What the next Denver mayor would say on the DIA train
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"Welcome to Denver." Those are the first words the city's mayor shares with visitors and residents as the train arrives at Denver International Airport's main terminal.
Driving the news: For the past 12 years, Mayor Michael Hancock has delivered the greeting.
- But soon the voice will change. And the candidates for mayor already know what they want to say.
Why it matters: How the candidates pitch Denver in 15 seconds says plenty about their perspective on the city and their personality.
What they're saying: The Colorado Sun asked the mayoral hopefuls to record their train message. Here are the most interesting ones:
- Lisa Calderon, who is running to represent overlooked communities, mentions the "diversity of our wonderful city" at the start.
- Thomas Wolf offers the funniest line. "If you are just visiting, you'll quickly realize why you are jealous of those who are returning home," he says.
- Mike Johnston hits the highlights, touting the state's many activities and telling visitors to "wash it all down with America's best beer."
- Ean Thomas Tafoya, an environmental activist, made a land acknowledgment — and asked visitors "to recycle and compost" and "make sure you tip your servers."
- Andy Rougeot features his dog barking a welcome.
- Leslie Herod invokes an old Denver nickname, saying: "The Queen City is ready for you."
Reality check: Debbie Ortega touts the city's 300 days of sunshine — a falsehood, though we admit we've told the same to out-of-towners.
Of note: Kwame Spearman, the CEO of Tattered Cover, emphasizes the "best local businesses in the country," but he'll need a redo. He forgot to introduce himself.