Lawsuit seeks to force Pepsi Center to add closed captioning to video board

DENVER -- Is the Pepsi Center not fan friendly for those with certain disabilities? One Denver woman who’s hearing impaired claims it’s not.

Kirstin Kurlander goes to events often at Pepsi Center, and told Denver7 she regularly can’t follow along because the video board isn’t closed captioned.

“It's a problem nationwide in a lot of arenas that they don't have captioning, so I came to talk with Amy about it and we decided to try to negotiate with the Pepsi Center to get them to get a captioning system," said Kurlander.

The recently-filed class action lawsuit that Kurlander is spearheading aims to force the Pepsi Center to become fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Kurlander’s suit is asking Kroenke Sports and Entertainment to add closed captioning to the video board and provide interpreters for hearing-impaired fans at events when the video board isn’t in use.

Kurlander’s attorney, Amy Robinson, said the change is easy for the Pepsi Center to make.

“The manufacturer of the Jumbotron is Daktronics, and they make captioning available. You can either have a captioner on site at the Pepsi Center, or you can even do it remotely," said Robertson.

Robertson says they've been trying to work out a deal with the Pepsi Center for a year now and finally filed the lawsuit to allow a judge to decide.

They say other spots across the country, such as Yankee Stadium, already close caption their games and it's an easy fix.

Kurlander said the fight is about more than just her.

“This effects all deaf and hard-of-hearing people who live in Colorado -- who travel here for events, for concerts, for sporting events -- so it's a huge issue," said Kurlander.

An attorney for Kroenke Sports and Entertainment told Denver7 in a statement:

"Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is committed to working with the deaf and hard of hearing communities and has been working amicably with Ms. Kurlander to find a satisfactory solution. Because the Pepsi Center is a large arena that hosts many different types of events, KSE is evaluating various options that will meet the needs of this community. KSE looks forward to continuing to work toward a mutually acceptable resolution to this important issue."