Retailer Retention at DIA Debated

DENVER-Should they stay or should they go?

Retailers at DIA, that is.

Mayor Wellington E. Webb has proposed extending the leases for all concessionaires at the airport for three to six years, without competitive bidding. Some leases could be extended for up to 14 years from now.

By automatically extending the leases, it protects small business owners, many of them whom are women or minorities, from being replaced by big corporations that covet the lucrative contracts, in the view of Webb and some city council people, such as Ramona Martinez.

However, Webb, and Martinez and most of the council, will be replaced by an entirely new administration on July 21, thanks to term limits.

Mayor-elect John Hickenlooper would like the lame duck council and mayor to hold off on making a decision, and let the new council decide on the issue.

Some current council members, such as Susan Barnes Gelt, agree, noting it’s possible some of these contracts could remain in place for the next three terms of the mayor–the most allowed to be held by one individual. Webb and the council are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue.