A vibrant community doesn’t just happen. In Aurora, there are people working to recruit businesses, attract growth industries like aerospace and defense, and other efforts, all to ensure a healthy economy, and employment opportunities.

Wendy Mitchell is the President of the Aurora Economic Development Council, with a focus on leading the city of Aurora to a prosperous future. The job is not without obstacles. One of Aurora’s most promising development projects, the Gaylord Rockies hotel, conference center and water park, faced a tough battle over the implementation of tax incentives under the Regional Tourism Act. A group of competing hotels brought a lawsuit against the Gaylord project, in attempts to slow it down and ultimately shut it down.

The battle was hard won, and Wendy joins us with details about the project moving forward, to break ground later this year.

Then, later in the show, we talk with Representative Beth McCann, House District 8. We will discuss her latest legislative efforts, including health care and bio-medical/ pharmaceuticals, criminal justice reform concerning juvenile offenders, and advocacy for human trafficking victims.

There is much more to talk about, not the least of which, her intentions to seek election to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, which will become available when current D.A. Mitch Morrissey reaches term limit restrictions in 2016, the same time McCann’s legislative career reaches term limits.

Listen Saturday at 1:00 PM on 710 KNUS – Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.