Both the stadium and mixed-use district will be funded through a private investment from the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group, while the city and state will provide public improvements benefitting the community year-round with no new taxes.
“The Walton-Penner [Family] Ownership Group has been amazing partners for us,” Polis said. “They said very early on, ‘Our model is not going to the taxpayers and asking for hundreds of millions of dollars like stadium deals of the past. We’re going to finance this and figure it out.'”
The targeted completion date for the new stadium is the 2031 season, which aligns with the expiration of the Broncos’ current lease at Empower Field at Mile High with the Metropolitan Football Stadium District. The Broncos have the option to extend the lease, if needed.
The Broncos’ new stadium will showcase innovative technology and modern amenities to elevate the fan experience, enhance Denver’s home-field advantage and attract premier events throughout the year.
The initial design concepts for the stadium include a natural grass field and a retractable roof featuring the latest technology. The roof would allow Denver’s games to be played in the elements while maximizing both the year-round flexibility of the stadium and its long-term value to the community.
“The stadium is going to have all the modern amenities and bells and whistles, and then around it, we have a real opportunity in that area to create an incredible mixed-use district,” Penner said. “That’ll be a real appeal, we think, for the community and our fans.”
The Broncos remain in the preliminary stages of the stadium design process and plan to share initial renderings in the near future.
The mixed-use district, meanwhile, is slated to have millions of square feet available for development and will feature restaurants, retail outlets, hotel and housing options, office spaces, entertainment venues, dynamic public spaces and more. The stadium and mixed-use district will feature multi-modal transportation options, including RTD light rail.
“One of our goals is to make sure that we are engaging community members 365 days a year in the area around the stadium,” Walton Penner said. “So, it’s not something that will just have a large parking lot all around it, but really creating some place that’s special that people leave and talk about and say, ‘Oh my gosh, when you come to Denver, you’ve got to be here at Burnham Yard.'”
As the community-inspired vision at Burnham Yard takes shape, the Broncos will aim to highlight the area’s rich history and connection to Denver. The organization plans to work with key community stakeholders to elevate the historic elements of the site.
“The first time we stepped on the site, there was a real appeal going back to the history of Burnham Yard and the rail, which is an important part of Colorado history,” Penner said. “We think it’s an opportunity for us to activate a number of those old historic buildings and features on the site as part of what we’re building.”
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