Wilson Porterfield, who represents the pavilion, says it will bethe largest complex of its kind in the world. The new facility willbe built across the street from the existing one, slightly lessthan 18,000 sf, at Westminster Promenade development at US 36 andW. 104th Ave. Plans call for an 80-foot high, all-glasspyramid.

"The new Butterfly Pavilion will bring science education and aweunder a magnificent glass pyramid," says Westminster Mayor NancyHeil.

Construction begins in February, with an opening scheduled forMarch 2002. The city of Westminster, northwest of Denver, willlease the land for the new pavilion to the Rocky Mountain ButterflyConsortium for $1 a year for 75 years. The pavilion will keep $2.1million from the sale of its old complex to help defray the newbuilding costs, with the balance to split evenly with 50-50 withWestminster, Porterfield says. The current building is valuedbetween $3.2 million and $3.3 million, and the Rocky MountainButterfly Consortium board expects to net about $2.5 million fromthe sale, he adds.