Colorado
Are stadium food and beer prices too high? Colorado lawmakers unveil bills targeting costs.
Colorado Democrats unveiled a trio of proposals Monday aimed at wrenching down rising prices that they blamed on corporate greed — and at forestalling newer attempts at varying pricing for different customers.
The proposals include a measure that would require price transparency for what might be considered “captive consumers,” including at sporting events or airports. Another would prohibit wholesalers from giving preferential pricing to large groups. And a third would ban companies from using consumers’ personal data to set prices or wages.
“Affordability isn’t this abstract concept. Everyone has experienced the $20 beer at a Nuggets game, the $10 water at the airport or the $80 Tylenol at the emergency room,” state Rep. Yara Zokaie, a Fort Collins Democrat, said during a news conference at the state Capitol. “When people are forced to pay more, simply because they’re trapped, that isn’t the free market. It’s exploitation.”
Only the proposal to require more price transparency has been formally introduced, as House Bill 1012. Supporters expect the other measures to be introduced in the coming weeks.
Democrats framed the proposals as necessary to preserve the free market against large monopolies that have undue power to set prices — including by harvesting user data — and to force out competition.
The proposal is already facing stiff opposition from business groups. Three dozen lobbyists, including those representing the Colorado Hospital Association, the Colorado Bankers Association and various chambers of commerce, have registered outright opposition. Uber and DoorDash, whose delivery services would also be affected by the bill, have registered amend positions, signalling they will seek changes.
“The Colorado Chamber opposes the bill due to feedback from our members that it’s overreaching, creating new operational and legal costs for businesses across multiple industries statewide, with little benefit to consumers,” said Meghan Dollar, the senior vice president of governmental affairs for the Colorado Chamber of Commerce.”
Gov. Jared Polis has underscored the need for affordability but also regularly voices business-oriented concerns, making him a wild card. Spokeswoman Shelby Wieman said Monday that he “is generally skeptical of these types of policies because they are not consistent with the laws of economics,” and he will monitor its progress.
The price transparency bill builds off a 2025 law passed by legislators against so-called junk fees charged by landlords. This iteration would prohibit businesses from charging “unreasonably excessive prices to a captive consumer.” Think sports fans whose only food options at a game are at stands all operated by the same big concessionaire.
The bill would also require businesses that sell delivery goods, such as grocery delivery providers or DoorDash, to list a comparison of the delivery price versus the regular price if the goods were to be bought in-person at the store.
“Our economy is failing working people because corporations have been allowed to extract, overcharge and consolidate power with no real accountability,” Zokaie said. “They have found new and unique ways to squeeze every last cent from working people. Today, we are drawing a hard line against that system.”
The anti-price gouging measure, as written, would declare it an unfair or deceptive trade practice if a business charges a higher price than the average for a similar good or service within the same county. So that $20 beer, if it costs half that at a bar down the street, might run afoul of the proposed law unless the seller can show the price is not unreasonably excessive.
The bill would task the state’s attorney general with establishing the guidelines to determine unreasonably excessive prices for captive consumers, such as at airports, hospitals, sporting events, large festivals or in correctional facilities.
Lawmakers say the onus for preventing pricing abuses is on the state since the Trump administration has largely retreated from business regulations and has sought to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB.
The federal agency was tasked with creating and enforcing rules to protect consumers from abusive practices across a range of financial institutions. Some Republicans have assailed the agency as overregulating industry. President Donald Trump said early in his second term that the bureau was “set up to destroy people.”
Sen. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat, said the bills would rely on the Colorado Attorney General’s Office for enforcement, using powers from the state Consumer Protection Act.
“Historically, you’ve had maybe the prospect of state and federal enforcement,” Weissman said. “But as we live now, there isn’t a functional CFPB anymore. It’s been put through the wood chipper. It’s mulch now. So state enforcement through the Colorado attorney general will be important.”
The bill that would restrict the use of consumer data to set prices and wages also steps into regulations on algorithmic decision-making, which is part of the thrust of lawmakers’ long-debated, and still in flux, regulations on artificial intelligence.
Weissman said this bill was designed to stand alone.
“We are playing against a supercomputer when we walk into a grocery store,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat. “We are playing against a supercomputer when we go to buy clothes.”
Democrats have nearly 2-to-1 majorities in both chambers of the legislature, meaning the bills could easily pass on partisan lines.
Republicans, however, have vowed to fight.
Rep. Chris Richardson, an Elbert County Republican, warned of overregulation having the effect of driving up costs. He focused on the price transparency measure, since it was the only one introduced so far.
Democrats specifically cited the cost of goods in airports, hospitals and stadiums. But stadiums have different standards and costs than many other businesses, Richardson said, making it unfair to set certain cost requirements.
“How do you compare a stadium hot dog inside a venue to a push-cart hot dog vendor, who’s within the same county but out on the street?” Richardson said. “The overhead for the small guy is very low.”
He further worried that businesses would struggle to abide by new, potentially vague rules, and the legislation could have the inverse effect of what supporters intend by burying businesses in more regulation.
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By almost every measure, the 2026 Rockies are better than the ’25 Rockies. And, by almost every measure, the Rockies have a long way to go to become a contending big-league baseball team.
After getting bludgeoned by Kyle Schwarber and shut down by ace lefty Cristopher Sanchez in a 6-0 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday, the Rockies are 16-25 with one-quarter of the season in the books.
Schwarber hit solo home runs in the first and second innings off right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, who gave up five runs on seven hits over five innings. Sanchez dominated Colorado for seven innings, giving up six hits, striking out seven, and walking none. He reduced his ERA to 2.11.
It was a step back for Colorado, but a week ago, Paul DePodesta, president of baseball operations, said, “We’re certainly encouraged by a lot of what’s going on, but at the same time, far from satisfied.”
Here’s a look at the state of the Rockies at the quarter pole:
• On pace: The Rockies’ .390 winning percentage has them pointed toward a 63-99 record. That would be a 20-game improvement over their 119-loss season in 2025 and enable them to avoid the infamy of being the first team since the 1961-64 Washington Senators to post four consecutive 100-loss seasons.
• White Sox meter: Chicago’s Southsiders lost a major league record 121 games in 2024. At the quarter pole last year, they were a miserable 12-29, but they eventually finished with a 60-102 record. That was a 19-game improvement.
• Road conditions: Colorado was laughably bad on the road last season, going 18-63, averaging just 2.81 runs per game, and getting outscored by 213 runs. The ’26 Rockies no longer look like automatic roadkill. They are 8-14 away from Coors Field but 6-4 over their last 10 games. They are averaging 3.95 runs per game on the road.
• Rotation in motion: The ’25 Rockies finished with a starters ERA of 6.65, the worst in the majors since ERA became an official statistic in 1913. This season’s starters own a 5.27 ERA, still the worst in the majors, but an improvement. Toss out the innings thrown by “openers” and the starters’ ERA is 5.11.
• Ace in the making? Right-hander Chase Dollander, who has the pure best stuff on the staff, is exponentially better this season than last — 3.35 ERA vs. 6.98 ERA as a rookie. On Friday, he held the Phillies to two runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings, but walked five in the Rockies’ wild, 9-7, 11-inning victory. Dollander’s command was not sharp, but he didn’t implode as he might have last season.
“Every outing is different, for everybody,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer told MLB.com. “Today, for Chase, he had to battle command issues, but his stuff is so good that he was able to stay in it. He competed, and he kept grinding without his best command.”
Trade material: Except for Dollander, Colorado’s four other starters are all veterans in the final year of their contracts. That makes them possible trade candidates at the Aug. 3 deadline, if not before.
However, after a strong start to the season, the starters are beginning to fade. Lefty Kyle Freeland (1-4, 6.00 ERA) has a vesting option worth $17 million for 2027, but he needs to pitch 170 innings to activate that option, and it’s doubtful he will. There is a $9 million team option for right-hander Michael Lorenzen, but considering that he is 2-4 with a 6.92 ERA and a 3.56 batting average against, it’s doubtful the Rockies would pick up his option. But are either Lorenzen or Freeland tradeable?
That leaves lefty Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.90 ERA) and Sugano (3-3, 4.07 ERA) as the most attractive trade pieces. And throw in reliever Antonio Senzatela (2-0, 1.11 ERA), too, because he’s also in the final year of his contract.
Somehow, someway, the Rockies are going to have to restock their pitching cupboard for next season and beyond. It’s a predicament that DePodesta and company will have to solve.
Men of mystery: The hope was that this would be corner outfielder Jordan Beck’s breakout season, and that centerfielder Brenton Doyle and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar would bounce back. It’s early, but it’s not happening.
After going 1 for 3 on Sunday, Beck is hitting .169 with a .490 OPS. Doyle (.196, .529, 33.6% strikeout rate) is showing signs of rebounding, as is Tovar (.197, .277, 28.6%), who had two singles on Sunday. Still, the trio is underperforming. Beck and Doyle are often supplanted in the lineup by Mickey Moniak and newcomers Troy Johnston and Jake McCarthy.
After a 1-for-4 performance on Sunday, Moniak is hitting .303 with a 1.004 OPS and leads the Rockies with 11 home runs. Moniak has had hot streaks before with the Angels, but then faded. However, the Rockies believe he can sustain his success.
He’s arbitration-eligible for one more season, leading to plenty of internet trade speculation. But if the Rockies don’t believe their outfield prospects are ready to carry the load, signing Moniak to a reasonable contract extension makes sense. He’s making $4 million this season.
First addition: Utility infielders Edouard Julien and Willi Castro, and outfielders Johnston and McCarthy have all contributed to Colorado’s improvement. But it’s rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield who looks like part of the Rockies’ foundation for the future.
He’s slashing .272/.337/.429 with five home runs and is tied with Moniak for the team lead with 21 RBIs. Among all qualified rookies, he is tied for first in games played (40), second in hits (40), fifth in RBIs (21), and eighth in batting average. He’s also a terrific fielder.
Rumfield is everything the Rockies hoped Michael Toglia would be.
Pitching probables
Monday: Off day
Tuesday: Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-4, 6.92 ERA) at Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA), 4:40 p.m.
Wednesday: Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.90) at Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (4-1, 2.87 ERA), 4:40 p.m.
Thursday: RHP Chase Dollander (3-2, 3.35) at Pirates RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3, 4.50 ERA), 10:35 a.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
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A Boulder County man was sentenced to 48 years in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend and dumping her body in 2024.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said Christine Barron Olivas’s body was discovered in a remote area of unincorporated Boulder County on Sept. 14, 2024. She was last seen leaving the neighborhood with her boyfriend, Carlos Dosal, the week prior.
The coroner’s office determined the cause of her death was strangulation.
In Feb. 2026, Dosal pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as a crime of domestic violence in her death. On Saturday, the judge sentenced him to 48 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon is tied for fifth in the NHL in points (10), while ranking tied for seventh in goals (4) and tied for ninth in assists (6).
All Hail Cale
Cale Makar is tied for first in goals (4) among NHL defensemen,
Toewser Laser
Among NHL blueliners, Devon Toews is tied for third in points (7) while ranking tied for fifth in assists (5) and tied for sixth in goals (2).
Series History
The Avalanche and Wild have met in the playoffs on three previous occasions, all in the Round One, with Minnesota winning in 2003 and 2014 in seven games while Colorado was victorious in six contests in 2008.
Making Plays Against Minnesota
MacKinnon has posted 16 points (4g/12a) in nine playoff games against the Wild, in addition to 70 points (27g/43a) in 55 regular-season contests.
Makar has registered three points (2g/1a) in two playoff contests against Minnesota, along with 26 points (6g/20a) in 29 regular-season games.
Necas has recorded five points (1g/4a) in two playoff games against the Wild, in addition to nine points (5g/4a) in 15 regular-season games.
Scoring in the Twin Cities
Quinn Hughes is tied for the Wild lead in points (11) and assists (8) while ranking tied for second in goals (3).
Kaprizov is tied for first on the Wild in assists (8) and points (11) while ranking tied for second in goals (3).
Matt Boldy leads the Wild in goals (6) while ranking third in points (10) and tied for fourth in assists (4).
A Numbers Game
4.50
Colorado’s 4.50 goals per game on the road in the playoffs are tied for the most in the NHL.
39
MacKinnon’s 39 playoff goals since 2020-21 are the second most in the NHL.
2.17
The Avalanche’s 2.17 goals against per game in the playoffs are the second fewest in the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
“It should definitely get you up and excited. It’s gonna be a good test. [It’s a] great building and [it’s] against a desperate team. It’s gonna be great.”
— Gabriel Landeskog on playing in Minnesota
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