A look at which districts bring in the most revenue to the City of GJ

Brandon Leuallen, The Business Times

Grand Junction’s sales tax base comes from a mix of retail corridors, shopping centers, and online transactions. Through July 2025, collections are up 1.5 percent compared to last year, yet the city remains below budget projections.

A report provided to The Business Times breaks down revenues across 14 districts, showing where tax dollars are generated and which areas are growing or declining.

The Big Three

Economic Nexus (21 percent of total, about $7.7 million, up 5 percent)

The single largest “district” is not a physical location at all. Economic Nexus collections account for about $7.7 million and roughly 21 percent of the city’s sales tax revenue and include online purchases, commercial utilities and short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO.

Jodi Welch, who worked for the city of Grand Junction’s finance department for 32 years and continues advising the city as a consultant, said the category grew significantly after state legislation required online retailers to collect local taxes.

“The bigger ones are going to be the Amazon and the eBay and the Wayfair,” she said. “That’s why this is our largest district. It reflects the shift in how consumers are buying.”

By contrast, small local businesses with a single license report all sales, both in-store and online, under their physical district rather than in the Economic Nexus category.

Not all online retail and restaurant revenues come from out-of-town. Economic Nexus also includes delivery platforms such as DoorDash that deliver from local restaurants and home-based businesses without physical storefronts. 

Highway 6 & 50 Corridor (21 percent of total, about $7.7 million, down 1 percent)

Tied with Economic Nexus for the largest share, the Highway 6 & 50 Corridor is anchored by stores such as Rimrock Walmart, Lowe’s, Sam’s Club, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and a cluster of auto dealerships.

Welch said the corridor stretches west from Grand Avenue and North First Street to the western city limits, excluding Mesa Mall and 24 Road Corridor. She said it also contains Grand Junction’s first large retail center, once home to Bed Bath & Beyond and still housing national chains like Ross and Old Navy.

Revenues here are down 1 percent compared to last year, with nearly $7.7 million of revenue brought into the city.

Mesa Mall & 24 Road Corridor (18 percent of total, about $6.6 million, up 1 percent)

The Mesa Mall and other large retailers also draw shoppers from surrounding communities that lack those options, bringing in revenue beyond city residents. The Mesa Mall and 24 Road area, including Mesa Mall, City Market, Home Depot and nearby restaurants, represents 18 percent of total sales tax revenue, or about $6.6 million. Collections are up 1 percent over 2024.

The current figures only cover sales through July and do not yet reflect the holiday season, which historically generates the highest sales of the year.

Citywide, nongrocery items in department stores, warehouse clubs and supercenters are up 6 percent so far in 2025, highlighting the strength of big-box retail despite slower growth in other areas. 

Top Three vs. the Rest

Together, the top three districts of Economic Nexus, Highway 6 & 50, and Mesa Mall/24 Road have generated about $22 million, or 60 percent of all city sales tax revenues. The remaining $14.6 million come from 11 smaller districts, led by Downtown and North Avenue.

Downtown District (8 percent of total, about $2.9 million, down 1 percent)

Downtown provides about $2.9 million, or 8 percent of revenues, supported by restaurants, boutiques and specialty shops. Collections are down 1 percent from last year.

When asked about possible reasons for the decrease, Welch cautioned against attributing the dip to a single cause.

“Unless you look at every single business, it is very difficult to specify reasons,” she said. “But when online sales are up 5 percent and several physical districts are down, it is fair to say they lost some business to online sales.”

She added downtown’s long-term strategy is about creating experiences to attract consumers. 

That is a shift municipalities dependent on sales tax have to pay attention to,” Welch said.

Horizon Drive/Airport (4 percent of total, about $1.5 million, down 3 percent)

The Horizon Drive corridor, including Grand Junction Regional Airport and surrounding hotels, makes up about $1.5 million, or 4 percent of total sales tax revenues.

Collections are down 3 percent compared to last year. Welch suggested one factor may be hotels shifting toward more long-term rentals, which are not subject to sales or lodging taxes after 30 days.

Other Districts

North Avenue Corridor (8 percent of total, about $2.9 million, flat)

Includes restaurants, retail stores, and grocery outlets.

Orchard Avenue Area (2 percent of total, about $732,000, down 9 percent)

Includes the Colorado Mesa University area and nearby businesses.

I-70 Business Loop (2 percent of total, about $732,000, up 14 percent)

The fastest-growing district this year.

Patterson Road (4 percent of total, about $1.5 million, mixed)

Includes retail, services and restaurants.

Southern Industrial and Riverside Parkway (4 percent of total, about $1.5 million, mixed)

Consists of industrial and service-based businesses.

Northwest Industrial (3 percent of total, about $1.1 million, mixed)

Contains manufacturing and distribution operations.

Highway 50 (2 percent of total, about $732,000, mixed)

Covers retail and services near Orchard Mesa.

Northwest Commercial (2 percent of total, about $732,000, mixed)

Includes various smaller retailers and services.

Highway 340 (Broadway) (1 percent of total, about $366,000, mixed)

Includes businesses along the Redlands corridor.

Vulnerable to consumer shifts

The city’s sales tax base is highly concentrated. The top three districts of Economic Nexus, Highway 6 & 50 and Mesa Mall/24 Road generate the majority of Grand Junction’s sales tax revenue, while a handful of other districts contribute steady but smaller shares.

Welch pointed out Grand Junction’s revenue structure is more vulnerable to consumer shifts than in some nearby communities, because the city does not collect sales tax on groceries or residential utilities. That means when households tighten their budgets, taxable purchases such as dining out, clothing, vehicles or entertainment are the first to be cut.

“You are still going to buy groceries and pay your utility bill, but you may cut back on dining out, clothing or big-ticket items like vehicles,” Welch said. “For Grand Junction, when people pull back on discretionary spending, it impacts us directly.”