DENVER — Burnham Yard, a former Denver railyard that predates Colorado statehood, was named as the preferred site the Broncos hope will become their new home for decades to come.
Located in an industrial corridor near the South Platte River and I-25, Burnham Yard's acquisition by the Walton-Penner Family Ownership marked "an important step forward in a shared vision for the Denver Broncos, the city of Denver, and the state of Colorado," said Broncos owners Greg and Carrie Walton Penner, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and Gov. Jared Polis in a joint news release.
The Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group, who will be privately funding the new stadium, said the new Broncos site would feature a "world-class retractable roof stadium anchoring a dynamic mixed-use district," aimed at reconnecting historic neighborhoods "with no new taxes."
"Today is not yet a celebration but rather a meaningful checkpoint reflecting years of research, collaboration and planning as well as necessary land agreements and feasibility studies," officials said. "While this is an exciting milestone, we recognize there is much more work to be done ahead of a targeted stadium completion for the 2031 NFL season."
- Gov. Polis sat down with Denver7 anchor Jessica Porter in the hour after plans for a new Broncos stadium were announced. Watch what he had to say about what the acquisition means for the Broncos in the video player below:
Broncos ownership, the city's mayor and Gov. Polis said the announcement also marked "the beginning of a much deeper and transparent phase of broader engagement with our neighbors."
Officials from football organization said they were fully committed to a strong and inclusive Community Benefits Agreement process that will involve Denver City Council, nearby neighborhoods and community organizations to shape their vision with their needs and priorities in mind. That process would begin immediately, they wrote.
The development will open up new possibilities year-round not just for the area, but across the city, said Denver Mayor Mike Johnson Tuesday.
"Denver has been the proud home of the Broncos since Day 1," officials said. "This community-inspired vision will allow our city and team to continue to grow and thrive together at Burnham Yard."
A PROCESS THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING
Rumors about Burnham Yard being the site of a new Broncos stadium began to spread after the Walton-Penner group — the richest owners in the NFL — took control of the Denver Broncos in 2022.
Our news partners at The Denver Post reported back in June on a series of property acquisitions near Burnham Yard by groups purportedly linked to the NFL franchise that fueled speculation of a potential move to the area on the southwestern outskirts of downtown.
Adding fuel to those rumors was Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s clear message to Denver7 chief investigator Tony Kovaleski about a potential move of the Broncos outside of Denver: “Over my dead body.”
“[The Broncos] are a critical cultural institution of this city and this state, and we think they belong in Denver,” he said. “I've been working for years with the ownership group there at the Broncos. I think they are great people who are committed to the city long term, and I think they want the same things that we want. So I'm very optimistic we'll get to a good outcome.”
The City and County of Denver plans to spend $140 million on road infrastructure improvements near Burnham Yard if voters approve the Vibrant Denver bond package this fall. City officials said the infrastructure repairs are long overdue, but Patrick Riley, the Vibrant Denver bond program manager, acknowledged to city council members last week that the Broncos could be a factor.
“It is impossible to ignore the Broncos as a thing in Denver, so telling you that there’s no weight there, or that there’s no consideration there, would be insulting to everybody at this table,” Riley told Denver7 a few months back.
From their part, Denver Water officials said they also worked out an agreement with the Broncos football organization to pay for moving some of their facilities currently in the area that will be impacted by the new development.
ACQUISITION COMES AMID CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Some community members demanded accountability after parts of Burnham Yard were torn down earlier this summer, telling Denver7 the move was a loss for Denver’s historic sites and came without warning.
Speaking to Denver7’s Brandon Richard, John Deffenbaugh, the president and CEO of Historic Denver, said buildings that were demolished were used by women and Black workers during the 1940s and 1950s.
“It's not just the buildings that have been lost here, but the stories being lost as well,” Deffenbaugh said, at the time.
- Denver7 spoke with community members to hear their concerns about the acquisition. You can watch our full report in the video player below:
The sentiment was shared by David Riggs, with the La Alma Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association, who also told Denver7 the demolition of those buildings was disrespectful.
“The neighborhood association had no warning that these historic buildings were going to be torn down. The demolition of these historic buildings shows enormous disrespect for the history of our neighborhood," Riggs said. "Many of our neighbors had family members who worked at Burnham Yard. This action is an insult to the history of the community and disrespectful of the influence that the railroads had on the growth of Denver.”
But in a statement to Denver7 last summer, officials from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) — who bought the property for $50 million in 2021 with the hope that it could be used to help expand I-25 and meet other critical transportation needs (plans that didn’t pan out, in the end) — said none of the buildings found to be historically significant were torn down.
"There is a long road ahead and we believe we can get there together," the leaders said Tuesday. "Every step of the way, our approach will be guided by humility, respect and a shared commitment to the city of Denver, state of Colorado and all of Broncos Country."
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