The Denver Broncos have announced plans to build a new stadium at Burnham Yard, a historic 58-acre site just west of downtown. The project is ambitious in scope, blending a state-of-the-art football stadium with a larger vision for mixed-use development. Importantly, the stadium itself will be 100% privately funded by the team’s ownership group — a notable decision in an era when many professional sports venues rely on public financing.
What follows is a closer look at the complex process behind a development of this magnitude, and why it matters for Denver.
Negotiating for Land and Relocations
The Burnham Yard site isn’t a blank canvas. It’s a former rail yard with deep history, existing utility operations, and surrounding businesses and residences. Bringing a stadium here requires intricate land deals with multiple parties, including the State of Colorado and Denver Water.
Beyond direct purchases, the Broncos’ development team will need to negotiate relocations. For example, Denver Water still has facilities in the area that will need to be moved. Each relocation is its own project, often involving timelines, compensation, and operational considerations that extend well beyond sports. The process touches not only land values but also community trust and cooperation.
Transforming an Industrial Site into a Destination
Redeveloping Burnham Yard is not just about erecting a stadium. It’s about converting an underutilized industrial property into a mixed-use district that will serve the city year-round.
The vision includes:
- Restaurants and retail that create a walkable dining and shopping experience
- Hotels and office space that draw both visitors and employers into the area
- Residential development that integrates housing into the district and ensures activity outside of game days
- Public gathering spaces that invite residents into the district whether or not they have a ticket to the game
This type of entertainment district has become the new model for major sports projects. Examples elsewhere include The Battery in Atlanta at Truist Park, which thrives with restaurants, apartments, and a concert venue even when the Braves aren’t playing, and Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, where SoFi Stadium anchors a 300-acre mix of housing, retail, and green space. In Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium is supported by the resort corridor, which keeps the area active year-round.
If Denver follows this trend, the Burnham Yard development could become one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods, extending the life of the stadium far beyond game days.
Stadium Features
The new stadium is planned to include:
- A retractable roof, giving flexibility to host events in all seasons
- A natural grass playing surface, a growing priority for safety and player preference
- Modernized fan amenities designed for today’s expectations around hospitality, premium experiences, and technology integration
These elements are designed not only to elevate the fan experience but also to make the stadium competitive as a venue for non-football events.
Beyond Football: Expanding Denver’s Event Capacity
With its retractable roof and flexible layout, the new stadium will position Denver to host:
- Major concerts and touring productions
- NCAA championships, including the Final Four
- College football playoff games and bowl events
- International soccer matches and global sporting events
- Large conventions and trade shows
These events extend Denver’s visibility on the national and international stage while drawing visitors who contribute to the city’s economy.
The Economic Impact
A development of this scale doesn’t just change the skyline — it changes the economic base of the city. Here’s how:
- Construction jobs: Multi-year construction will employ thousands of workers across trades, engineering, design, and project management.
- Permanent employment: Once completed, the district will support ongoing jobs in retail, hospitality, entertainment, operations, and stadium management.
- Property tax growth: Converting a dormant rail yard into a high-value mixed-use district significantly increases the city’s tax base. This supports public services and infrastructure citywide.
- Tourism and hospitality: Hotels, restaurants, and retail in the district — combined with major event activity — will draw both regional and national visitors. The economic ripple effect extends to surrounding neighborhoods and small businesses.
- Neighborhood revitalization: The project will connect west Denver more directly to downtown, bringing infrastructure upgrades that benefit adjacent communities and increasing demand for housing and services in the area.
- Long-term competitiveness: Denver will be able to compete for events that generate hundreds of millions in spending, such as the Super Bowl or Final Four, events currently out of reach for the city.
In short, the Burnham Yard project doesn’t just replace Empower Field — it creates an engine for growth that will continue paying dividends for decades.
Why It Matters for the City
Denver stands to benefit in several ways from this development:
- Economic growth and diversification through job creation, new businesses, and event tourism
- Urban revitalization of a long-dormant industrial site, integrated into the city’s urban fabric
- Civic identity by positioning Denver alongside other global cities with world-class entertainment districts
- Reduced public burden, with stadium funding handled privately rather than through taxpayer dollars
Conclusion
The Broncos’ Burnham Yard stadium project is more than a home for professional football. It’s a redevelopment initiative that involves complex negotiations, land transitions, and infrastructure planning — but also promises transformative economic and cultural impacts for Denver.
If executed well, the stadium and entertainment district will create a new urban destination, attract world-class events, generate long-term tax revenue, and deliver jobs and amenities that benefit the city beyond the gridiron.
