Blake Jones got some calls he wouldn't say from whom - asking what might be a good location for President Barack Obama to visit next week when he comes to Colorado to tout the $789 billion stimulus package.

But for Jones, president of Boulder-based Namaste Solar, it's the stimulus package itself that matters most.

Depending on the details, Jones said the passage of the plan would allow him not only to lift his hiring freeze put into place in October but would allow him to start hiring again.

"It might have a huge impact on our business," Jones said. "If things were to continue on the present course without the stimulus, we'd have to lay off half of our staff and close one of our offices."

Namaste currently employs 60 people, Jones said.

Obama has been touring the country - hitting such states as Illinois and Indiana. He will be in Denver and Phoenix on Tuesday, sources told the Rocky Mountain News.

It would mark Obama's first trip to Colorado since he won the election and the state's nine electoral votes.

His pitch in Colorado likely will push job creation centered on alternative energy, according to Federico Pena, who was part of Obama's transition team and served under President Bill Clinton as secretary of energy.

"We here in Colorado understand this is an export business and it's a very valuable business to economies in other countries," Pena said. "They see this is as the next great market for alternative energy. Look at the next great markets out there - China, India and Africa."

But selling the stimulus package in a place like Colorado does have some political risk, according to pollster Floyd Ciruli.

Because unaffiliated voters swing elections in the state, Ciruli said there is risk that if the package doesn't show signs of life early, it could have a big impact on the elections of Democrats Gov. Bill Ritter and Sen. Michael Bennet in 2010.

"On the one hand, all the polls indicate that people think something needs to be done," Ciruli said. "But the Republicans have become increasingly vocal about how it was ill-designed."

Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams isn't fond of the stimulus plan but doesn't fault Obama for touring the country pitching it.

"I don't begrudge him running around the country. He won the election, and there is nothing inappropriate about him traveling around to promote his agenda," Wadhams said.

The stimulus bill the House could vote on today says it will create 59,000 jobs in Colorado in areas such as clean energy and health care. Generally, it also would create jobs rebuilding infrastructure while providing a tax cut to workers.

Colorado Democratic Party Chairwoman Pat Waak said the president's visit to the state shows how much he believes in the stimulus and that will have a big impact on unaffiliated voters.

Staff writer M.E. Sprengelmeyer contributed to this report.