Aurora EDC reports $300M in capital investment and growth in aerospace and data centers
June 23, 2026 | Aurora City, Douglas County, Colorado
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Jonathan, representing the Aurora Economic Development Council, briefed the committee on recent development results and sector trends for Aurora.
He said Aurora recorded roughly 2,253 new jobs and nearly $300 million in capital investment last year, with major projects including QTS (a large multi-building data center campus), Philip Morris International (about $600 million investment and roughly 500 jobs), and RK Industries relocating its headquarters and hiring heavily.
"We are seeing a lot of growth right now in the aerospace and defense industry in Aurora specifically," Jonathan said, noting that aerospace and defense, health care expansion, and manufacturing are areas of active pipeline interest. He added that Colorado has experienced statewide job losses, but Aurora has continued to attract projects.
EDC highlighted that QTS's multi-building buildout could use tens of megawatts of power and generate substantial permit fees, and that PMI produced substantial permit and fee revenue for the city. The EDC also described a proposed Anovvice aerospace campus near E-470 and Buckley Space Force Base that would serve defense and aerospace firms.
Jonathan noted challenges: office real estate valuations and vacancy pressures, the high cost of construction, and statewide reputational and affordability issues that affect recruitment and retention of companies.
The EDC said Aurora's diversity of industrial inventory and available large sites remain strengths, and staff and council members discussed enterprise-zone opportunities and workforce partnerships to capture future investment.
He said Aurora recorded roughly 2,253 new jobs and nearly $300 million in capital investment last year, with major projects including QTS (a large multi-building data center campus), Philip Morris International (about $600 million investment and roughly 500 jobs), and RK Industries relocating its headquarters and hiring heavily.
"We are seeing a lot of growth right now in the aerospace and defense industry in Aurora specifically," Jonathan said, noting that aerospace and defense, health care expansion, and manufacturing are areas of active pipeline interest. He added that Colorado has experienced statewide job losses, but Aurora has continued to attract projects.
EDC highlighted that QTS's multi-building buildout could use tens of megawatts of power and generate substantial permit fees, and that PMI produced substantial permit and fee revenue for the city. The EDC also described a proposed Anovvice aerospace campus near E-470 and Buckley Space Force Base that would serve defense and aerospace firms.
Jonathan noted challenges: office real estate valuations and vacancy pressures, the high cost of construction, and statewide reputational and affordability issues that affect recruitment and retention of companies.
The EDC said Aurora's diversity of industrial inventory and available large sites remain strengths, and staff and council members discussed enterprise-zone opportunities and workforce partnerships to capture future investment.
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