Denver, CO
Editorial: Here’s how Denver should play the “$tadium Game” to secure a Mile High future
At least one thing is crystal clear in the murky waters of mile-high stadium’s future: the Broncos’ new owners are preparing to make a roughly $2 billion investment and Denver’s leaders should pull out – almost — all the stops to make sure that investment is in the city.
All we ask in exchange for this substantial public financial assistance is complete transparency (and of course the continuation of the popular lottery system for affordable tickets to Broncos games).
The elected officials in this state and city must be honest about the value of any proposed land deals, tax breaks, taxing authority or no-bid contractsawarded to some of the wealthiest people in America to help their real estate venture.
The Denver Post launched a four-part special report this month: The $tadium Game. The reporting was stellar as our team looked at the past, the present, and the future of Denver’s sports venues. The city has had some highs in terms of iconic destinations, Coors Field, and some performance lows in the same neighborhood, the Rockies.
The Broncos are not just another sports franchise. The team’s story from the fledgling Bears to the Super Bowl-winning Broncos is an integral part of our history. Losing the team’s downtown Denver presence at a time when urban communities are struggling to rebound from the work-from-home transformation would be dire. Post-COVID, bars, restaurants, and retail stores have struggled in Denver.
In an ideal world, the Broncos would stay where they are. Taxpayers built Empower Field at Mile High using a regional sales tax. The stadium is now debt-free and our investment is ripe to pay off over the next six years of the Bronco’s lease. The historic Mile High location is brilliant: serviced by light rail, close to downtown, and Empower Field recently received $100 million in upgrades thanks to the new owners.
But the clear trend among pro-sporting franchise owners is using their own stadium to anchor a development project worth billions.
Whether it’s Stan Kroenke slow-playing development of vacant fields he leases from Commerce City for $1 a year surrounding his Major League Soccer field, or Stan Kroenke revving up to redevelop the parking lots around his National Hockey League and National Basketball Association arena in Denver, we can’t argue with the dollars and cents calculations driving these mega-ventures.
Billionaires owning not only the team and the venue but also the entire neighborhood is simply the path forward for professional sports in America. The place where that type of venture would be the most profitable (i.e. lowest cost and highest profit) is often on cheaper, easier-to-develop land in one of the many lovely suburbs that ring Denver.
That is why The Denver Post editorial board supports using financial incentives to ensure the Broncos’ new stadium — if one must be built — remains in Denver.
Should the Broncos ownership — the Walton-Penner Group — be interested in state-owned land, like the 58 acres at Burnham Yard just west of the Lincoln Park neighborhood, the public needs to know the appraised value of that land upfront.
The Colorado Department of Transportation purchased the land in 2021 for $51 million, which gives us a ballpark value, but property values have grown quite a bit since then.
The same is true for other lands owned nearby like the Denver Water parcel. Denver Water is a government entity that serves its ratepayers, and if the Walton-Penner Group is interested in some of the utilities’ land, accurate appraisals are essential.
When the Raiders were moved from Oakland to Las Vegas, at least there was a record of every single lawmaker who supported and opposed the deal to give the Raiders $750 million in bonds to be paid back with interest using a hotel-room tax.
On top of helping the Broncos’ owners acquire land downtown with favorable terms, the city is likely to give the Broncos owners’ nearly unlimited taxing authority using a quasi-governmental metropolitan district. The Waltons and Penners — led by heirs to the Walmart fortune Greg Penner and Carrie Walton, who also happen to be related to Kroenke — could use a combination of property taxes, hotel taxes, sales taxes and ticket taxes to pay for the debt of the stadium and other infrastructure projects on the land.
While we are generally opposed to metropolitan districts because of how abused they have been by developers, this structure could make sense for a stadium district, if there was enough oversight to prevent abuse.
The beauty of a taxing district is that the people who use the new stadium and the nearby bars, restaurants, and hotels and live in the new condos would pay for it over time. The City of Denver should not approve a metro district on any land being considered for a new stadium unless the developer agrees that the district’s taxes and spending would have adequate oversight.
This new model for a metro district could have taxpayer dollars overseen by officials elected in a city-wide election rather than a faux election where the landowners just elect their employees to the board to do their bidding. Developers can then spend taxpayer dollars with no oversight.
In Nevada the stadium authority is chaired by appointed public officials to provide just such oversight of the $1.3 billion that will be paid back. And when revenue fell short of making the minimum payments on those bonds last year, the people in Clark County were able to track how much of their other tax dollars were used to backfill the debt payment.
Because the Broncos bring so much to this city — culture, excitement, and economic stimulus — Denver must be willing to invest. We want the Walton-Penner Group to make heaps of money. We want another championship parade in Denver. And we want to know exactly what our tax dollars are buying.
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Originally Published:
There have been many great offensive linemen in Denver Broncos history, so this list is likely going to vary greatly from person to person. In fact, my take might be a little too bold, but I’m sticking with it.
At the top spot, I think Garett Bolles has earned it. Since coming into the league as a first-round pick in 2017, he has grinded through one of the worst periods in Broncos’ history and grown from beleaguered oft-penalized first-round bust into a perennial All-Pro caliber left tackle. Even more, he has stayed a Bronco through his entire career. The rest of my list speaks for itself and is a throwback to Super Bowl greatness.
Here’s where our Mile High Report staff landed on the top five for offensive line:
Scotty Payne: Tom Nalen was the leader of Mike Shanahan’s offensive line, Ryan Clady was a top LT on a Hall of Fame career before injury and Stink was a key member of the Broncos Super Bowl winning OL back in the 90s. I included Bolles and Meinerz since both will be on this list once their successful careers are over with.
Chris Hart: This position group was one of the toughest to come up with a top five. Denver has an incredible history of top-tier offensive lineman. There are several players I left off who were certainly deserving. I posted Tom Nalen as my top guy because he was a stalwart at the pivot for many years for the franchise. We all know what Gary Zimmerman and Mark Schlereth provided on the field and they are both Super Bowl champions. The last two spots go to two recent Broncos, left tackles Garret Bolles and Ryan Clady. Bolles, a decade into his career, continues to play at a high level and Clady was a fantastic blindside protector whose career ended earlier than it should due to injury.
Ian St. Clair: For the first time in Elway’s career, he had a blind-side protector. And Zimmerman is one of the best to ever do it. Same for Nalen, who should be in the HOF. Clady was special. Bishop was the first Broncos offensive lineman in franchise history to get a Pro Bowl invite and provided one of the best in-game quotes ever when he said in Denver’s endzone at old Cleveland Stadium before hiking the ball at the 2-yard line in what would become The Drive, “We got ‘em right right where want ‘em.” And Schlereth helped lock down the left side of the line that was one of the best in league history.
Sadaraine: The top 3 are largely indisputable, other than maybe swapping Schlereth and Zimmerman. Ken Lanier started 178 consecutive games, which is nuts for an OT, and appeared in 3 Super Bowls. Garret Bolles has crafted himself into an all-time great at tackle and may move up the list.
Ross Allen: The Hall-of-Famer Gary Zimmerman was everything you could ever ask for in a left tackle and was a huge reason why John Elway and that 1997 team was so dominant. Schlereth also gets his credit as he was a massive contributor to Denver’s Super Bowl successes. There’s a strong case for Tom Nalen deserving a spot in the Hall of Fame too. And for the past two years I’ve become a huge spouter of Bolles being destined for the Ring of Fame. He’s an incredible talent as has been the cornerstone of this team for a while now. I just hope he gets his Super Bowl.
Joe Mahoney: Top 3 are a no-brainer. Bolles will finish his career with more starts on the OL than any other Bronco. The man he will pass is Ken Lanier. Since stats from Lanier’s era don’t exist we only have starts to go off, but Lanier was an iron man. He started 167 NFL games and 165 were for the Broncos.
There is a bit of variation here, but a general consensus of who should be in the Top 5. I loved the throwback to Keith Bishop who was a big part of the John Elway fourth quarter magic back in the day.
Who gets into your top five offensive lineman list?
The Denver Nuggets are running it back with at least one free agent from last year’s team. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Denver Nuggets have re-signed point guard Tyus Jones.
Free agent guard Tyus Jones has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. Jones played a reserve role after joining Denver on the buyout market last season, and enters his 12th NBA season as his agent Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management… pic.twitter.com/OxPTfX8C7l
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2026
Jones played 11 regular season games for Denver last year and got into 3 post-season contests as well. The Nuggets are desperately lacking in point guards who can handle the rock, especially after they decided not to pick up the fourth-year option on fellow point guard Jalen Pickett. Denver liked Jones and his ability to handle on-ball pressure better in the playoffs, and obviously feel there is utility in having him on the 15-man roster for his passing acumen and mistake avoidance despite being a target at just 6 feet tall. They did not draft a point guard, so it’s possible Jones is the first PG off the bench for the Nuggets – but in recent years they’ve relied on players like Bruce Brown to shoulder some of those duties as well even if they’re not pure point guards, so it remains to be seen just how much court time Jones is going to get.
His 5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in his career points to his high floor in ball security though, and the Nuggets have proven time and again over the past several years that they can be truly great if they don’t have silly turnovers. Jones comes back to the Mile High looking to help the Nuggets minimize their mistakes so they can maximize their talent.
Welcome back, Tyus!
The Fourth of July weekend is one of the biggest celebrations of the summer, and Denver is delivering a packed lineup of events for every kind of adventurer. Whether you’re looking to watch fireworks light up the Colorado sky, catch a live concert at Red Rocks, enjoy rooftop parties, indulge in seasonal food and drinks or explore the city’s thriving arts and culture scene, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate Independence Day.
Here’s your guide to the best music, food, fireworks, nightlife, arts, and cultural events happening across Denver this Fourth of July weekend.
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Read: Best Rooftops to Watch 4th of July Fireworks + Sip Cocktails in Denver
Read: The Ultimate 4th of July Outdoor Colorado Music Guide
FASHION EVENTS
Denver Fashion Week Fall 2026 Second Model Auditions
Where: TBA
Cost: $10+
The Lowdown:
Following overwhelming demand from aspiring models across Colorado, Denver Fashion Week (DFW) has announced a second round of model auditions for its upcoming Fall/Winter 2026 runway season.
MUSIC EVENTS
Read: The Ultimate 4th of July Outdoor Colorado Music Guide
Gillian Grogan and EMMA ROSE
Where: Skylark Lounge – 140 S. Broadway
Cost: $18+
The Lowdown:
Zeds Dead with Sippy, Baauer, Holly, HYDRAULIX & LUMBERJVCK
Where: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison
Cost: $205+
The Lowdown:
Flobots
Where: Levitt Pavilion Denver – 1380 W Florida Ave
Cost: $0+
The Lowdown:
Don Toliver with SahBabii, SoFaygo, Chase B
Where: Ball Arena – 1000 Chopper Cir
Cost: $105+
The Lowdown:
FOOD EVENTS
Read: Best Rooftops to Watch 4th of July Fireworks + Sip Cocktails in Denver
Dumpling Love: Dim Sum Party
Where: Stir Cooking School Highlands – 3215 Zuni St.
Cost: $120 per person
The Lowdown:
Join the dumpling party and learn how to make pork bao buns, shrimp shumai, pan-fried gyoza, and crab cheese rangoons. All classes include a full bar with beer, wine, and house-curated cocktails for purchase.
Stars, Stripes, and Deck Nights
Where: Woodie Fisher Kitchen & Bar – 1999 Chestnut Pl.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Celebrate America’s 250th with our festive Bomb Pop Drinks, featuring real Bomb Pops and High Noon buckets!
4th of July Rooftop Fiesta at Cimera
Where: The Source Hotel – 3330 Brighton Blvd.
Cost: $60+
The Lowdown:
The experience is an open rooftop gathering featuring live-fire cooking, craft cocktails, and skyline views throughout the evening. Guests will enjoy Peruvian street skewers, duck & chorizo paella, and ceviche prepared live on-site.
Farmers Market Central Park
Where: Central Park – 29th Ave & Roslyn
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Local vendors provide Colorado-grown produce, tasty baked goods, specialty meats, gourmet food items and more!
LIFESTYLE EVENTS
Mystic Magnolias; A Southern Gothic Cabaret
Where: Colorado Sake Co – 3559 Larimer St
Cost: $25+
The Lowdown:
Saunter yourself out to The Mystic Magnolias, a Burlesque AND Drag Show with chilling charm and dripping in Southern Gothic atmosphere.
America 250 | Colorado 150 Drone Show presented by Visit Denver
Where: DPAC/Denver Performing Arts Complex – 1400 Curtis St.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Following Sunset Cinema’s showing of National Treasure on July 3rd at Sculpture Park, stay to enjoy the 4th of July Drone Show! This special event will be brought to you by Visit Denver, celebrating American 250 | Colorado 150, including an appearance by Mayor Mike Johnston.
Beat The Bomb Summer Mission: America250 Edition
Where: Beat The Bomb – 3863 Steele St, Unit 1273
Cost: $39+
The Lowdown:
Beat The Bomb announces the limited-time-only Summer Mission: America250 Edition – celebrating America’s 250th with five new games, a collectible beach towel, and a red, white, and blue Paint Blast!
Independence Day Concert with Denver Municipal Band (Cheesman Park)
Where: Cheesman Park – 1900 E. 11th Ave.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Price:Free
Join the Denver Municipal Band’s Concert Band for an Independence Day concert at Cheesman Park Pavilion with special guest Denver District 10 City Councilmember Chris Hinds narrating Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait.
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Whether you’re dancing at a concert, enjoying a garden dinner, cheering on your favorite soccer team or exploring a new exhibition, Denver offers plenty of ways to fill your 4th of July weekend calendar. Gather your friends, support local businesses, and discover something new around the city.
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