Construction halted on massive Glendale entertainment hub; Colorado city, developer trade accusations

Construction on a much-anticipated 10-acre entertainment district in Glendale has come to a halt, with the developer and the city accusing each other of being responsible for the Colorado project going off the rails.

"It's the most frustrated I've ever been," said Glendale City Manager Chuck Line.

CBS Colorado learned that construction stopped May 25 on what is known as the Four Mile District. The developer, Glendale Development Partners, said it had "no choice but to vacate the site and cease construction activities."

Ground was broken in 2024 for the $150 million entertainment development, a project that had been planned for decades. Plans call for a nine-screen movie theater spanning 40,000 square feet, restaurants and bars, retail shops, and a 773-space parking garage, which has already been completed. The district was also designed to allow patrons to walk around the site along the banks of Cherry Creek carrying open containers of alcohol until 4 a.m., in what was billed as the state's first open-consumption district.

 "It would have been completely unique in the whole state," observed Line.

Glendale officials had hoped the entertainment district would open in 2026 or 2027. But last week, Glendale Development Partners stopped work on the project. Ryan Wilcox, a spokesperson for GDP, told CBS Colorado that the company's ground lease expired May 25.

"Unfortunately the City's actions precluded GDP from completing construction by that date. When the ground lease expired," said Wilcox, "GDP had no choice but to vacate the site and cease construction activities. While GDP would love to see the project completed, the City's actions are preventing that from happening."

Glendale City Attorney Jeff Springer strongly disputed that claim.

"Glendale has fully performed under the contract ... and is not at fault in any way ... and considers (the developer) to be in default. Glendale has attempted in every way possible to facilitate completion of the project. (The developer) has breached the development contract and is solely responsible for the stoppage in construction," said Springer.

The dispute is not new. GDP previously filed a lawsuit against Glendale in March 2025 over the project, and a judge denied the city's motion to dismiss the case.

Line said the current dispute will likely push the project's completion date back by at least 18 months. He compared the situation to a messy divorce, noting that bonds were issued for the project and millions of dollars in public improvements have already been made to the site.

"It's a divorce with multiple kids and the wife is pregnant," said Line, underlining the complexity of the situation.

Glendale had counted on the completed project to spur economic growth and increase surrounding property values by double digits.

For now, those expectations are on hold.

Both sides say they want to see the project finished, but there is currently no timetable for when -- or even if -- construction will resume.