Colorado State University and the City of Fort Collins have entered into contracts to exchange land. The swap will allow the university to create a research center close to I-25 and the city will use their new land to expand the Natural Area Program into the foothills area.

CSU’s 143-acre parcel is located at the southwest corner of Prospect Road and I-25. Fort Collins will obtain 267 acres at the northern end of the Foothills Campus, which expands the Reservoir Ridge Natural Area.
The deal is scheduled to close on Nov. 20, 2007.
CSU President Larry Edward Penley envisioned the land trade as another way to speed groundbreaking technology developed at the university to the marketplace, helping to create jobs in the region while solving some of the world's most overwhelming environmental problems. The planned research center will focus on renewable energy companies. Negotiations are under way for AVA Solar, a CSU-founded start-up, to be an anchor tenant in the center with groundbreaking in early 2008.
Penley said. "We envision this land as prime space for our research spinoffs and future business opportunities that arise from our new Supercluster models, particularly clean energy."

According to the city, the Reservoir Ridge Natural Area will become one of the City's largest local natural areas totaling 748 acres.