Northwest Colorado Business District (NCBD) is the newest address for construction, advanced light manufacturing, distribution, logistics and warehousing, clean tech, renewable energy, outdoor recreation companies and start-ups interested in shovel-ready, cost competitive, industrial and commercial sites with access to multimodel transportation. NCBD is a mile from U.S. Route 40 with access to interstates 80 and 70, less than 2 miles from a Union Pacific Railroad spur and directly across from the Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN), one of the busiest commercial airports in Northwest Colorado. Our strategic location is 25 miles from Steamboat Springs, 3 hours from Denver and within one day’s travel time to nine midwestern and western U.S. states.
NCBD is a greenfield business and industrial park, owned by the Town of Hayden. NCBD will eventually include 117.1 acres with 23 total lots. 58 acres are in development in Phase 1 with 13 lots from approximately 2 to 5 acres. It sits on flat, cleared land and is zoned light industrial, which allows for workforce housing.
New access roads will allow tenants at the Business District to access U.S. Route 40, approximately a mile north of the site. U.S. Route 40 is a major east-west route that stretches from Silver Summit, Utah in the west to Denver and Kansas to the East. U.S. 40 connects to I-70 at Empire, CO and to I-80 via State Highway 13.
In addition to the new roads, the Town of Hayden will build new water and sewer mains and three-phase electrical lines, reducing some of the costs in the second phase. Federal, state and local incentives are available to qualifying companies.
1) 4.97 acres – U/C
2) 3.99 acres – U/C
3) 4.11 acres – $616,500
4) 4.31 acres – $646,500
5) 3.97 acres – $595,500
6) 2.04 acres – $408,000
7) 2.61 acres – $522,000
8) 2.29 acres – $458,000
9) 2.32 acres – $464,000
10) 4.98 acres – $747,000
11) 4.89 acres – $733,500
12) 2.41 acres – $482,000
13) 1.98 acres – $396,000
Interstates & U.S. Highways
Less than a mile from Northwest Colorado Business District, U.S. Route 40 is east-west highway that connects to Interstate 70 at Empire, CO and to Interstate 80 via State Highway 13. I-70 provides access to the East Coast, and I-80 is an east–west transcontinental freeway that transverses the United States from coast to coast.
Railroads
Union Pacific is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates routes in 23 states west of Chicago. UP has a spur approximately 1.6 miles from NCBD. The spur is located at the Xcel Energy Hayden Station. UP operates a major network of east-west and north-south lines through the Rocky Mountains and high desert, transporting coal, soda ash, beans, corn, grain and beer.
Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN)
Located directly across from the Yampa Valley Regional Airport, companies at NCBD can ship by air freight on UPS and FedEx. UPS has two daily cargo flights, and FedEx has one daily flight. Business travelers are one connection away from the rest of the world. HDN offers nonstop flights on six airlines to 16 airports and 15 major cities.
Northwest Colorado Business District is 1.6 miles from a Union Pacific (UP) Railroad spur, located at the Xcel Energy Hayden Station. A second UP spur is located in Craig. UP is a Class I freight-hauling railroad, covering 23 states. It operates a major network of east-west and north-south lines through the Rocky Mountains and high desert, transporting coal, soda ash, beans, corn, grain and beer. It has 1,504 miles of tracks in Colorado.
UP serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, and connects with Canada’s rail systems. UP is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways.
• Steamboat Springs, CO
• Denver, CO
• Colorado Springs, CO
• Aurora, CO
• Fort Collins, CO
• Lakewood, CO
• Thornton, CO
• Salt Lake, UT
• West Valley City, UT
• West Jordan, UT
• Vernal, UT
• Albuquerque, NM
• Santa Fe, NM
• Flagstaff, AZ
• Dodge City, KS
• Grand Island, NE
• Kearney, NE
• Rapid City, SD
• Cheyenne, WY
• Laramie, WY
• Casper, WY
• Idaho Falls, ID
• Billings, MT
• Bozeman, MT
Construction
With the demand for affordable housing and other commercial and industrial construction in Northwest Colorado, NCBD is at the center of a construction boom.
Advanced Light Manufacturing
NCBD is the ideal location for advanced light manufacturing companies. Northwest Colorado has a skilled industrial workforce with more than 2,800 coal miners and power plant workers who will soon be dislocated from their jobs once coal sunsets. This workforce can be reskilled and upskilled with workforce incentive programs such as Colorado Skill Advance and partnerships with the Colorado Mountain College and Colorado Northwestern Community College.
Warehousing & Distribution
NCBD’s strategic location and multimodal transportation infrastructure serve as a great distribution hub for logistics and warehousing companies. Our transportation infrastructure consists of interstates, U.S. highways, rail and air, allowing companies access to nine western and midwestern states within a day’s travel time.
Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor recreations companies will find an unparalleled environment at NCBD to flourish. Northwest Colorado supports all types of outdoor sports from skiing to fishing to rafting, mountain biking, hiking, hunting and more. Our community embodies the values of an outdoor recreational brand.
Clean Tech & Renewable Energy
The Town of Hayden and the Northwest Colorado region are historic energy powerhouses. Xcel Energy Hayden Station is less than 2 miles from the Business District. This multi-state utility plans to convert from coal-fired power generation to clean energy. NCBD is a great location for clean tech and renewable energy companies interested in partnering with Xcel Energy.
Entrepreneurial Startups
The Town of Hayden and Northwest Colorado’s entrepreneurial spirit have nurtured many startup companies, such as Smart Wool and Big Agnes. Hayden plans to develop an small business incubator onsite to support homegrown businesses.
As the heart of the Yampa Valley, the Town of Hayden’s quality of life attracts a skilled and highly educated workforce. Just 25 miles from Steamboat Springs, Hayden offers an affordable cost of living with access to all the amenities of a larger city. The northwestern Colorado region which includes Routt, Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties supports a civilian workforce population of 26,752. Hayden’s workforce has a 98.1% educational attainment rate – persons age 25 years and older with a high school diploma or higher degree. Our educational attainment rate is higher than the State of Colorado’s educational attainment rate of 92.4%. (U.S. Census ACS, 2021) The national educational attainment rate is only 91.1% in 2021.
According a study by the Colorado Mesa University economist Dr. Nathan Perry, nearly 2,800 industrially-skilled workers will be dislocated from the region’s five coal mines and two coal-fired power plants in just a few years – increasing the number of job seekers. Because of NCBD’s proximity to the Peabody Coal Mine and Xcel’s Hayden Station, a coal-fired power plant transitioning to clean energy generation, companies located at NCBD can find highly-skilled and experienced workers. Also, NCBD’s zoning of light industrial allows for workforce housing to be developed onsite.
Depending on your industry sector, investment level, activities and job creation, companies locating at the Northwest Colorado Business District may qualify for a host of federal, state and local incentives. We encourage you to speak with your local, regional, and state economic development organizations to see which incentives you qualify for. Applying for incentives must take place before the investment and job creation. (The following is not a comprehensive list.)
Federal Incentives
State Incentives
The Town of Hayden is a historic town settled in 1874 which embraces its heritage while looking toward its future. Against the backdrop of picturesque mountains, Hayden’s offers breathtaking landscapes, economic opportunities, exceptional schools, affordable housing and access to the healthcare and diverse recreational and cultural amenities. Hayden residents enjoy a small town feel where neighbors know and help one another while still being able to access world-class amenities in nearby Steamboat Springs, a popular ski resort community.
For those looking for a safe community near outdoor recreation, Hayden is becoming an increasingly attractive option for families, location-neutral workers and outdoor enthusiasts, because of its attainable housing market. The median value of owner-occupied housing in Hayden is $308,400, which is half of value of Steamboat Springs’ median housing value of $570,600 and 80% of Routt County’s housing value of $397,500. The Town is actively developing more affordable housing and recently received an $8.8 million state grant to build Prairie Run, a 189-unit, affordable workforce housing development. Hayden is experiencing significant housing growth with 113 private residential units approved and another 300 in the pre-application phase.
Hayden School District promotes excellence in student achievement by creating a safe, inspiring and enriching environment with small class sizes and high quality instruction. The Hayden Valley Elementary, Middle and High School are housed in a central building. 64% of its certified teachers hold a master’s degrees or higher. This small school district estimates approximately 454 students enrolled in the 2022-2023 school year. Hayden Schools strives to become a District of Distinction as identified by the Colorado Department of Education based on the Performance Frameworks. The school district received a $1 million RISE (Response, Innovation and Student Equity) grant in collaboration with the South Routt School District to pursue innovative learning strategies. The RISE grant funds new career technical pathways in agriculture, food and natural resources; business, hospitality and technology; and skilled trade and technical sciences.
Residents have many choices for quality healthcare. Steamboat Medical Group has a clinic in Hayden that offers primary care and a walk-in clinic. Residents can also get medical care at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center (YVMC) in Steamboat Springs, a 34-bed acute care hospital providing sophisticated medical services to more than 51,000 outpatients annually. To the west, Memorial Regional Health in Craig is a new community hospital with 25-beds, offering a multi-specialty medical clinic and a rehabilitation center. The Steamboat Orthopedic & Spine Institute also provides a dedicated, local, and highly-trained staff of ten physicians and dozens of support staff, bringing world-class medicine to Northwest Colorado Also located in Hayden, Northwest Colorado Health is a federally qualified health center which operates the Haven Community Center and the Haven Assisted Living Facility. The facility is a 20-bed facility offering long-term and temporary affordable assisted living for seniors 55 years or older who do not require skilled nursing care. Northwest Colorado Health is also collaborating with Hayden Schools to bring school-based health and wellness services to help residents of all ages, income levels and cultures live as healthy as possible.
Located in the historic Railroad Depot Building since 1972, the Hayden Heritage Center and Museum hosts exhibits on local history from cowboy culture and homesteading to coal mining and farming. The Museum is home to the Leslie Memorial Research Library, an comprehensive resource on local, regional and Colorado history. The Museum also houses rare published and unpublished books, genealogical and historical research files and oral histories. You can also look through the Museum’s wonderful collection of digitalized photos, local Quarter horse and newspaper archives or pick up a souvenir at the gift shop.
Community events in Hayden range from farmers markets to orchestras, live music and barn dances and festivals. There’s something for everyone – no matter the age or interest. The Hayden Farmers Market is a popular Thursday hangout from May until September. The market features live music, food trucks, artists, and of course, locally grown food and hand-crafted products. Just down the road, you can enjoy a variety of restaurants, shopping and nightlife in Steamboat Springs.
Another popular event is the Hayden Daze. This two-day July festival features live music, food trucks, bar, disc golf, cornhole, a parade, lawn games and yoga. The Town comes out to beat the heat while supporting local vendors. Residents can also enjoy socializing at various local gathering spots. The historic Hayden Granary is a grain elevator and agricultural warehouse which has been transformed into a community gathering place. You can also grab drinks at the Yampa Valley Brewing Company or at Alpenglow Wine Bar. Enjoy a great cup of coffee at the Wild Goose Coffee or delicious food from La Central Catering and Sage and Spirit.
The Hayden Center, located in the heart of downtown Hayden, represents the cornerstone of recreation in Hayden. Built around the concept of community health through recreation, arts and culture, it offers several youth classes, adult classes and is a full-service fitness center. It will soon to be a major conference center in the Yampa Valley. One of the greatest assets enjoyed by Hayden residents and visitors are the incredible outdoor amenities and recreational activities. Set against a beautiful natural landscape of mountains and the scenic Yampa River, you can revel in the Great Outdoors year-round. In the winter, enjoy skiing at the world-class Steamboat Ski Resort in nearby Steamboat Springs or ski along side Olympic athletes on the historic Howelsen Hill (the oldest operating ski area in Colorado). Hayden’s mountain trails and parks offer a winter wonderland for snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dog sledding. cross-country skiing, ice skating and snowshoers. The beautiful mountains are also an amazing spot for hunting elk, deer, moose, and even mountain lions. Many ranches offer archery, muzzle loader, and rifle hunts on a variety of terrain. There are plenty of ranches and outfitters around that can provide guided or non-guided hunting trips for hunters. In the summer, visitors can enjoy fishing, swimming, birding, and all types of water sports. With easy access to the Yampa River, Hayden is a world-class fishing destination without the crowds. The river offers a peaceful setting with stunning views to fly fish for rainbow and brown trout. You can also camp, hike and mountain bike at the Yampa Valley River State Park or Elkhead Reservoir.
Matthew Mendisco, Town of Hayden Manager
Mathew.mendisco@haydencolorado.org
O: 970-276-3741 | F: 970-276-3644
P.O. Box 190,
178 West Jefferson
Hayden, CO 81639-0190
