Colorado

LOS ANGELES - Fitch Ratings could cut bond ratings on the National Basketball Association, Los Angeles' Staples Center, and Denver's Pepsi Center if the NBA fails to reach an agreement with players and cancels the season.

Colorado State Treasurer Walker Stapleton and Attorney General John Suthers have filed a lawsuit in a Denver state district court to obtain beneficiary information from the board that oversees the pension fund for state workers.

Colorado Springs is remarketing $66 million of variable-rate utility refunding revenue bonds with a new liquidity provider, effective Tuesday.

DALLAS - Denver International Airport plans to take advantage of historically low interest rates with $425.9 million of refunding bonds as it pursues a major expansion.

A rural southern Colorado school district has warned state officials that its financial problems are getting near the point where it may be unable to pay its debt.

The Aurora City Council has declared 125 acres of vacant land near Denver International Airport “blighted” in a step toward developing a Gaylord Entertainment Co. resort that would adjoin the proposed new home of the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo.

DALLAS — While the volume of municipal bond sales in the Southwest fell nearly 35% to $17.8 million in the first half of 2011 compared to a year earlier, industry executives haven't lacked things to do.

Peck, Shaffer & Williams, a leading national public finance law firm, has named former Lathrop & Gage attorney Bob Coyne as a partner in its Denver office.

DALLAS - Colorado's Regional Transportation District has received confirmation of a $1.03 billion federal grant that is a key element in financing its $6.7 billion FasTracks program.

CHICAGO - Moody's Investors Service this week said it views positively recent court rulings in Colorado and Minnesota dismissing litigation that challenged legislative cuts to retirees' pension cost-of-living increases, and expects the rulings will spur other states to act.

Colorado will cover its cash-flow needs next week with the sale of $600 million of tax and revenue anticipation notes.

CHICAGO - Attorneys for state retirees in Colorado and Minnesota are weighing whether to appeal court decisions last week dismissing litigation that challenged legislative cuts to pension cost-of-living hikes but fear that such rulings will "embolden" other cash-strapped states eying ways to ease pension costs.

The Internal Revenue Service has completed a routine audit of $250 million of Build America Bonds issued by Denver School District No. 1, with no change to the subsidy payments the issuer receives from the federal government.

Trustees of Routt County School District No. RE-2 declined to set an override election for November to increase the property tax rate.

DALLAS — After campaigning on an issue over which he has little control — education ­— newly elected Denver Mayor Michael Hancock will oversee major projects already under way in transportation and economic development as the city continues its recovery from the Great Recession.

DALLAS — Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which limits the ability of state and local government to raise taxes and issue debt, violates the U.S. Constitution, according to a lawsuit seeking to overturn the voter-approved law.

DALLAS — The University of Colorado Hospital Authority plans to issue $200.8 million of variable-rate revenue bonds this week for a new medical tower on its rapidly expanding Anschutz Campus in Aurora.

DALLAS — With newly installed Gov. John Hickenlooper’s signature already affixed to his first budget bill, Colorado’s evenly divided General Assembly adjourned this week, though it left some business unresolved.

DALLAS — Chris Romer, a former investment banker, state senator and son of former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, will face City Council member Michael Hancock in a June 7 runoff for mayor of Denver, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.

DALLAS — Fitch Ratings has lowered the outlook on Colorado Springs Airport debt from stable to negative while affirming its A-minus rating.