Base Closures

Unlike the military base closures that occurred in the 1990s, the 20 bases that the government is scheduled to close next year come at a time of great economic uncertainty. Not only will the closures take a toll on already-suffering local economies but it could also send real estate markets in those areas spiraling further downward.

When Lowry Air Force base closed in 1994, the surrounding area not only lost a major employer (which supplied some 7,000 people with jobs) but it also took a big chunk out of the area's population -- and threatened its economy.