Secret deal could be sign of things to come

LOUISVILLE - A big real estate transaction involving the Sun MicroSystems campus is generating lots of talk in the metro area.

Sun announced on Friday that an unnamed buyer has agreed to purchase the 432-acre property just north of Highway 36 near Louisville.

Tom Clark, executive vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, says everyone close to the transaction has had to sign confidentiality agreements. Since he is among that group, he would not give any specifics of the sale.

He did talk about dramatic changes that are coming to Colorado in the next five years.

"Colorado is going to be the center of the universe in terms of technology and energy development," he said.

Clark says the next five years are going to radically transform the state. A number of high tech, renewable energy and biotech companies are making plans to relocate here. Among the attractions are the presence of universities like the University of Colorado and the Colorado School of Mines and such government agencies like the National Renewable Energy Lab.

The new companies are expected to create a demand for thousands of high-level, high-income jobs.

"Colorado is entering a very different phase," Clark said. "Technology, energy, financial services and the advent of three non-stop flights to Europe and possibly non-stop flights to Asia, this is going to be an incredibly interesting place to be."

Clark says he does have concerns about Colorado youngsters who are not studying mathematics and sciences.

"We are 25th in the nation in the high school graduation rate. The average aerospace job pays $98,000 a year. These aren't rocket science jobs, just average aerospace jobs. You have to have some higher education to be able to do those jobs. What gives me nightmares is that we can't get some of these kids caught up in and excited about the new economy."

Clark says he's concerned that children who don't get an education in the sciences will end up becoming second-class citizens.

"That would be a failure on our part," he said.