© 2026
NPR News, Colorado Stories
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Community coalition working with Broncos on new stadium project

A billboard with sticky notepads is shown.
Michael Lyle, Jr.
/
KUNC
The City and County of Denver and project partners held an open house on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at the La Alma Lincoln Park Community Center to engage with residents and community members about the preferred site for a new stadium for the Denver Broncos in the Burnham Yard complex. Some left sticky notes offering suggestions on how to improve on the project.

A community coalition in Denver is working with the Broncos on a unique agreement tied to the team’s new stadium plans.

Get top headlines and KUNC reporting directly to your mailbox each week when you subscribe to In The NoCo.

Ana Paula Pinto is part of the Burnham Yard Community Action coalition.

She said a big goal with the agreement is to make sure the core values of the community remain intact as the team's new stadium is being built at Burnham Yard. The area is a former railyard, located less than a mile southeast of the Broncos' current home of Empower Field at Mile High.

“The benefits agreement kind of outlines how the development can kind of positively impact the community that it's coming into and kind of specific things that they can bring to the table," said Pinto.

The Broncos announced their plans for a new privately funded retractable roof stadium anchoring a mixed-use district back in November.

Several community gatherings have taken place in the La Alma Recreation Center. They were held to gain feedback from community members in the region about the Burnham Yard Small Area Plan while addressing any concerns they may have.

Given the community's rich cultural history, Pinto said she's optimistic the Broncos will negotiate in good faith and that the new stadium will bring economic growth to the area.

“There's all sorts of galleries, all sorts of artists, all sorts of residents who really call this place home," she said. "We want to work together to take care of their neighborhood and uplift it.”

The Broncos finalized an agreement with the state to purchase the 58-acre site on Friday. Closing on the purchase is expected this fall.

Denver Water also plans to purchase 25 acres of the land. It will make recommendations for new businesses and restaurants, retail and housing.

The new stadium is slated to open by 2031.

I serve as the host for KUNC's Morning Edition. My job is to keep our listeners across Northern Colorado informed on the day’s top stories from around the communities we serve. On occasion, I switch roles and hit the streets of northern Colorado digging up human interest stories or covering a major event that’s taking place in our listening area.
Related Content