Over the past 100 years, Aurora has grown from a tiny town on the plains to a large urban center with 275,000 plus residents. The city has benefited tremendously from its proximity to Denver. Today, it is the closest city to the new Denver International Airport, a 15-minute drive from the center of city. The Rocky Mountains are less than an hour's drive away as well as a myriad of recreational opportunities including skiing, hiking, riding, golf and more. Two public reservoirs are also available. Aurora and Cherry Creek reservoirs provide boating, sailing, fishing, swimming, bicycling and picnicking opportunities.

Two public school districts serve Aurora residents: Aurora Public Schools and Cherry Creek School District. The Community College of Aurora is the fastest-growing community college in Colorado.

Aurora boasts a strong pro-business environment that has led to a number of large developments over the past 10 years. The city's newest project is the Aurora City Center -a massive development and redevelopment project located east of Interstate 225. At the heart of the development is the city's new Aurora Municipal Center -- a 280,000-square-foot building that will serve as the soul of the city. The center will ultimately house more than 850 employees and will nearly triple the existing city hall\'s square footage.

The new center will be the hub from which the city will oversee its 8,000 recreational programs, 80 parks, seven public golf courses and numerous recreational and civic programs.