Louisiana-based CenturyLink will replace the big blue Qwest signs atop the 52-story building at 1801 California Street this week with its own bilious green logo. It's a change that ends an acrimonious era, as Qwest — the former fiber-optic whiz kid, the brash bad boy of the telecom world who came to town amid high buzz and hot stock plays — sputters into history, meekly absorbed by a dowdy landline giant.
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But Qwest isn't alone. As Kenny Be writes in an online feature this week, "The change heralds the dawn of a new age in Denver — the age of global corporate insignificance. Too bad our downtown towers can't be named for successful homegrown companies." Companies, he notes, like Tacos Junior! "A Tacos Junior logo emblazoned atop a downtown tower would be a handy reminder to all Denver residents that any time is Tacos Junior time!" Then again, maybe the Aurora city seal would be the most fitting logo to tower over the city. After all, the National Western Stock Show could be on its way there, so it's only a matter of time before cities themselves are acquired by other corporations and municipalities.
See Kenny's full slide show on the Latest Word.
Out and about: The list of Denver-based companies that have been swallowed up by even larger out-of-state firms can be conveniently noted, in part, at Coors Field, where some of them, including Qwest, Frontier Airlines and Coors itself still line the advertising marquees. Even Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey, which bought itself a large billboard in the outfield, is now owned by a New Jersey-based firm.
The dating life: In case you didn't notice, the world did not end on 5/21/11 as evangelist Harold Camping suggested, and no one (that we know of) ascended unto the Rapture, and thank, um, God, because if they had, they would have missed 7/11/11 — you know, free Slurpee day! (As it has every year since 2002, 7-Eleven gave away its signature icy drinks all day that day.) But we have another round of end-of-days predictions coming at us in 2012, when the Mayan calendar allegedly predicts more doom and gloom — possibly on 12/21/12. Which is why you might want to take advantage of some other memorable dates before that one for weddings or parties (not to mention 7/11/12).
The 1,231-room Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, at 1550 Court Place, is plugging the fact that it still has many open party dates at its facilities, including 11/11/11 (get crackin' if you're aiming for that one), 10/11/12 and 12/12/12.
"We have engaged couples who are specifically looking for a memorable date for their wedding," says Mark Major, the Sheraton's director of catering and conference services, in a message to those obsessed with fun numbers.
After all, he points out, the next big date of 01/01/01 doesn't come around until the next millennium.
