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Broomfield Recognized among Large Colorado Communities ECONOMIC LEADER
By Kristen Beckman
The City and County of Broomfield was recognized as the 2024 Large Community of the Year by the Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC). The prestigious award for communities with populations over 60,000 celebrates Broomfield’s commitment to fostering economic growth through strategic financial support, active board participation, and effective advocacy. The award was announced at EDCC’s annual Drive|Lead|Succeed Conference in October in Beaver Creek.
The EDIE Awards recognize outstanding achievements across various sectors, including communities, organizations, companies, and legislators. Since its inception in 1989, EDCC has honored more than 200 award winners.
The City of Lakewood, the City of Fort Collins and the City of Colorado Springs are recent recipients of the award in the Large Community category. Broomfield previously won the award in 2010 and 1997.
“On behalf of the City and County of Broomfield, I am honored to accept the EDCC Award for the Large Community of the Year,” said Mayor Guyleen Castriotta. “Like many other communities, Broomfield has been challenged to redefine what the future community looks like and how to incorporate changing values, sustainable practices, financial restraints, and evolving technology. Being mindful of all of those critical elements has contributed to making Broomfield a dynamic and thriving place to live, work, grow, learn, and play.”
The city outlined notable contributions it has made through initiatives that secure primary jobs and demonstrate a robust dedication to creating a vibrant and resilient local economy. This includes securing annual funding that provided more than $120,000 in 2023 to assist small businesses in growth and improvements. The Entrepreneurship Grant Program additionally supported five startups with $21,300 in funding.
The City of Broomfield also facilitated more than $1 billion in investments across catalytic redevelopment initiatives, aiming to reinvigorate areas underused due to suburbanization and deindustrialization. Broomfield’s initiatives include mixed-use developments that combine housing, commercial spaces, and community amenities supported by more than $100 million in public investments.
To attract businesses and help them grow in Broomfield, the city oversaw the development and redevelopment of more than 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space in 2023. Key industries in Broomfield include aerospace, bioscience, and advanced manufacturing.
Finally, Broomfield highlighted its housing and workforce programs, including its inaugural Down Payment Assistance Program and Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to ensure the availability of middle-income housing. In addition, the workforce department served 562 employers, hosted nearly 14,000 job seeker visits and surpassed Colorado’s employment rate averages for job seekers.
“The City and County of Broomfield’s dedication to sustainable growth and deep-rooted community engagement is truly inspiring,” said EDCC Executive Director Kim Woodworth. “Their efforts set a high standard for others to follow and exemplify the power of strategic, longterm investment in building thriving communities.”
