Eugene Dilbeck, executive director of the Center for Travel and Tourism at the University of Denver, announced Thursday he plans to retire this summer.
Dilbeck, 64, previously served as president and chief executive of the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau and on the Colorado Tourism Office board.
Dilbeck, who has worked in the tourism industry for more than 30 years, joined DU in February 2005 to establish the tourism center.
His retirement is effective June 30, but he plans to continue consulting with the university and managing the Quarterly Colorado Travel and Tourism Indicator, a research report.
The tourism center will officially move from DU’s Daniels College of Business to the School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management. David Corsun will take over as director of the hotel school July 1.
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE
SpaceX OK’d to work at Florida AF site
Air Force Space Command approved a five-year license for SpaceX to operate at a Cape Canaveral Air Force Station launch site in Florida.
The license lets El Segundo, Calif.-based SpaceX use a deactivated Titan IV launch pad. Air Force Space Command chief Kevin Chilton said in a statement that such agreements “encourage entrepreneurial space achievement, which can benefit both the Department of Defense and commercial space industries.”
DENVER
Ranking falls for Colo. civil-justice system
Colorado has slipped 13 places – from eighth place last year to 21st place this year – in the 2007 U.S. Chamber of Commerce State Liability Systems Ranking Study, the Colorado Civil Justice League said Thursday.
Colorado’s ranking reflects the reasonableness and balance of its civil-justice system. “The decline reflects practicing attorneys’ growing perception that Colorado’s courts need reform in key areas such as class actions, judicial training and punitive damages,” said Jeff Weist, executive director of the CCJL.
DENVER
“Clean energy fund” bill passed by Senate
The state Senate approved a bill Thursday that would create a $7 million “clean energy fund” to finance projects that advance energy efficiency and renewable energy in Colorado.
SB 246 would divert the money from a gaming fund used for road improvements. Sponsor Joan Fitz-Gerald, Senate president, said the gaming fund would still have enough money to cover maintaining roads leading to gaming towns. The bill now goes to a House committee.
DENVER
Pilots union claims execs failing United
During a meeting in Denver this week, leadership of the Air Line Pilots Association at United Airlines passed a resolution saying it has no confidence in senior management of the corporation.
The union told its members that United continues to financially underperform in relation to its competitors, has not announced orders for new aircraft, and the airline’s day-to-day operations continue to suffer.
SAN ANTONIO
2 firms get funding to buy Clear Channel
Bain Capital Partners LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP received commitments for $22.1 billion of debt financing to fund their purchase of Clear Channel Communications Inc., the largest U.S. radio company.
Lenders including Citigroup Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG agreed to arrange $18.5 billion in bank loans, of which $15.4 billion will be available to finance the acquisition, San Antonio-based Clear Channel said Wednesday in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
ADAMS COUNTY
Calif. firm acquires Turnpike office park
SVN Equities LLC, an Irvine, Calif.-based real estate investment firm, announced Thursday that it has acquired Turnpike Business Park in unincorporated Adams County for $12.8 million.
The 186,699-square-foot office and industrial business park at 7100 Broadway was purchased from Chicago-based First Industrial Realty Trust.
WASHINGTON
Utility gets U.S. loan for improvements
Mountain Parks Electric Inc., serving Grand and Jackson counties and parts of Summit, Larimer and Routt counties, will receive $12.7 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for improvements to its transmission system. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced $306 million in loans Thursday to utilities in 15 states.
MINNEAPOLIS
Northwest attendants tentatively OK cuts
Flight attendants at Northwest Airlines Corp. tentatively settled on pay cuts on Thursday, giving them a shot at a $182 million share of the airline’s reorganization in exchange for the millions more they have given up.
The union said the bankruptcy claim could be worth $15,000 to $18,000 per flight attendant.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE
Red Robin CEO made $1.86 million in 2006
Dennis Mullen, chief executive of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, earned $1.86 million in 2006, according to a regulatory filing.
Red Robin paid Mullen a base salary of $625,000. He earned the balance through bonuses, option awards and other compensation, the filing showed.
MONTGOMERY, Ala.
June sentencing for Scrushy, ex-governor
HealthSouth Corp. founder Richard Scrushy, who faces up to 30 years in prison, will be sentenced June 26 with former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, whom he was convicted of bribing.
Scrushy, 54, was found guilty in June of giving Siegelman $500,000 in campaign donations in exchange for a seat on a hospital regulatory board. Siegelman, governor from 1998 to 2002, was convicted at the same trial.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.
Applebee’s reports offers to buy chain
Casual-dining chain Applebee’s International Inc. announced Thursday that it has received several preliminary offers to buy the company.
Based on those nonbinding bids, the Overland Park, Kan., company said it will have a second round of discussions before asking potential buyers to submit definitive, binding offers.
