Denver's mayor and the Broncos announce new site for stadium with retractable roof

The Denver Broncos are looking at a new place to play home games. According to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, the Denver Broncos and the State of Colorado, Burnham Yard could become the site for a new NFL stadium. The stadium will be privately funded and have a retractable roof.

The Burnham Yard Development is an abandoned railyard located just east of I-25, north of the 8th Avenue bridge. That's less than two miles away from Empower Field at Mile High.   

"Today is a remarkable win-win-win for Denver," said Johnston in a statement. "The Broncos are staying in Denver, we will finally open up the historic Burnham Yard neighborhood for development, and we get to reimagine the Mile High Stadium site as a thriving community in West Denver. The Walton-Penner Ownership Group's private investment into building a world-class stadium in the heart of Denver will open up new possibilities – not just for Burnham Yard – but across the city." 

Burnham Yard is a historic railyard in Denver that was in operation for over a century. It shut down in 2016 and was purchased by the state in 2021. The Colorado Department of Transportation began making moves to sell the property earlier this year.  

Gov. Jared Polis said the state had been hoping for mixed use development at the site and that the state will not lose money on the sale.

"The Broncos are buying it at cost, making the state whole and being able to carry that forward. But when we bought it, we never really thought in the back of our minds that this would be some amazing thing like this," Polis said.

Admittedly, there will be needed expenses, he noted.

"Of course, we're going to make the corresponding upgrades on state roads nearby on Colfax (Avenue) and others, just to accommodate the extra traffic and make sure it doesn't inconvenience anyone who lives in the area," he said. 

According to Johnston's office, "the stadium development project represents a privately-funded several billion-dollar investment, including environmental cleanup of the polluted land, which was used as a railyard for more than 150 years."

According to a news release from the mayor's office, the "Walton-Penner Ownership Group will privately fund the purchase of the land and the creation of a new, retractable roof stadium in the heart of Denver." The group said the retractable roof stadium will allow for more events to come to Denver year-round, potentially tripling the number of events that are currently hosted at Mile High, including the Super Bowl, Final Four and concerts.      

The city said it will work with residents in the surrounding communities to create a "Small Area Plan" for Burnham Yard, which will include recommendations for housing, including affordable housing, public infrastructure, parks, open spaces, childcare, grocery stores and other amenities.

"Burnham Yard today is 58 acres in La Alma/Lincoln Park and Baker neighborhoods of Denver," said Denver City Councilwoman Jamie Torres in a statement. "Today you may see abandoned land and abandoned buildings but history lies beneath the surface, and today a new future is possible with the announcement of the Denver Broncos. These neighborhoods are home to 13,000 residents, an incredible Art District, Business Improvement District, cultural and historic districts of homes and buildings that tell the story of Denver. The news that the Broncos will name Burnham as their preferred site says they see the opportunity to contribute and integrate into already amazing communities in partnership with residents, community-based organizations, advocates in housing, mobility, culture, history, and more, and I look forward to this deep engagement." 

Historic Denver released this statement to CBS Colorado, "Historic Denver is thrilled that one of Denver's most recognizable organizations plans to relocate to one of the city's most historic sites. Other sports facilities across the country show that the old and the new can go hand-in-hand and we are excited to see how designers rise to the challenge of integrating the existing historic Locomotive Shop into a state-of-the-art new structure."

In the La Alma / Lincoln Park neighborhood, people are hopeful.

"It's going to give jobs to the people in the neighborhood, too. Some of the young folks. Give them something to do," said resident Joanne Collins.

"Definitely a great opportunity for us. Bringing a lot more people into the area," said Tiffany Emmons, assistant general manager at the 132 year old Buckhorn Exchange restaurant. "I think it's a wow with a little bit of trepidation. We're definitely excited, but there's a lot of unknown. Accessibility. Larger amounts of people coming through the area," she added.

At the Youth on Record nonprofit, executive director Jami Duffy was thrilled. The Broncos had sent them an email first thing Tuesday morning. "Within five minutes of this story breaking so that shows to me that they're thinking ahead. They know we're here. They know who's in the neighborhood. They want to learn," she said. "Neighborhood jobs, employment. the community benefit. I have no doubt that the Broncos organization will really take care of this neighborhood." 

The 80 acres of land that the current Empower Field at Mile High and the surrounding parking lots sit on will revert back to the ownership of the city after the lease ends in 2030, according to a statement from the mayor's office. The mayor's office said, "Together with the West Denver community, the city will be able to imagine and then develop a thriving neighborhood with new housing, parks, community spaces, and more – built by Denverites for Denverites. The city anticipates beginning this planning process in 2026."

"When I was Mayor of Denver, I oversaw the construction of Coors Field, Pepsi Center, and Mile High Stadium. I know that it's vital to Denver that our sports teams stay downtown – and Burnham Yard is the perfect location," said former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb in a statement. "This is a victory for Denver – the Broncos stay downtown, an abandoned railyard gets developed, and the old site goes back to the city."

"The Broncos will be a game-changer for Santa Fe Drive," said Jackie Bouvier, Executive Director of the Santa Fe BID, in a statement. "This is a huge opportunity for the corridor, our community, and the surrounding areas. Broncos Country won't find a better place to spend time between snaps–it's the perfect spot to enjoy everything Santa Fe has to offer."

Residents can sign up for updates on community meetings and learn more about the process at denvergov.org/burnhamyard.