The Conference Stage is shown here and is to be built above the five Research Labs and surrounded by the automated guideway transport system, SmartSkyways' ¼ mile test track. The food service is shown in the upper left and the administration for Green Bonds is the lower left. Between them is the main entry. This facility will seat and feed 3,000 to 5,000 visitors.

Defining the Venture

The largest challenge in the history of America will be the transition away from our oil-based economy into an alternative. As oil prices rise, everyone will be affected. Within ten years, oil may become so expensive that only the military, corporations and government will be able to afford it. With the world running out of cheap and easy to access oil, the increasing costs will lead to huge disruptions of our economy. The International Energy Agency has stated, ‘‘The world has never faced a problem like this. The problem will be pervasive and will not be temporary. Oil peaking will be abrupt and revolutionary. It will become a huge disruption to the economy and requires massive mitigation more than a decade before new technologies can have impact”. We have a $12 trillion oil-based economy based on a creaky, worn and undersized transportation network that is about to become very expensive to maintain. Of all America’s problems with drugs, immigration, terrorism, healthcare, deficits, AIDs, etc; only “Oil Peaking” affects everyone in their daily lives, as everything will become more expensive. We can begin to prepare for this now by encouraging research and new thinking on transport, alternative energy, renewable energy, new land use patterns and other infrastructure changes to replace our dependence on the oil economy. Whether we wait for the economic strangulation of increasing gas prices or suffer the sudden interruptions of oil from hurricanes, terrorism, worn-out pipelines or war in the Middle East, our national security is at stake in the transition away from oil dependence. DOE predicts it will take many trillions of dollars to replace our dependence on foreign oil. The national scene is beginning to see billions of dollars announced for R&D that could financially support permanent exhibition and conferencing facilities as shown above. The vision behind the facilities shown on the following pages is to attract a national audience for funding and growing renewable and alternative energy R&D commerce. Thus is the need for research campuses dedicated to experimentation and new models of infrastructure.

Hurricane Katrina was a wake up call and every city needs to have a plan for the economic shock that will result from Oil Peaking. If we go back to sleep and business proceeds as usual, we may wake up into a new economic condition for which we are not prepared as the price of gas inevitably goes higher. We may see gas pricing, rationing and driving restrictions within the coming decade that cause economic disruption greater than that seen during the 1930’s depression. The experts state that it will happen, although no one knows when. But if we cannot predict when, we can certainly prepare. We have accumulated a library of recent publications describing Oil Peaking and its potentially devastating effects. You can access this information and determine for yourself what actions need to be taken: www.beyondoilusa.com.

The State of Colorado aspires to become a leader in renewable and alternative energy and needs a place to congregate capital, ideas, technology and management. Fort Collins is one of the most active and talented communities in the country and can provide the expertise and research manpower. To date, over 50 companies, Colorado State University (CSU) and the city of Fort Collins, Colorado are all clustered into a study group concerning what to do as a community. CSU is part of a Research Collaboratory with Colorado University, the School of Mines and the National Energy Labs. This group could write the research agenda for $1 billion of private investment.

The Green Bond Consortium

This venture of $200 million will exist as a separate operating entity from the other 132 acres of land that will be used for four million s.f. of offices, labs, retail, restaurants and other services. Consortium members will receive an interest in the company that will provide the labs, technology ventures and infrastructure. The Consortium will generate additional R&D funds each year by issuing Green Bonds to cultivate the research business. The Joint Venture funding will be earmarked for purchasing the 15 acres of land, hangars and terminal site upon which to build five Labs. Later, a one-mile, $10 million automated guideway transport (SmartSkyways) model and many transit stations will be built inside the parkway median. This will open up the entire 152-acre site to develop a $1 billion research campus of five million s.f. of mixed use density.

More info is available  at: http://www.airparkvillage.com/ss. Building the five research labs will be the first step by the consortium to develop a NATIONAL STAGE at a time when gas prices will trigger a national crisis. We feel the correct combination of Consortium members is capable of generating extensive new business from commercializing the products of these five labs. Combining land with these new technologies will yield superior profits from multiple revenue sources and will collateralize the research lab’s investment.

Phasing Plan

The facilities will come in three phases that will grow into a NATIONAL STAGE for Energy Prototypes. The first phase includes the purchase of the 80 and 15 acre parcels and the building of five research labs at the terminal for $30 million. During Phase II, a conference center and a transportation intermodal will be built around and over the top of the research lab’s building for an additional $25 million. In Phase III, a $100 million Trade Show Hall/Hotel will bring in the newest technology for both an audience and opportunities.

From a National Stage into a Global Village

Our expectation of the research campus is that it will interact globally with scientists, academics, investors and politicians through today’s modern telecom networks. The economic generator described above will nurture some 30 to 50 R&D ventures over the next 15 years and is expected to create roughly 4,000 primary, high paying jobs on-site. These jobs will require another 3,000 supporting services jobs on-site and up to 10,000 jobs in the City of Fort Collins. These jobs include retail, equipment, banking, suppliers and medical, among others.  Another 2500 people could live on-site and approximately 3,000 visitors per day are expected.
 

This project will market to researchers, media, engineers, law firms, capital companies and next generation vendors to open field offices at Energy Park One. We would like to attract propulsion, alternative energy, renewable energy, robotics, automation, transport and other cutting-edge technologies.

This infrastructure will be used as a demonstration model for a variety of component technologies used in urban environments. The Energy Research Campus will begin with temporary use of existing hangers and terminals and develop a laboratory and conference environment to market these technologies to investment capital through web-based conferencing, online and face-to-face meetings, seminars as well as through traditional marketing methods.

Details concerning how we plan to attract companies to join our R&D consortium are located in a summary of our business plan. To view this plan click the R&D Consortium button at the upper right of this page.

Research and Development Building, Energy Park One, Fort Collins, CO