Qwest sign replacement heralds dawn of new age: Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario

The Qwest signs on top of the 52-story building at 1801 California Street are being replaced with Century Link signs 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...

By Kenny Be

July 11, 2011

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The Qwest signs on top of the 52-story building at 1801 California Street are being replaced with Century Link signs 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... What with the letter "Q" already in place, it would seem only natural to sell the naming rights to the 1801 California Street building to Denver-based Quiznos Restaurants. However, recent news that the company has hired financial advisers to help renegotiate $850 million of debt suggests that there may not be enough bread to promote the sandwich company. Below, a positive sign from a quickly growing local eatery... As shown above, 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! Without Qwest, Denver is without a national Fortune 500 corporate headquarters. Below, there's only one national company that even has a much of a presence in this town... As shown in the illustration above, Purina would probably ask for tax incentives to put their sign on the former Qwest building. While a few grumpy grampas in the Hampden neighborhood might complain about susidizing the marketing of puppy chow, the rest of dog-crazy Denver would gladly foot (or paw) the bill. Below, a sign that Denver's economy has really gone to the dogs... The picture above illustrates that as Denver institutions -- from the National Western Stock Show to Qwest -- are acquired by other corporations and municipalities, it's only a matter of time for the city to be co-opted by regional concerns. Below, truth is never stranger than fiction...

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