Developer Beats Jeffco to Airport Name

Golden - Jefferson County officials feel a Windsor developer has hijacked the name they want to hang on their airport.

On Oct. 10, the county announced it is re-christening Jefferson County Airport as Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.

County officials discovered last week that a Windsor developer, Martin Lind, had registered that name - along with five similar ones - as trade names with the Colorado secretary of state's office.

Jefferson County Attorney Frank Hutfless, who said the county has been working on the switch for months, vowed to press on in the national and international trademarking of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.

"I don't know what his motivations are," Hutfless said of Lind. "There was no formal action by a government on reserving the name. I'm very disturbed about this individual taking this action."

Lind is the developer of the Water Valley resort community and Eagle Crossing commercial area near Interstate 25 in the Loveland area.

He wants to develop an airpark on 100 acres he owns near the Fort Collins/Loveland Airport, which he'd like to see renamed as Rocky Mountain Regional Airport.

"I researched the name a year ago and didn't find a Rocky Mountain airport between here and Canada," Lind said. "It's a natural fit with Loveland being the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park."

Jefferson County, Lind said, "should have reserved the name before spending thousands on it."

Hutfless pointed out Lind reserved the name as a limited liability company.

The day after Lind registered "Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport LLC," Jefferson County registered "Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport."

Hutfless said the county has been using the name in marketing, including at a major trade show in Florida last week.

The county commissioners believe the new name will boost pilot awareness that "we are in a major metropolitan area," Commissioner Kevin McCasky said.

"We'll keep an eye on it," Hutfless said of the trademark conflict. "People can name their companies what they want, but gosh, there's a lot of names out there."

Lind said he's "not at all ashamed" at snapping up the name.

"Two things: I don't know what's going to happen, and I don't care. It doesn't affect our business," Lind said. "I believe that no good idea should go unstolen. If they want to steal it, have at it."

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