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growth over the very long term. A separate concern was voiced about the starting point of the long-term forecasts. Of specific concern is the year 2010 population estimate and the implied migration assumption for that year. Response The COE has considered these comments carefully and has concluded that, although the Series 1 assumptions achieved convergence more thoroughly than Series 2, the implications for Denver's employment growth in the later time periods were probably too severe. In other words, Denver will likely maintain a certain competitive advantage over the Nation as a whole because of its climate and esthetic and geo- graphical characteristics. The COE has determined that the disadvantages of the Series 1 growth projections can be minimized and the advantages largely pre- served by splitting the difference between Series 1 and Series 2. Because Series 1 assumes zero net migration in the year 2035 and Series 2 implies a 10,000 person net migration level, the assumption adopted by the COE is a 5,000 person migration level for the year 2035. The long-term population forecasts require an extrapolation of migration fram the year 2010 to year 2035. The starting point, which was year 2010, can nO longer be determined in an absolute sense from the 1982 or 1984 DRCOG policy forecasts because a number of modifica- tions have been performed on the year 2010 population projections. It is currently believed that the best means of selecting a migration level for the long term forecasts is to adopt the annual average of year 2000 to year 2010 migration as reported for the 1984 DRCOG fore- casts. Any error stemming from this assumption is believed to have minimal effects on the long term population forecasts. 15