BlackWing was founded in 1980 by Rick Batista who had been the explosives engineer for Jefferson County, Colorado for five years. During the early 80’s the company’s principal focus was small commercial, residential and surface mineral drilling and blasting in Colorado.
During the early 80’s the company’s principal focus was small commercial, residential and surface mineral drilling and blasting in Colorado.
In 1990, BlackWing Blasting was contracted to blast a road to the Colorado Yule Marble Quarry and blast a tunnel to re-open the quarry where the marble for the tomb of the Unknown Soldier was taken.
They called this, “The road that couldn’t be built”… BlackWing Blasting built it!
As the company’s expertise and recognition grew, its operation expanded to larger commercial construction blasting projects throughout Colorado.
With the advent of limited stakes gambling in three mountain towns, BlackWing Blasting was contracted to drill and blast for 13 casinos in Central City and Black Hawk as well as several casinos and casino additions in Cripple Creek. BlackWing has provided blasting and stabilization services for several
contractors on large municipal projects as well and has moved up to ten thousand yards of rock a day.
BlackWing Blasting has done several highway projects to widen and stabilize/shore walls for RE Monks, Kirkland Construction and Lawrence Construction. BlackWing has drilled/blasted and shored for two Parking Structures in Cripple Creek and blasted for several casino expansions. The company has continued its work with many contractors in the Broadmoor area and blasting for quarries.
BlackWing Blasting spent most of our time and effort in the early to mid 90s drilling and blasting for casinos, when limited stakes gambling was approved
by Colorado voters. The three mountain towns that were approved were Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek. These towns were approved for gambling because they had historical recognition but were dying because of lack of a decent economy. Most of the buildings in these towns are at least one hundred years old.
BlackWing Blasting was contracted to drill and blast in these casinos without damaging the front of the buildings, which had to stay to keep the historical designation. The impact on the area near the casino was incredible and started a building boom for housing for all the workers moving to the area.
BlackWing Blasting stayed busy with a lot of residential work because of this.
The mid to late 90’s were spent drilling and blasting for large municipal and commercial projects in the Colorado Springs and Castle Rock area which was, and still is enjoying a building boom. BlackWing Blasting had and still has a good rapport with many contractors in the Broadmoor area in Western Colorado Springs.
BlackWing Blasting has been contracted to do much of the drilling and blasting in that community. BlackWing Blasting has done many commercial blasting projects including Wildwood Casino, Spearfish Canyon Rock Mitigation, and Highway 285 for Lawrence Construction Twin Tunnels Project on I-70 in Idaho Springs, CO for Kraemer/Obayashi.Joint Venture, Rockfall Mitigation on Highway 133 for Kissner
Construction and several quarries including Gunnison Aggregates for many years and Morrison Quarry for Lawrence Construction, Several quarries in Wyoming & Colorado for Buckley Powder Company.
