Businesses are rightfully grateful for the events that bring visitors and their money to Mesa County. A recent analysis conducted by an economics professor at Colorado Mesa University estimated the economic benefits of the annual Country Jam music festival at $11 million. That total includes not only money directly spent on staging Country Jam, but […]
The common lament among business owners is that federal regulations cost trillions of dollars, money that could better be spent on expanding operations and creating jobs. The common response that invariably follows from some quarters is that such claims are overblown. Surely the situation isn’t as bad as all that. A new study estimates federal […]
A federal agency has extended a program offering small business loan guarantees at no charge and reduced fees for certain loans and applicants. The U.S. Small Business Administration announced it will continue through the 2015 fiscal year fee relief on its 7 (a) general loan program, offering the guarantees for no upfront fee for loans […]
The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors has endorsed a slate of seven candidates in the upcoming election — all of them Republicans. The chamber board also came out against a ballot measure requiring labels for genetically modified organisms in foods. In the race for the Mesa County Commission seat in District […]
United Way of Mesa County has launched its latest fund-raising campaign with more than $400,000 already raised in workplace contributions. Workplace drives at 28 so-called Pacesetter companies and organizations raised a total of $407,472. That’s more than 37 percent of the $1.1 million goal for the 2014-2015 campaign. On average, contributions from Pacesetters account for […]
An annual country music festival in Mesa County generates nearly $11 million in economic benefits, a new study estimates. The addition of a second festival next year is expected to push that number even higher. Townsquare Media, a media company that operates radio stations and live events across the United States, commissioned the analysis of […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Annette Miller most often uses the word steady to describe the real estate market in Mesa County. While the number of transactions lags slightly behind last year, the combined dollar volume of those deals slightly outpaces last year. Meanwhile, the property foreclosure activity that tends to pull down prices has […]
While the latest numbers have slipped a bit, Colorado business leaders remain confident overall heading into the fourth quarter. The University of Colorado reported that its Leeds Business Confidence Index fell 1.7 points for the fourth quarter, but at 59.5 continues to reflect an upbeat outlook. “I wouldn’t put too much concern in a slight […]
What had been for four months a steadily increasing measure of consumer confidence in the United States has retreated on less upbeat assessments of labor and business conditions. The Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index fell more than eight points to 86 in September. Assessments of current conditions as well as short-term expectations […]
The latest labor estimates as well as the outlook for small businesses affirm once again the necessity of the well-worn wish for the one-armed economist. One the one hand, the monthly unemployment rate in Mesa County has slipped below 6 percent to its lowest level in almost six years. On the other hand, the local […]