Commerce City – An announcement made today told the citizens of Commerce City that the 917 acre site, where the Commerce City Civic Center sits, will no longer be named the Prairie Gateway. The new visitor’s center for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge also sits on the site and that building will be named the “Prairie Legacy” when it opens. Other buildings that sit on the site of what has now become the “former” Prairie Gateway are the new Adams City High School and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Brittany Morris, the city’s economic development director stated that there is “confusion” between Commerce City’s Prairie Gateway and Brighton’s Prairie Center and that the area is suffering from “low brand awareness”. The rebranding effort of naming the former Prairie Gateway to Victory Crossing is to generate more interest in the mixed use development.
"Many members of the retail community believe that we are talking about Prairie Center in Brighton because that project was up and running before this one," Morris said.
Kroenke Sports Enterprises, owner of the Colorado Rapids, and the city are working together on the newly named project now called Victory Crossing, and it will emphasize "the fusion of sports, commerce and wildlife" Morris said.
The Colorado Rapids won the MLS Cup championship recently for the first time ever. The club was formed in 1996.
What are your thoughts on this subject??? Comment BELOW...
85 comments:
So is it the thought that this will then get businesses to come?
Change the name, I thought we already went thru this and decided it was not a good idea?
Victory Crossings? I think that is in Denver?
Wait you are confusing me. So what is the difference between Adams Crossing and Victory Crossings?
I can get why Commerce City is doing this. it will generate some good free PR. A good move. We need to do something to get things moving. Right now it is just dead.
We need to start development in that area badly.
Derrick Keys, Commerce City
so it was the name that was preventing development? Interesting.
A campaign to change the name of Commerce City fell flat back in 2007.
Not a good idea. SORRY!
Shocking news! At least they could have had citizen focus groups or something to include the people. Did the citizen committees know about this? To learn about this from the Denver Post instead of from City Council was a slap in the face to everyone.
Brittany, wee citizens (and develoopers) we bee two stooped to figer owt which prairee is which prairee so wee want to thank you for helping us. What the !@#$%^ Do you really believe that the citizens and retailers cannot figure out if they are in Commerce City or Brighton, really??? I am sure that when Penney's put their store at the Prairie CENTER they were shocked to find out they were in Brighton and not really at the Prairie GATEWAY in Commerce City. Stop Brittany and THINK before you speak, you just sound dumb. Maybe that is the issue with Walmart, they can't figure out which city they are actually building in. Adams Center, Prairie Crossing, Gateway Victory - I like that one!
No I am really sorry, too late, the name is already changed. It is NO LONGER called Prairie Gateway, it is now called Victory Crossing. The citizens were not asked and it seems the city council was not even asked. Nice move. Jerks.
Watch the Nov 8 City Council study session replay to learn more. This is a joint effort between Kroenke and Commerce City and it is the name of the "second phase of development" for the Prairie Gateway. Prairie Center confusion is not the only reason for rebranding. Watch the council replay to learn more.
That headline is misleading. Looks like the city is changing its name, not the name of the project being changed. Please update, Gateway. We don't want the rumor mill to start.
I like the original name it was the gateway to the prairie fields with the bison in them.
I wish they would go back to prairie gateway.
Had more nostalgia to it.
BRILLIANT CC!
You got the word out and it is all the buzz. at least for now. But at least everyone is talking about it. You got Westword, Post and a bunch of trade magazines talking about re-branding.
PLEASE START THE RUMOR MILL!
So typical.
People bitching about the council not being involved.
Get your head out of the dark.
This was discussed at council, and was worked on by people in the business of business.
Why try and kill something before it has a chance to develope.
Complain the city doesn't work at bringing in businesses, then complain when they work at bringing in new business!!!
Mighty hard to please crowd.
Did staff think of this all by themselves or did they hire a consultant?
Regarding "VICTORY CROSSINGS":
I would think that the Commerce City Council would have final say on renaming an area of the city.
Why is this not passed by a Resolution?
Why can staff just up and change it?
There is a lot of good history in this part of town and Prairie Gateway was a good fit.
Oh well, I guess council of the past who got the keys to the prairie gateway can now just throw them away.
Sad day in Commerce City for all the ones in the know.
victory crossing? isn't that a tie?
Why are they calling it VICTORY CROSSING????????????
It Should be called Victory FOR DENVER Crossing!!!!!!!!!!!!
is there still a prairie gateway authority? are they now called the victory crossing authority?
Great sadness. They just threw decades of history away.
You said it Jerry! a victory for stapleton Denver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
city wants to rebrand because they dont want the name "Gateway" in anything?
One thing you do not mess with, is History. I would be very curious if Commerce City Council had any input on this.
Lakeside is getting new Walmart Supercenter.
I agree with dkeys,
City got everyone talking about the area. This will grab the attention of the developers and finally get some dirt moving!
so can we change the name of the area at 104th and Tower to Victory Crossings North?
If all it takes is rebranding.
All of you who are trying to be funny with sarcastic comments like "victory for Denver Crossing", I hope you realize that those types of comments are not helping the city in any way shape or form.
I would ask that you think before you comment. People are reading this.
Think before you Act on how is this going to effect the city as a whole.
Is it something positive? If not, you should keep your comments to yourself.
CC ED's BM says: "the fusion of sports, commerce and wildlife"
Is that not called "HUNTING"
Probably the most successful and influential neighborhood rebranding happened in New York. Like SoHo, which stands for South of Houston Street, and is deliberately imitative of Soho in London. TriBeCa, another rebranding success, applied to the more southerly part of the former Lower West Side, stands for Triangle Below Canal Street.
So, I propose that we call the new Victory Crossing in Commerce City VicCro
Vic Cro? Are you kidding!?
vic cro sounds like a alcoholic drink.
Bar tender give me 2 vic cros, it has been a tough day.
I am all for the Rapids winning, but to name the area after it is a bit extreme!
Does this mean we will get a Dicks Sporting Goods Store at Victory Crossing?
gateway,
cool photo of VC in CC
"VC in CC" is that the official Nickname I thought it was Vic Cro?
What happens if I get Victory Crossings mixed up with Adams Crossing?
According to Commerce City Staff, I was too stupid to tell the difference between Prairie Gateway and Prairie Center.
PS by the way PRO CITY, I am not terribly very fond of you. Your Spin makes me dizzy.
I don’t think It’ll make much difference but I'm glad they changed the name. To me it seemed that Prairie "X" had become synonymous with Kroenke and his ventures in the area. Another note on Kroenke: They don’t appear CC friendly and since the soccer team won I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to annex his facility into Denver.
City Council discussed the new branding twice. In October and November. Again, it was a joint effort between Kroenke and Commerce City, and their broker for the site. Good to see something actually happening on this property. Rather than the vacant land we have seen for the past 4 years.
Re-branding sounds desperate.
Was it a situation of desperate times call for desperate measures?
If so, I suppose money trumps history.
you say: "City Council discussed the new branding twice. In October and November."
How did they talk about calling it "Victory Crossing" if the Rapids didn't win the MLS cup until Nov 21st and they had no council meetings then?
How is changing the name of civic center area going to solve the real problem, which is the close distance to Stapleton?
Call it Dick's Town for all I care! Let's just start building some buildings!
If there is any dirt moved in any ground breaking at the Prairie Gateway, Victory Crossing, in the next twelve months it would be more shocking than Flannery finally making a house payment. I refuse to bet on either because I would lose, just like all the citizens of Commerce City are losing. Sorry people, this is just stupid. Especially since Adams Crossing is now courting retailers, give me a break. Just one more area to be confused with. Oh maybe Morris had never heard of Adams Crossing because she only goes to Denver.
I don't know which meetings the re-naming was talked about, but it was.
Three names were mentioned and yes this was all prior to the Rapids winning.
Aren't a lot of you creating a lot of "constipation" over a little change.
Lets give it a chance.
Isn't the decision if a business will come or not based on demographics and pure numbers. I was told that the rapid games and music festival are not enough people to support a business.
So it does not matter what they name it, we need to get the population numbers up, right?
Victory Crossings should have a big gold "V" and then a big burgundy "G", that is how I see the icon looking like.
Dusty,
IS there not a victory crossing website. I assumed that before the city/KSE would announce something they would at least have a website to back it up, Like Hickenlooper did with his Partners for Colorado website or BELMAR did when Lakewood re-branded its area.
I did a search on victory crossings in Commerce City and only get Denver Post article, and Gateway News Article.
What gives?
I think this is the website:
http://www.landmarkdg.com/featured_project_Victory_Crossing.shtml
No, that is a website for a project in a different state.
Oh My God!
Our new area Victory Crossing has only been open 3 days and we already have huge police activity on it!
It will be real good to get this city moving. Do you know that Commerce City does not have one chain sit down restaurant or chain hotel! It maybe the only city on Colorado's metro area that does not have these common places.
Heartbreaking.
To be honest,
Having lived here many years I am more aware of the changes that have happened for the good.
Having said that, yes we would love to get some of the sit down restaurants and other businesses.
I believe they will come, this whole economic mess put a kabosh in the growth of the new part of the city. Its real tough when other suburbs have empty locations because businesses have left, for us to get new business in not yet built locations.
I too am tired of waiting!
Business needs to wake up and realize everything that has opened in the north is doing real well!!
Developers confused Prairie Gateway and Prairie Center? Really?
I like the name Victory Crossing! It has a bold ring to it. I say good job Commerce City
I am so damn disappointed. Commerce City makes this great attempt at re-branding a desperate area of Commerce City and they don't even have a simple website about it.
Let me give you exhibit A and B
http://www.prairiecenterco.com/
http://www.belmarcolorado.com/
If you do a search on Victory Crossings in Commerce City you only get Post, Westword and Gateway.
I guess we are still in amateur mode down at city hall.
you make a good point Charlie, maybe you should run for council!
charlie,
interesting how you choose lakewood and brighton.
Charlie,
All that needs to be done regarding the re-branding will be handled.
You missed my point PRO SH*T,
My point is Commerce City has already missed it. I have been in the marketing field for 9 years. The standard formula for a re-brand effort is to have all your ducks in a row, included easy accessible information, a website is a definite, and lastly a icon or logo, usually called "the hockey puck".
I do not see any of these things happening.
You generate the excitement, then you ride it out.
Commerce City (Marketing Director) or Kronke (KSE) failed to do this thus so far.
And you all wonder why nothing ever happens in our city.
By the way, I have no interest in running for public office, I just want my officials and city to run professionally.
dusty,
I read a comment on your cover story page about the headline you are using. I agree with it. I think you are causing confusion with the title. It makes it sound like Commerce City is changing its entire city name.
Westword Article
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/12/commerce_city_victory_city_name_change_colorado.php
I agree with Charlie. I have been in marketing and PR for years. You don't deliver a press release about rebranding without every "T" crossed and every "I" dotted. Seems like the press release about the rebranding was premature. Begs the question, what really is going on here?
Charlie W:
Of course you have no interest in running for council.
You might have to take some of the heat, when you hands are tied by the number of things that affect everything you do.
You might have to compromise to get things done, even when it is not your prefered way.
You might find out that you cannot force someone to develope or bring the business you want, where you want.
You'd much rather stay out of the kitchen heat and only point fingers and complain!!
Dusty,
New headline is better, but I think it is still may cause confusion.
I can't win... Do you have a headline suggestion?
Mr. Dusty: Both headlines are appropriate.
precisely why Commerce City always hires consultant to do the real jobs.
Dusty,
Why not use the headline you used for the aerial photo: Prairie Gateway re-branded to Victory Crossing {Commerce City}
A new Walmart super center will open in Longmont early next year and the company plans to hire 200 workers. http://tinyurl.com/2awvfqn
And were doing so well in Commerce City!
wait a minute! Hey WALMART WE WERE FIRST! Didn't you get our LETTER!
(A new Walmart super center will open in Longmont early next year and the company plans to hire 200 workers. http://tinyurl.com/2awvfqn)
honestly, who will frequent hotels and sit down restaurants in the middle of all the tractor trailer traffic in south cc? stuck up people from stapleton. the north is too far to drive and most don't even associate themselves with the city. word of mouth will deter most. didn't we learn during the music festivals that people race to get out off cc to get to stapleton.
victory crossing is not convenient to anyone but the non-english speaking people in that area and those who work there and after 5pm their money goes elsewhere.
the city needs to develop the north and let our reputation improve then look at trying to improve on the south.
don't hate, it is what it is
any news on the vc website?
I can see how this place can be very popular. It is reported that the expect 200,000 people a year at the new Wildlife refuge visitor center.
I would like all of the commerce city council member who were given the gold keys to the Prairie Gateway to look at them and try to remember that day. remember how proud we all were that this was becoming a reality, remember how excited we were because of all of the potential. Lets not give it all up by renaming the place because of some factors that we have no control over. The economic situation will change and we will get this area going again. Please do not change the name because of some small set backs.
dusty posted a small article on the rebrand of the Brighton Chamber of commerce at
http://gatewaynews-businessjournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/brighton-chamber-of-commerce-re.html
my point about the correct way to rebrand was just illustrated perfectly about the effort of the Victory Crossings.
Look at what the Brighton Chamber of Commerce did. They designed their new logo, they launched a new website and then they told the world about it.
That is the way you are suppose to do it.
Charlie,
I get it. But, does it really matter when the rebrand actually happens? Is it not more important that it is going to happen ? I do not think a timeline of when the details occur really matters.
Love the idea! Thank god we are finally doing something in this city!
Forgot to add.....
Love the ideas here, I like the idea of a shiny gold and burgandany lettering to label the area! Very creative! It is a bold name! This might actually work.
My thoughts are that a lot of you are too hard on the rebrandibg effort. I like the idea and think it will be beautiful after it us all said and done.
My thoughts are that a lot of you are too hard on the rebrandibg effort. I like the idea and think it will be beautiful after it us all said and done.
Clarkson, I am with you!!
The real reason? Brittany's dad is Chuck Morris, the event promoter (Mile High Music Fest, et. al), who is also involved with Kroenke Sports Entertainment ... after all, that is why Brittany got the job of ED director with absolutely NO background or skills in ED. City Manager Jerry Flannery and Mayor Paul Natale wanted her for her connections -- or rather, her daddy's connections, which they hope will further their own careers.
Whoa...you spin a mighty fine tale.
Too bad the truth gets in your way!!
Keep it up, you can eventually bad mouth every person you don't like.
You in this case are VERY transparent!
Hello my friends! Who are you!?
Post a Comment