We want to say thank you to everyone who has made 2017 a great year for Colorado Business Roundtable. To help make 2018 an even better year, we want your comments, feedback, and suggestions on what you want to see from Colorado Business Roundtable. Please take our survey by January 26th! 

Colorado business leaders are more optimistic than they were three months ago, and they're gaining confidence in the national economy despite being slightly less rosy about the state economy, according to the Leeds Business Confidence Index (LBCI).

In comments to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Business Roundtable reiterated its support for materiality as a central standard of corporate disclosures. The SEC asked in October for comments to a proposed rule to modernize and simplify a limited group of items in Regulation S-K, which governs the non financial statement disclosures in SEC registration statements and periodic filings. The proposed rule is intended to streamline and modernize disclosures to address evolving business models, new technology, and changing investor needs. 

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has reversed course and called for new general-fund spending for transportation in next year's state budget - a move that could give a significant boost to business groups' efforts to help roads, bridges and transit. 

2018 marks the 10th Anniversary of Colorado Companies To Watch (CCTW) and we will be giving out the 500th award at the Gala in June. The program will take qualifying companies through a rigorous and objective selection process in order to recognize the 50 Colorado Companies To Watch for 2018. 

To be considered, the company must meet the following criteria during the year ending in 2017. 

1. Be headquartered in the state of Colorado
2. For profit
3. Past startup phase and have $750k - $50 million in revenue or working capital
4. Employ between 6 to 99 full time equivalent W-2 employees, including the owner
5. Demonstrate the intent, capacity and potential to grow

Partisan differences are heightened in an election year, and the House speaker and Senate president have very different agendas. 

New construction slowed down in December, but it still brought several new projects to metro Denver, which have been added to the new version of Crane Watch. 

Among the highlights are a new headquarters for Partners Group, a Swiss asset manager breaking group on a campus in Broomfield, a $36 million affordable housing project and apartment complex in Westminster; and a $110 million apartment complex in Denver's Sunnyside neighborhood.