DENVER — Development plans submitted to the City and County of Denver by the Denver Broncos Wednesday morning give some insight into a potential location of the team’s new stadium within Burnham Yard, and on a possible timeline for how the project could unfold.
The Large Development Review pre-application details where the stadium might sit and where parking lots could be placed, and outlines proposed transportation infrastructure in the surrounding area.
The documents assert a vision for how a retractable-roof stadium and surrounding mixed-use development would “collaborate with local communities to identify the best ways to reflect neighborhood history and culture within the district.”
The Broncos in September announced Burnham Yard as the preferred site for a new, privately funded stadium.
According to the preliminary plans, the stadium would sit between 8th and 11th avenues on a tract of land bordered to the west by BNSF heavy railway and by a newly-created roadway to the east.
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The conceptual layout puts two parking lots near the existing Denver Water facility to the north of the prospective stadium site, and two larger lots to the east and west of the intersection of 8th and Osage to the south and southeast of the stadium.
A regulatory process timeline included in the initial plans lays out some potential key dates in the process of building a new stadium, which the team hopes will open in 2031 after its lease expires at Empower Field following the 2030 season.
The Broncos hope to submit an infrastructure master plan by January and a site development plan by June of 2026. The plans project building permits to be issued in January of 2027.
A city spokesperson told Denver7 the LDR process is meant to “ensure sites for major redevelopment get clear direction from the city at the earliest stage of project planning” on how development projects will meet the needs of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The team had already promised a community engagement process that would incorporate the needs of city leaders and neighbors in the design process. The neighborhood planning process begins in earnest with a community open house at 5 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the La Alma Recreation Center, according to the city.
The Broncos released the following statement on the plans submitted Wednesday:
"The Large Development Review—alongside the Community Benefits Agreement and Small Area Plan—is an opportunity for the Denver Broncos to ensure the stadium and mixed-use community bring meaningful, lasting benefit to the area. Our goal is to create a true local asset that expands access, improves quality of life and provides year-round impact for the broader neighborhood, metro area and visitors.
"As our organization begins this process, we are in listen-first mode and remain deeply committed to collaborative, inclusive and transparent engagement. Working closely with civic leaders, we are dedicated to honoring and celebrating the rich, diverse history of the area along with the cultural fabric of the community.
"While the conceptual design in the Large Development Review is a high-level preliminary draft, we look forward to partnering with the city of Denver and our future neighbors to shape the next phases of planning. Together, we will refine this conceptual layout into a detailed plan that respects the surrounding neighborhoods, adds new homes and creates vibrant community amenities and green spaces to be enjoyed throughout the year."
- Check out the Broncos' full Large Development Review pre-application in the document below: