Centennial, Colorado#History
{{short description|City in Colorado, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Centennial, Colorado
| settlement_type = Home rule municipality{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/lgis/municipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=Colorado Department of Local Affairs|access-date=October 15, 2021}}
| motto = Spirit of the Past
| image_skyline = Centennial, Colorado.JPG
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Centennial Civic Center located on East Arapahoe Road
| image_flag = Flag of Centennial, Colorado.svg
| image_map = Arapahoe County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Centennial Highlighted 0812815.svg
| map_caption = Centennial in Arapahoe County, Colorado
| pushpin_map = USA Colorado#USA
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label = Centennial
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Centennial in the United States
| coordinates = {{coord|39|36|14|N|104|45|37|W|region:US-CO_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}}
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Colorado}}
|subdivision_type2 = County
|subdivision_name2 = Arapahoe County
| established_title = Incorporated
| established_date = February 7, 2001
| government_type = Home rule municipality
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Stephanie Piko{{cn|date=August 2024}}
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/summary-files.html|title=Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data|publisher=United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=September 4, 2021}}
|area_total_km2 = 77.355
|area_land_km2 = 76.976
|area_water_km2 = 0.379
| elevation_ft = 5722
|population_as_of = 2020
|population_total = 108,418
|population_rank = 11th in Colorado
|population_density_sq_mi = 3,648
|population_metro = 2,963,821 (19th)
|population_blank1_title = CSA
|population_blank1 = 3,623,560 (17th)
|population_blank2_title = Front Range
|population_blank2 = 5,055,344
|timezone1 = MST
|utc_offset1 = −07:00
|timezone1_DST = MDT
|utc_offset1_DST = −06:00
| postal_code_type = ZIP Codes{{cite web|url=http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |title=ZIP Code Lookup |format=JavaScript/HTML |publisher=United States Postal Service |access-date=September 5, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903025217/http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |archive-date=September 3, 2007 }}
| postal_code = 80015-80016, 80111-80112, 80121-80122,
80161 (PO Box)
|area_code_type = Area codes
|area_code = 303/720/983
| website = {{URL|http://www.centennialco.gov/}}
| blank_name = FIPS code
| blank_info = 08-12815
| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
| blank1_info = 2408300{{GNIS|2408300}}
}}
Centennial is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,418 at the 2020 United States census, making Centennial the 11th most populous municipality in Colorado. Centennial is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.
History
Centennial was formed on February 7, 2001, from portions of unincorporated Arapahoe County, including the former Castlewood and Southglenn census-designated places (CDPs).{{cite web |last1=Wallace |first1=Susan |title=Centennial off to fast start |url=https://extras.denverpost.com/news/election/cent0208.htm |website=Denver Post |access-date=February 19, 2020}} The citizens of the area had voted to incorporate on September 12, 2000, choosing Centennial as the official name during the vote. The name reflects Colorado's admission to the Union as the 38th state in 1876, the centennial year of the United States Declaration of Independence.{{cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=259435 |publisher=ePodunk |title=Profile for Centennial, Colorado, CO |access-date=July 6, 2012}} The state of Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State".
Incorporation was approved by 77% of the voters, and the population of the area at over 100,000 made it the largest incorporation in U.S. history as of its creation. The city was incorporated in large part to prevent further annexations of unincorporated areas by the city of Greenwood Village in an attempt to improve its tax base.{{cite news |last=Duran |first=Marlys |date=November 11, 1998 |title=SOUTH METRO TURF WAR CENTENNIAL WOULD BOOST ARAPAHOE COUNTY STILL WOULD RECEIVE TAXES, BUT RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD SHRINK |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWNB&req_dat=0F2929A6DB0FBA6E&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0EB4ECBB438000C4 |newspaper=Rocky Mountain News |location=Denver, Colorado |access-date=September 22, 2024}} The taxes generated from businesses in unincorporated portions of Arapahoe County funded the majority of the county's services, including road work. A number of court cases{{specify|date=July 2020}} eventually established the right of incorporation to take precedence over the right of annexation.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
The city was incorporated on a promise to keep city taxes at 1%. (One of the campaigns against incorporation appealed to voters to maintain the 3.8% sales tax of the unincorporated county.) According to the Centennial website, the current sales tax rate is two-and-a-half times the promised rate, at 2.5%.
In 2008, Centennial voters approved a referendum by approximately a 2-to-1 margin making Centennial a home rule city.{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9546257 |work=Denver Post |first=Carlos |last=Illescas |title=Centennial goes home rule |date=June 11, 2008}}
Centennial Airport, formerly Arapahoe County Airport, lies adjacent to Centennial, but is located in unincorporated Arapahoe County. The airport is not named after the city, as it predates the city by over 30 years.
Geography
Centennial is roughly divided in half by Interstate 25, with most of its business and entertainment centers lying west of the highway. The city's boundaries are highly irregular and evocative of a gerrymander, particularly the overwhelmingly residential eastern portions of the city, which appear with Foxfield, portions of Aurora, and unincorporated areas as a distorted checkerboard on the city's map.{{Cite web|title=Centennial Map|url=https://open-centennial.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/0c267059bb4644ccb94b48b8c4f0e3b5|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=open-centennial.opendata.arcgis.com|language=en-us}}
Centennial has many hills, gullies and ravines, and its open spaces are usually accompanied by recreational trails and parks, including Dry Creek Dam, DeKoevend Park, the High line Canal Trail, Willow Creek Trail, as well as Big Dry Creek and Little Dry Creek Trails. Centennial hosts most native wildlife and is a good reflection of Colorado's front range ecosystem. Centennial has seen a boost in coyote populations in recent years, leading to resident education on how to deter coyotes from eating family pets.{{cite web|url=http://www.centennialcolorado.com/forms.aspx?FID=60|title=CentennialColorado.com redirects to CentennialCo.gov|website=Centennialcolorado.com|access-date=August 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213071630/http://centennialcolorado.com/forms.aspx?FID=60|archive-date=December 13, 2010|url-status=dead}}
At the 2020 United States census, the city had a total area of {{convert|77.355|km2|acre|order=flip}} including {{convert|0.379|km2|acre|order=flip}} of water.
Demographics
{{US Census population
| align = left
| 1980 = 54200
| 1990 = 67479
| 2000 = 69087
| 2010 = 100377
| 2020 = 108418
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 106883
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census
}}
File:Race and ethnicity 2020 Centennial, CO.png
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Centennial, Colorado – Racial and ethnic composition !Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) !Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Centennial city, Colorado|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0812815&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}} !{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Centennial city, Colorado|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0812815&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}} !% 2010 !{{partial|% 2020}} |
| White alone (NH)
|82,664 |style='background: #ffffe6; |81,391 |82.35% |style='background: #ffffe6; |75.07% |
| Black or African American alone (NH)
|3,146 |style='background: #ffffe6; |3,545 |3.13% |style='background: #ffffe6; |3.27% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|284 |style='background: #ffffe6; |266 |0.28% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25% |
| Asian alone (NH)
|4,340 |style='background: #ffffe6; |6,794 |4.32% |style='background: #ffffe6; |6.27% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|94 |style='background: #ffffe6; |109 |0.09% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.10% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH)
|131 |style='background: #ffffe6; |508 |0.13% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.47% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)
|2,261 |style='background: #ffffe6; |5,387 |2.25% |style='background: #ffffe6; |4.97% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|7,457 |style='background: #ffffe6; |10,418 |7.43% |style='background: #ffffe6; |9.61% |
| Total
|100,377 |style='background: #ffffe6; |108,418 |100.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00% |
The city is approximately composed of 87.4% White, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 3.6% Asian, 2.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, and 0.3% from other races.
The median age is 37.2 years, in comparison to the 35.3-year national average. For every 100 females, there are 98 males.
{{clear|left}}
Economy
National CineMedia and United Launch Alliance are among the companies based in Centennial. According to Centennial's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,{{cite web|url=https://www.centennialco.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/2/documents/finance/financial-reports/2023-annual-comprehensive-financial-report.pdf|title=Centennial, Colorado ACFR|website=centennialco.gov|access-date=November 30, 2023}} the top employers in the city are:
| class="wikitable" |
| #
! Employer |
|---|
| 1
| Comcast |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 |
| 8 |
| 9 |
| 10 |
Schools
Most of Centennial is within the territory of the Cherry Creek Public Schools while the western portion of the city in the territory of Littleton Public Schools."[http://centennialcolorado.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2626 Centennial Street Map - School Districts]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080418/http://centennialcolorado.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2626 Archive]) City of Centennial. Retrieved on December 13, 2013. Centennial is also served by a few private schools.
Private Elementary and Middle Schools
- St. Thomas More Parish School
- Highlands Baptist Academy
- Shepherd of the Hills Christian School
- Centennial Christian Academy
- C.A.R.E. Middle School
Seminary
Government
File:Community leaders sign P4 Initiative (1939873).jpeg Partnership Steering Group charter on March 31, 2015.]]
The city is governed under the council–manager form of government{{cite web|url=http://www.centennialco.gov/City-Manager/|title=City Manager's Office |publisher=City of Centennial |access-date=August 27, 2017|archive-date=September 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913130115/http://www.centennialco.gov/City-Manager/|url-status=dead}} which limits the power of the city to levy and collect taxes. The city council has eight members. The Mayor and Council Members are all part-time officials who hold other full-time jobs.{{cn|date=April 2025}} {{As of|2024}}, the mayor is Stephanie Piko and the city manager is Matt Sturgeon.{{Cite web |title=Elected Officials |url=https://www.centennialco.gov/Government/Mayor-Council/Elected-Officials |access-date=2024-09-23 |publisher=City of Centennial}}
Sports
Dove Valley, an unincorporated area bordering Cetennial, is home to the training facilities and team headquarters for the Denver Broncos, a National Football League franchise that plays in Denver. The team moved their headquarters to Dove Valley in 1990 and built their training facilities there in 2003.{{cite news |last=Klis |first=Mike |date=September 5, 2022 |title=After 32 years, Broncos purchase land beneath team headquarters |url=https://www.9news.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/why-lease-when-you-can-buy-after-32-years-broncos-purchase-land-beneath-team-headquarters/73-51204f37-c36f-4f67-a376-78d363805dad |publisher=9News Denver |accessdate=April 8, 2025}} The Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse was constructed on the campus in 2014 and houses {{convert|115,000|sqft|sqm}} of training space and offices.{{cite news |last=McCormick |first=Bret |date=November 7, 2023 |title=Broncos planning new $175M headquarters, training facility |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/11/07/denver-broncos-new-training-facility/ |work=Sports Business Journal |accessdate=April 8, 2025}} A major expansion of the team's facilities was announced in 2023 and is planned to be completed in 2023.{{cite news |last=Gabriel |first=Parker |date=May 29, 2024 |title=Construction at newly named Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit won't start until after training camp, ensuring fan access |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/29/broncos-training-camp-open-construction-delayed/ |work=The Denver Post |accessdate=April 8, 2025}}
The new Denver team in the National Women's Soccer League plans to build their training center in Centennial in a partnership with the city government and the Cherry Creek School District. The center will include eight fields on {{convert|43|acre|ha}} of land and an indoor training area. A temporary 12,000-seat stadium on the grounds is planned to open in 2026 for the team's inaugural season and be used for two seasons while construction of a permanent stadium in Denver is completed.{{cite news |last=Carlisle |first=Jeff |date=March 27, 2025 |title=NWSL: Denver announces plans for training center, temporary stadium |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/44424337/nwsl-denver-announces-plans-training-center-temporary-stadium |publisher=ESPN |accessdate=April 8, 2025}} The Centennial stadium project is expected to cost up to $25 million with funding from the team and school district. After the 2027 season, the stadium's capacity is planned to be reduced to 4,000 seats and continue to be used by the school district.{{cite news |last=Prentzel |first=Olivia |date=March 27, 2025 |title=Temporary home for women's pro soccer team will become permanent pitch for Cherry Creek schools |url=https://coloradosun.com/2025/03/27/denver-national-womens-soccer-temporary-stadium-centennial/ |work=The Colorado Sun |accessdate=April 8, 2025}}
Points of interest
- International Headquarters for Gamma Phi Beta sorority are located in Centennial. Gamma Phi Beta was the first women's organization to use the term "sorority".
- Centennial was chosen in 2008 as the site of the first IKEA store in Colorado.{{cite web |url=http://cbs4denver.com/local/IKEA.colorado.centennial.2.814104.html |title=Cbs4denver.com - IKEA Announces Plans for Colorado Store |access-date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913171822/http://cbs4denver.com/local/IKEA.colorado.centennial.2.814104.html |archive-date=September 13, 2008}} The IKEA Centennial location opened on July 27, 2011. It is the second-largest IKEA store in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/centennial|title=IKEA Centennial Home Furnishings - IKEA|website=Ikea.com|access-date=August 27, 2017}} IKEA Centennial was awarded the Project of the Year in 2011 by city of Centennial.{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcoloradonews.com/business/notes/business-recognized-at-best-of-centennial-dinner/article_d93f8e22-f11c-11e0-9c59-001cc4c002e0.html |title=Archived copy |website=www.ourcoloradonews.com |access-date=January 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229171312/http://www.ourcoloradonews.com/business/notes/business-recognized-at-best-of-centennial-dinner/article_d93f8e22-f11c-11e0-9c59-001cc4c002e0.html |archive-date=December 29, 2016 |url-status=dead}}
- Centennial is home to the headquarters of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). NCBA also maintains an office in Washington, D.C.
- Centennial is home to the headquarters of Arrow Electronics and is the largest company headquartered in Colorado.{{Cite web |title=Arrow Electronics {{!}} 2022 Fortune 500 |url=https://fortune.com/company/arrow-electronics/fortune500/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |website=Fortune |language=en}}
Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Centennial include:
- Amy Barczuk (1990–), soccer defender, midfielder{{cite web |title=Amy Barczuk |publisher=Boston Breakers |url=http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/playerbios/amybarczuk/index_E.html |access-date=April 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317053419/http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/playerbios/amybarczuk/index_E.html |archive-date=March 17, 2016 |url-status=dead }}
- Madisen Beaty (1995–), actress{{cite web |title=Madisen Beaty - Biography |publisher=IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2295293/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm |access-date=April 15, 2016}}
- Melissa Benoist (1988–), actress
- Tory Bruno (1961–), CEO, United Launch Alliance
- Tom Costello (1963–), NBC NEWS Washington-based correspondent{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-costello-3b5b954 |title=Tom Costello |website=LinkedIn}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/video/student-shooting-suspect-was-targeting-teacher-officials-say-90246211732|title=Student shooting suspect was targeting teacher, officials say|website=NBC News}}
- Kevin Gausman (1991–), baseball pitcher{{cite web |title=Kevin Gausman |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gausmke01.shtml |access-date=April 15, 2016}}
- Kenny McKinley (1987–2010), football wide receiver{{cite web|last=Associated Press |title=Sheriff: Broncos WR Kenny McKinley Found Dead |publisher=NPR |date=September 29, 2010 |url=https://www.npr.org:80/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130006111 |access-date=April 15, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921212934/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130006111 |archive-date=September 21, 2010 }}
- George Ratterman (1926–2007), football quarterback{{cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |title=George Ratterman, Football Star and Sheriff, Dies at 80 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 10, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/10/sports/football/10ratterman.html?_r=1 |access-date=April 15, 2016}}
- Spencer Swalm (1951–), Colorado state legislator{{cite web |title=Spencer Swalm's Biography |publisher=Vote Smart |url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/65730/spencer-swalm#.VxE6YfkrKXI |access-date=April 15, 2016}}
- Jack Tate (1963–), Colorado state legislator{{cite web |title=Jack Tate's Biography |publisher=Vote Smart |url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/149365/jack-tate#.VxFBb_krKXI |access-date=April 15, 2016}}
- Ken Tribbett (1991–), soccer defender, midfielder{{cite web |title=Ken Tribbett |publisher=Major League Soccer |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/ken-tribbett |access-date=April 15, 2016}}
- Sean Tufts (1982–), football, linebacker for the Carolina Panthers{{Cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/seantufts/2505693/profile|title = Sean Tufts Stats, News and Video - LB|website = NFL.com}}
Surrounding municipalities
{{Geographic location
| North = Greenwood Village, Aurora
| West = Littleton
| Center = Centennial
| East = Aurora
| South = Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Foxfield, Parker
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{sister project links|auto=1}}
- [http://www.centennialco.gov// Centennial website]
- [http://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/staticdata/Downloads/CityMaps/CENTENNIAL.pdf CDOT map of Centennial]
{{Arapahoe County, Colorado}}
{{Colorado|show}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Cities in Arapahoe County, Colorado
Category:Denver metropolitan area