Aurora to tout name on signs by med center
April M. Washington
Published February 29, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.
What's in a name? For this city working hard to emerge from Denver's shadow, it means everything.
That's why Aurora officials are so rankled over the name of a premier medical campus in the city: University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. They complain it plays up ties to Denver, not Aurora.
So, to bolster its identity, Aurora plans to install three illuminated "City of Aurora" signs around the Fitzsimons campus on East Colfax Avenue at a cost of up to $270,000.
The city has grown more aggressive in its push to establish high name recognition at the campus since the school adopted the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus moniker in October.
City leaders called the move "a slap in the face," saying Aurora invested millions of dollars to revitalize the former Fitzsimons Army hospital site into a world-class medical campus.
"This is an invaluable asset to build a sense of identity in Aurora," said Councilman Ryan Frazier. "A lot of people in Aurora felt it was a slap in the face after all we did to help bring the medical campus to the city."
CU spokesman Steve Krizman said the medical campus chose to include Denver in its logo because the name is recognized throughout the world.
The name was selected after extensive input from students, faculty and residents from Aurora and Denver, he said. Many felt it would attract high-caliber students and researchers.
"It is a name that resonates well locally, nationally and internationally," Krizman said.
He said the university supports Aurora's signage campaign and has pledged to include the city's name in future marketing efforts.
That pledge has done little to appease city leaders, who say Aurora deserves far more recognition.
washingtonam@RockyMoun tainNews.com or 303-954-5086
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February 29, 2008
6:02 a.m.
Suggest removal
rpcwash writes:
Typical Aurora. If you wanted your name on the titles so badly why didn't you get it in writing as you "invested millions of dollars to revitalize" the campus. You know as well as everyone, Denver is the recognized brand for both (or all three) hospitals there. Get a grip and move on to building up the area around the hospital. It's your damn city making all the tax money. If Denver could annex the area like they did DIA, I'm sure they would have done so by now. Typical Aurora - a bunch of pissy, whiny politicians in a second hand city.
March 1, 2008
4:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
gmart writes:
Aurora is like that kid in school that always got teased. Just when you thought, yeah I should help him out, well, he does something to make you think yeah, he does deserve it.
That is Aurora.