Colorado leaders break ground on quantum tech site in Arvada

DENVER ( KDVR ) — The Colorado governor was joined by state and federal leaders today as they broke ground on what will be a tech park in Arvada.

The lot of land is vacant now, but leaders expect the creation of this park to spur thousands of jobs and generate up to a billion dollars for the state’s economy.

State and federal leaders came to Arvada to celebrate the state’s latest chapter in quantum technology.

“When I think about the challenges we are going to face as a country, we know that we are in the race against China who is going to have the first quantum computing. And if we are going to actually win this race and what that means for the next century. China right now is spending five times as much as we are,” said U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen.

The Colorado School of Mines purchased 70 acres to build the Quantum Tech Park. Shovels are now going in the ground after the Biden administration named Colorado a tech hub, designating more than $40 million to further quantum development in Colorado last October.
The collective effort is being called Elevate Quantum.

“We’re wasting no time,” said Governor Jared Polis. “So we got the award and we’re building. We’re building infrastructure. A lot fo quantum computing needs to occur at very low temperatures so a lot of the facility will be involved with cryogenics, super cold temperatures, materials, research, but also where companies can grow to full scale. This really helps cement America’s leadership bit more specifically Colorado’s leadership in quantum technology.”

State lawmakers also passed a funding package during the regular legislative session that makes tax credits available for companies that invest in the state’s quantum infrastructure.
The park is expected to create more than 10,000 jobs and eventually spur a billion dollars for the state’s economy. Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Don Graves said Colorado is leading the way.

“Elevate Quantum is on the cutting edge of quantum and we’ll use this site to continue our legacy of leadership, tapping into the regional expertise that we’ve been talking about tapping into the assets that you have here, including regional laboratories, as well as unlocking the transformative technology needed to move quantum-based technologies to the market,” Graves said.

Leaders believe developing quantum is also in the nation’s best interest for national security.
CU Boulder will have a partner facility to help with the development happening here.

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