Business Tax Index 2011’ helps to shed light on the tax burdens that are affecting the decisions of individuals and businesses.”

The SBE Council is a business lobbying and policy group that says it “works to educate elected officials, policy makers, business leaders and the public to advance initiatives that enhance the environment for entrepreneurship, business start-up and growth.”

Click here for the council’s new Business Tax Index 2011 report.

Denver Business Journal - by Mark Harden
Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Douglas County is the nation's seventh-richest county, Forbes says.

"Now a relatively populous county with 280,000 residents, this county south of Denver has boomed over the last 10 years, luring young professionals with luxury homes and planned communities," Forbes writes.

It pegs DougCo's median annual household income at $99,522 as of 2009.

Forbes' ranking of the nation's 10 richest counties is based on countywide median household income estimates from 2005 to 2009 drawn from U.S. Census data.

The Colorado suburban county -- home to Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree and Castle Rock -- is one of just two counties on Forbes' list that aren't in the Northeast. Five of the 10 are on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., and three are in New Jersey.

Surprisingly, such centers of affluence as California, Texas, New England and Florida are absent from the list.

No. 1 is Falls Church, Va., with a median household income of $113,313.

The only other county west of the Mississippi River on the list is tiny Los Alamos County, N.M., outside Santa Fe, at No. 6, with a median income of $100,423. It's home of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Click here for the full Forbes report on "America's 10 Richest Counties."

Read more: Douglas Co. No. 7 on Forbes' richest-counties list | Denver Business Journal

eRepublic’s Center for Digital Government announced the top-ranked local governments in its 10th annual Digital Cities Survey. Castle Rock placed first among cities with 30,000 to 74,999 residents.

The survey recognizes municipalities that have successfully incorporated information technology into operations to better serve constituents and businesses.

Recognized cities have continued to realize operational objectives despite financial challenges, strategically investing to maximize dollars and effectively conduct the business of government.

“This year’s winners continue to demonstrate the transformative power of information technology,” said Digital Communities Director Todd Sander. “Economic conditions are bringing about a fundamental rethinking of local government structures and support strategies. It is clear from the results that digital technology is a critical factor in helping organizations not only maintain, but actually improve, service delivery when faced with fewer employees and smaller budgets.”

The survey was open to all U.S. cities with a population of 30,000 or more.

Rounding out the top five finishers in Castle Rock’s population classifications were:
•Lynchburg, Va.
•Danville, Va.
•Annapolis, Md.
•Dublin, Ohio

To see the complete list of 2010 Digital Cities Survey winners – including top finishers in the other four population classifications – go to www.digitalcommunities.com/survey/cities.

Winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Denver on Dec. 2.

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government.

The center is a division of eRepublic, a national publishing, event and research company focused on “smart media for public sector innovation.”

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (May 4, 2010) – The Castle Rock Economic Development Council announced today that the Economic Development Council of Colorado has named the Town of Castle Rock as the 2010 Best Large Community for Economic Development.

The Large Community award is presented annually to the “community with more than 20,000 in population demonstrating the best support for economic development through an organized economic development program and strong leadership.” In this case the collaboration between the Castle Rock Economic Development Council, the Town of Castle Rock, the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Castle Rock Downtown Development Authority (DDA) were cited as key reasons the town won the award. Castle Rock Economic Development Council President and CEO Frank Gray accepted the award along with DDA Chairman Rick Stucy and Town of Castle Rock Development Director, Bill Detweiler recently at the EDCC’s annual conference in Montrose, Colorado.

“The creation of the Castle Rock Economic Partnership, which combines the resources of the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Development Authority, the Economic Development Council and the Town of Castle Rock, has been a great strategy that has clearly paid off,” Gray said. “The Castle Rock Economic Partnership represents a unique, unified perspective that emphasizes collaboration between the private and public sector working together to create a common vision for economic vitality. We continue to meet every week in search of ways to improve Castle Rock’s business and development climate.”

Some of the more recent noteworthy economic development events in Castle Rock include the relocation of headquarters for MyWedding.com (with 20 new jobs), the first U.S. operations for Aluwind (100 new jobs), the groundbreaking for Phase One of Centura Hospital in the Meadows (75 new jobs) and the recent expansion of Commnet (50 new jobs).

One of the unique ideas has been the developer roundtable concept, where dialogue can occur between key Town of Castle Rock officials in partnership with the development community. The discussions have resulted in critical updates and changes to the town code designed to encourage positive and responsible development in the community.!

Every golfer has heard of Pebble Beach and Augusta, but the vast majority of the more than 28 million Americans who play golf regularly spend their weekends on the Golf in Castle rock

public and private courses in small towns and cities all over the country. What many of them don't know is that local courses can often be best-kept secrets and hidden gems. Livability.com has searched 200 of the most livable cities in America to find the top ten best lesser-known cities for golfers. Here are the best cities and towns for golfers who want to get off the beaten path. And with criteria spanning quality of life and cost of living, to the number of public or private course, to the number of courses offering tournament or year-round play, these aren't just some of the best cities for golf—they're great communities for everyone. For in-depth info about these great golf cities, just click on the city names below. Fore!

With great designs and breathtaking Rocky Mountain views, Castle Rock is home to some of the best courses in all of Colorado. And one of the finest in the city is Red Hawk Ridge, a public course that gives even the toniest of private courses a run for their money. Elsewhere in Castle Rock, two highly rated bent-grass courses make golfing in the area even more inviting. The Plum Creek course at the Plum Creek Golf & Country Club is a par-72 that opened in 1984 and was designed by Pete Dye. The Jack Nicklaus-designed, 18-hole Castle Pines course at the Country Club at Castle Pines opened in 1986. Just outside Castle Rock are great courses like the Golf Club at Bear Dance in Larkspur and the Club at Pradera in Parker.

Especially in a tough economy, plentiful job opportunities are key to making a great place to live. Douglas County is number 5 on the list of having experienced the most job growth over the last eight years.

Towns include Castle Rock, Parker, Stonegate, Lone Tree, and Highlands Ranch. Job growth (2000-2008): 69.7%

Located midway between the state's two largest cities, Denver and Colorado Springs, "Dougco" attracts a highly-educated and skilled workforce because of its proximity to the state's major employment hubs. A well developed transportation system that includes an airport, light rail and newly expanded freeway system along with a favorable tax rate also make Dougco a good home for businesses.

The county's commitment to economic development is clearly paying off. In January, Charles Schwab announced the company would bring more than 500 jobs to the area. New positions are primarily in the Information Technology sector with an average wage of $75,000 a year, according to Public Affairs Director Wendy Holmes.

Town of Castle Rock residents can stand up and take a collective bow on Tuesday, July 10, the day that Family Circle magazine unveils its "10 Best Towns for Families."

That’s because the Town of Castle Rock made Family Circle’s list – the first of its kind for the national magazine celebrating women and families.

The magazine’s 10 Best Towns for Families article appears in the August edition, which hits newsstands Families in Castle Rock

nationwide on July 10. The article shares the results of the magazine’s quest to identify "the best communities across the country that combine big-city opportunities with suburban charm" and "an ideal blend of affordable houses, good jobs, top-rated schools, wide-open spaces and a lot less stress."
"That describes Castle Rock perfectly," Castle Rock Mayor Randy Reed said of the results of Family Circle’s investigation. "If you asked 100 people why they moved to Caste Rock, 95 percent of them would probably cite the community’s small-town charm and family friendliness."

Reed said while it’s great to be recognized nationally as a great place for families, it’s reward enough to experience family life in Castle Rock. "Every time I walk out my front door I think about how fortunate I am to have landed here 20 years ago with my wife and two daughters."

To come up with its 10 Best Towns for Families, Family Circle partnered with On Board, a New York City research firm providing real estate and demographic data to assemble a list of 1,850 places with populations between 15,000 and 150,000 and a high concentration of households with an average income of $65,000. That list was pared to 800 based on criteria such as cost of living, jobs, schools, health care, air quality, green space and crime rate. Family Circle assessed which towns best met those standards and ranked them according to state. The winners were selected from the highest-rated towns in the top 10 states nationwide.

Family Circle Magazine’s "10 best Towns for Families" honor is the latest in a string of national rankings awarded Castle Rock in recent years. In 2006, BusinessWeek magazine named Castle Rock No. 9 of the top 25 "best and most affordable suburbs in the United States." In a 2005 CNN Money Magazine report on the best places to live, Castle Rock ranked No. 1 in job growth.

The 21st Century City
America's 25 Best Places To Move, Forbes.com, Peter T. Kilborn, 07/07/09

To locate America's best places to move, Forbes looked at "Relovilles" with populations of 25,000 and over. Using data from 2000 to 2007 Census records, we looked for the number of people in each town who were born out of state or abroad, who had moved to town from a considerable distance within one and five years, and who had moved for a job. These were weighted more heavily than other factors considered, such as Census data for population growth, family incomes, people in executive and professional jobs, and the price, size and age of homes, along with reports of moving van companies, changes in school enrollments, the proximity of multinational companies, and the observations of local builders, government officials and residents. Places with populations of less than 25,000, with large numbers of low-wage immigrant workers and with rotating populations of college students, retirees and inmates of prisons were ruled out.

*Note that figures for race do not total 100 because of rounding, Hispanics of different races and exclusion of native Hawaiians, American Indians and other races.

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Castle Rock in the News