What the next Denver mayor would say on the DIA train

"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.