ABSTRACT
What makes a study of Denver so important, however, is not that it is a western city facing some of the same challenges that have confronted former industrial centers in other parts of the country. What is important to understand is the strategy the city implemented that has allowed it to establish a population growth trajectory that now matches the rate of expansion taking place in the region’s suburban areas. Simply put, the population of Denver is increasing at a rate that matches the region’s growth rate. That level of growth exceeds what is taking place in most other central cities compared to population growth in their respective regions. The suburban areas of the Indianapolis region, while still having fewer residents than does the consolidated city-county, are enjoying far more robust levels of growth. The same observation could be made with regard to Columbus and its suburban counties. Yet Denver’s population growth rate is similar to what is taking place in its suburban counties. How did Denver achieve this level of success?
