Presenting sponsor Land Title Guarantee Company and NAIOP Colorado have announced Connell LLC as the project sponsor for the 2026 Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge (RMREC). This year’s competition features Ladera, a 240-acre master-planned community located in the Town of Timnath in Northern Colorado. Now in its 24th year, RMREC brings together graduate students, real estate leaders, and community partners in one of the state’s most respected academic-industry collaborations.
This year’s competition will center on a 14.55-acre waterfront parcel within Ladera. The site overlooks a future 30-acre reservoir and presents students with a rare opportunity to design an activated waterfront district that engages the community and enhances the broader mixed-use environment. Currently operating as an asphalt plant and gravel pit at the end of its productive life, the site is poised for transformation. Connell LLC is committed to guiding this transition in a way that provides a community amenity which will offer spaces to live, gather, work, and thrive.
Building on Connell’s vision for the site, graduate students from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Denver will step into the role of developers, working directly with industry professionals to propose a market-ready, financially feasible vision for the site. The Challenge replicates a real-world development scenario where teams of students navigate the complexities, tradeoffs, and opportunities that shape major commercial real estate projects.
“Land Title Guarantee Company is honored to support the Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge for the 14th year because it represents the best of what happens when industry, education, and community come together,” said Luke Davidson, sales manager, Commercial Markets Team at Land Title Guarantee Company. “RMREC is about more than developing a vision for a site—it’s about engaging the next generation of real estate professionals in solving the real challenges facing growth and development across Colorado. Our hope is that continued industry participation strengthens this pipeline of talent and inspires companies to invest time, expertise, and leadership into shaping the future of our communities.”
The Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge is made possible through deep industry participation. Each year, more than 100 professionals volunteer time, expertise, and mentorship to guide and evaluate student work. These professionals include developers, architects, brokers, lenders, general contractors and public-sector partners.
“What makes RMREC so powerful is the real-world application. Students aren’t just learning about development, they’re actively engaging with constraints, opportunities, and industry leaders as they work to envision the next chapter of Ladera,” said J.D. Praeger, RMREC committee chair. “We’re grateful to Connell LLC for their sponsorship and collaboration in bringing this opportunity to our students and future real estate leaders.”
Connell LLC’s sponsorship reflects its commitment to community-focused development and talent cultivation in the region’s real estate ecosystem. “The student concepts will no doubt help expand and elevate our vision for the potential of Ladera. We’re delighted to partner with NAIOP and the universities to see what is possible for this site,” said Sheri Welch, Manager, Connell LLC.
NAIOP is honored to partner with Ladera for this year’s challenge. RMREC culminates in a live final event scheduled for April 22, where teams present their proposals to a panel of industry judges and an audience of more than 700 commercial real estate professionals.
