Alterra's move to former Denver Post Building could face costly hurdle, letter warns of ski company lease obligations – CBS News

Alterra’s move to former Denver Post Building could face costly hurdle, letter warns of ski company lease obligations  CBS News

Alterra Mountain Company's planned move into the former Denver Post building downtown could be more complicated than city officials have indicated, with the company's current landlord warning that the relocation could trigger millions of dollars in additional financial obligations. In a Sept. 21 letter, obtained by CBS Colorado and addressed to Alterra's attorneys and copied to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, the landlord's attorney outlined what he described as the company's continuing contractual obligations at Zeppelin Station in the River North Art District. The mayor's office, however, says Alterra was already planning to leave its existing location and that Denver's involvement was aimed at keeping the company from leaving Colorado.

"Alterra was leaving that location, plain and simple, and we kept them from leaving the state altogether," said Jon Ewing, Johnston's press secretary. "Same thing we've said time and again, this was about keeping a major employer in Denver and in Colorado. Only reason either Denver or the state got involved", wrote Ewing. The Sept. 21 letter, written by attorney Timothy Gordon on behalf of Alterra's current landlord, says Alterra remains bound by a lease that does not expire until May 31, 2029, despite its publicly announced plans to relocate its headquarters to the city-owned building at 101 West Colfax Avenue. "Tenant is obligated to pay Base Rent and Additional Rent