New plaza opens at Four Corners Monument

The Four Corners Monument, which is visited by thousands of tourists from around the world, has reopened with a new plaza and interpretive panels.
While the new monument opened with little fanfare in recent days, the attraction has received a large amount of attention after a New York Times story in late July stated that the facility would be closed through much of the month of August.
“The monument is now a place where we can all be proud to send people,” said Charlie DeLorme, Director of San Juan County Economic Development. DeLorme praised the efforts of Cleal Bradford, who chairs the committee that oversaw the reconstruction effort.
“The new facility features a great plaza and wonderful interpretive displays,” added DeLorme.
The site of the monument was brought into question in 2009, when a simple survey suggested the monument does not sit over the site where Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico meet.
The actual point may have been 600 yards west of the monument at the time of statehood, but the legally recognized Four Corners is now at the point where the plaza sits.
In other economic development matters, DeLorme reports that the summer tourist trade is strong, with several properties reporting record-breaking business. “In many places, we are at 2008 levels, which is considered the standard,” said DeLorme.
Representatives of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCU) will be in San Juan County later this month to help businesses and communities create information designed to help attract business expansion and development in the county. San Juan County recently became a member of EDCU.