RTD Board approves first naming rights deal for commuter A Line to Denver International Airport

August 27, 2015

DENVER – The RTD Board of Directors approved the agency’s first naming rights agreement, a five-year deal worth $5 million with the University of Colorado.

The agreement covers the East Rail A Line commuter rail from Union Station to Denver International Airport as well as ads on the Flatiron Flyer Bus Rapid Transit line that runs along US 36 from Union Station to Boulder. The Flatiron Flyer is scheduled to open in January 2016 and the A Line is set for opening in spring 2016.

An RTD commuter train rolls outside of the new station on the East Rail line at Denver International Airport during testing in August. – Courtesy RTD

In addition, the agreement includes exterior advertisements on the rail and bus vehicles and CU’s name and logo use on RTD digital assets and printed material related to the A Line.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the University of Colorado for this first contract through our corporate partnership program,” said Chuck Sisk, RTD Board Chair. “We believe that branded sponsorship is an emerging marketplace with many valuable opportunities for the local and national business communities.”

CU President Bruce D. Benson said the agreement will help CU convey the message about its contributions, value and accomplishments to the estimated 10 million annual riders on the A Line.

“The University of Colorado is excited to partner with RTD on this initiative that brings together the state’s leading public higher education institution with the crown jewel of the largest and newest public transportation project in the United States,” Benson said. “CU is kicking off a major marketing initiative next month and the University of Colorado A Line and Flatiron Flyer will be important parts of the effort.”

Funds from the deal will go into RTD’s Board of Directors reserve account, and will be used at the discretion of the Board. The agreement, which is part of RTD’s corporate partnership program, includes a provision for a five-year extension.

In addition to naming rights, other sponsorship opportunities in the program include brand visibility on signage, digital properties and marketing materials. Don’t forget that online marketing is just as important as physical marketing, especially in this day and age. Creating a website that targets people from all over the world, and who are likely to use the rail line daily, could be important to their success. So, looking at how international SEO, with the likes of Victorious, (https://victoriousseo.com/markets/international-seo/) can help them to establish a website that can target these people will be important for them and their future going forward. But of course, this is just one of the things that can be considered when it comes to marketing. WME/IMG, Inc. is under contract to manage the corporate partnership program for RTD.

Testing of the 22.8-mile East Rail A line, which is being constructed as part of RTD’s fully funded Eagle P3 Project, has been ongoing since the spring. On April 17, two of RTD’s new commuter rail cars pulled into the station at Denver International Airport for the first time. Trains use 25,000-volt AC power from overhead lines to operate, different than RTD’s 750-volt DC system that powers its light rail trains.

Travel time between Union Station in downtown Denver and Denver International Airport will be 37 minutes.

The 22.8-mile long East Rail Line from Denver Union Station to Denver International Airport as seen from a helicopter. – Courtesy RTD

Spring is when large-scale model railroaders with their green thumbs plant and prune colorful foliage grown nearly to scale. In some areas, maintaining outdoor layouts is quite challenging because of changing weather. Nancy Norris, an author who builds garden railroads professionally, says some plant varieties have become more difficult to grow in certain Hardiness Zones. In some cases it means garden railroaders having to put more emphasis on growing native plants rather than relying on varieties more susceptible to extreme conditions. She recommends new gardeners consult with their local nurseries for the best choices for an outdoor layout. Norris also has a few recommendations of her own.

Sweeping tariffs imposed on goods imported into the United States are stirring model railroad manufacturers. As a result, model railroading and other hobbies will cost more. In February the U.S. applied a 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China, and the tax has since escalated. Suppliers – including Athearn, InterMountain Railway Co., Broadway Limited, Rapido Trains and ScaleTrains – have been putting dealers and customers on notice that prices will increase tariffs are implemented.

The first rule of railroading is “expect movement on any track at any time in any direction.” This may seem like an overabundance of caution, but railroading is a dangerous sport. Always expect a train when you’re around the tracks. The second rule of railroading is that there is an exception to every rule. The North American freight car fleet in 2023 consisted of 2.03 million rail cars, according to Railinc’s Umler Equipment Index. Rail car fleet management — how empty cars get dispatched to move to their next loading point — is an ever-moving process and often requires fleet car managers to be nimble.

RTD Board approves first naming rights deal for commuter A Line to Denver International Airport

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