The Molson Coors brewing company broke ground on a new multi-year construction project at its Golden Brewery Tuesday.

The multi-hundred-million-dollar project will replace the brewery’s fermenting, aging, filtrating and government cellars. The current cellars date back to the 1950s.

“Today we’re investing in the future of the Coors brewery and we’re investing in the future of Golden,” said Gavin Hattersley, CEO of Molson Coors Beverage Company.

The Golden Brewery is one of Coors’ oldest breweries, serving as the birthplace for the Coors Banquet Beer nearly 150 years ago.

In the project, the company emphasized local workforces to support the surrounding community.

Project Manager Peter Coors said nearly 500 contractors will be working on the project at its peak.

“Those are contractors that are going to be spending money here in Jefferson County and in Golden. Many of those will be residents of Colorado,” Coors said.

The Coors company has more employees in Colorado than in any other state in the country, according to Hattersley. 

The project will also be digging a flood control structure that will be utilized by the city and county. The company will be providing all funding for the structure.

“COVID-19 has truly taken its toll,” said Lesley Dahlkemper, Jefferson County Commission Chair. “This project truly represents a very important step forward for Jefferson County.”

Dahlkemper said the majority of the Coors project’s labor, sourcing materials and companies are locally based.

“We are in a particularly challenging year right now,” said Golden Mayor Laura Weinberg. “It’s a future-facing project but … in the short term, we are very excited for the start of the project and to welcome all of the workers.”

The new facilities will reduce the brewery’s water usage by approximately 100,000,000 gallons each year, reduce energy usage by 15% and reduce beer waste by 25%, Coors said.

The new cellars will make the Golden brewery’s beers more consistent in flavor and will allow for the extension of product lines.

The cellars will see their first beer in 2023 for the company’s 150th anniversary; however, the project will not officially complete until 2025.