Colorado Outdoors Partners with Backbone Media to Drive Economic Development in Montrose

January 21, 2019

MONTROSE, Colo. (Jan. 21, 2019) – Colorado Outdoors, a multi-use riverfront economic development project serving the outdoor recreation industry, has selected Colorado-based Backbone Media to lead its public relations and communications strategy.

Founded in 2016 by David Dragoo, Colorado Outdoors’ mission is to promote and develop the city of Montrose as a more compelling destination for families and businesses alike, with a focus on revitalizing the famed Uncompahgre River corridor. By creating a mixed-use commercial, residential, and retail “campus” in a community surrounded by world-class outdoor recreation destinations, Colorado Outdoors is a highly desirable home for businesses positioned in or adjacent to the outdoor recreation industry. The development master plan is comprehensive, with high-speed 1-Gigabit fiber optic internet connectivity recently installed and an ongoing river restoration project underway to transform the Uncompahgre river into gold-medal fly fishing waters. Multi-family residential apartments and street-level retail business sites are planned for later phases of the development, with a GOCO-funded recreation path connecting the project to the newly opened Montrose Community Recreation Center.

Colorado Outdoors intends to draw manufacturers, outdoor and active lifestyle brands, and outdoor-minded service providers or retailers to relocate to northern Montrose, an area designated as an Opportunity Zone by the U.S. Department of Treasury. This federally-approved designation allows for significant investor and business tax credits through the temporary deferral of capital gains. With prospective tenants ranging from startups to mature enterprises, Colorado Outdoors aspires to create a diverse business ecosystem built on the shared values of living and working close to nature. Mayfly Outdoors, the parent company of high-performance fly fishing product brands Abel and Ross Reels, will be the anchor tenant of the campus. Mayfly was first to break ground on its state-of-the-art, 41,000-square foot headquarters, expected to open in the Spring of 2019.

“Montrose is an exciting location for business and commercial enterprise,” said David Dragoo, president of Colorado Outdoors. “The development will draw new expertise to this growing city and make a lasting impact on the region.”

In addition to economic growth, the City of Montrose will benefit from large-scale conservation efforts driven by the Colorado Outdoors development project. In December 2018, Mayfly, a fellow Montrose-based manufacturing company, along with Colorado Outdoors, donated over $800,000 in property back to the community, covering nearly 1.5 miles of riverfront land and encompassing nearly 1.8 million-square-feet of wildlife and fishing habitat.

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About Colorado Outdoors: Colorado Outdoors is a 164-acre economic development project along the Uncompahgre River corridor. The project aims to attract outdoor-centric industries to Montrose and will also include river restoration, retail, residential and industrial development. More information can be found at ColoradoOutdoors.CO

About Backbone Media: Backbone Media Backbone Media targets, engages and inspires the active lifestyle market through public relations, social media, content creation and media planning and buying. For over 20 years, Backbone has worked with leading outdoor gear, apparel, technology, food and beverage brands, as well as tourism destinations around the world. Backbone has offices in Carbondale and Denver, Colorado.