FORT COLLINS, Colo. — It has been a topic of conversation in Fort Collins: What will the future of the former Hughes Stadium site look like? This month, the delegates of the 2025 Hughes civic assembly shared a final report outlining their recommendations, which include support for indigenous use, a multi-use concept, and an outdoor education facility, among others.
The former Colorado State University stadium was built in 1968 on a 161-acre site just west of S. Overland Trail near Horsetooth Reservoir. It was demolished in 2018 after a new stadium was constructed closer to the CSU campus.
Denver7 previously covered the creation of the city's civic assembly, where a panel of 20 Fort Collins residents explored and listened to recommendations from the community.
Kenny Bearden, executive director of Overland Mountain Bike Association, presented to the panel. Currently, Bearden shared there are limited options for the cycling community and how these findings have "given us a lot of hope" for a multi-use space.
"We never wanted or expected to see a bike park cover this entire property; less than a quarter of the space would be absolutely ideal. So from the start, we've wanted a multi-use space. A space for kids to come out and ride their bicycles, for people to walk and other rolling devices on paved trails," Bearden said.
Moving forward, Bearden said he wants to see this collaborative process continue and for all interested groups to contribute to designing the future of this space.
"It brought the community together to present different ideas on how to use it, on what to do with the space. The delegates were able to hear from all different aspects and interest groups throughout the city. Then they were able to process that, piece that together with what they heard from staff on what's allowable under the new land use code, and they came up with the recommendations that they did," Bearden said.
Another group invested in the future of the property is Tiyospaye Winyan Maka, meaning extended family of women of the Earth. Andre Dunn, the volunteer intern, explained the need for the land to be returned to the native people.
"This fight has continued into the present day, where now we're standing at a moment where the City of Fort Collins has purchased and officially taken ownership of stolen land. We are important in asking for its return back to the native people, for our stewardship and specifically, so that we may go onto that land and conduct our traditional ceremonies, rites of passage, and, freely express our freedom of religion," Dunn said.
As outlined in the report, Dunn explained that there was support across the board from the civic assembly for future uses of the site that benefit Indigenous people.
"The only thing that 100% of the delegates had consensus on was that there should be a space on the site for Indigenous use, that Indigenous people should be consulted in every step of the development on that site, whether it's a bike park, natural areas, or a nature center," Dunn said.
On Saturday afternoon, posters were made in a sign-making workshop as Tiyospaye Winyan Maka plans for an upcoming Fort Collins City Council meeting.
"During the June 3rd meeting, we will be announcing these new plans for a new proposal that will lead us in a direction that hopefully uplifts the Indigenous community and Indigenous values and puts that into some official capacity for the city to hold steady into the future," Dunn said.
Part of this proposal involves renaming the area to Sacred Hoop Ceremonial Grounds, which Dunn said acknowledges the "interconnectedness and our interrelatedness as relatives."
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