Denver's massive Ball Arena development plan poised to pass
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A rendering of the proposed skyline around Ball Arena. Image: Produced by Wenk Associates for Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
The area around Ball Arena is about to undergo a major makeover, but not everyone is thrilled.
Why it matters: The 64-acre game-changing development, backed by arena owner Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, will transform parking lots into a bustling urban district and reshape a key part of downtown Denver.
The latest: The Denver City Council is set to give its final approval on the project Monday after more than a year of deliberations.
- This follows a landmark deal reached this month between Kroenke and over a dozen neighborhood and community groups, laying out the project's key features.
Zoom in: The agreement requires 18% of the roughly 6,000 housing units to be designated as affordable, as well as at least 20% of all contracts in the project to go to small, minority-owned or women-owned businesses.
- Millions of dollars will be earmarked for public art, youth scholarships, internships and housing assistance.
What they're saying: This is going to create a "new neighborhood" that redefines the city skyline and connects the greater community to what's historically been an area "isolated from downtown," Kroenke senior vice president Matt Mahoney said at a presentation with residents of nearby Larimer Place Condominiums last week.
Yes, but: The project requires exemptions from Denver's Old City Hall view plane, allowing for "skinny" towers up to 300 feet tall to create a skyline that extends downtown.
- That view plane protects sight lines of the Rocky Mountains.
The other side: Not everyone is on board. Some Lower Downtown residents worry their views — and property values — could take a hit.
- Several residents of Larimer Place, a 31-story high-rise downtown, have expressed concerns that adding more high-rises could worsen vacancies in buildings downtown.
- Some have called for Denver City Council to delay the vote to allow more resident input and feedback from national development experts.
What's next: Denver City Council will hold a final vote on the project Monday after a public hearing.
- If approved, the first phase is expected to kick off next year with a hotel, a 5,000-seat music venue and new residential buildings.