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When the Colorado Department of Transportation’s investment arm had the chance to buy the idle Burnham Yard from Union Pacific in early 2021 for $50 million, money was tight.

CDOT turned to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade for a $7.5 million loan, which, together with a $7.5 million down payment from the High Performance Transportation Enterprise or HPTE, allowed a $35 million commercial bank loan to move forward in May of that year.

The deal was touted as a once-in-a-generation opportunity that would allow Interstate 25 between Colfax and Santa Fe to be widened and straightened. The purchase could improve transit access, including serving as a potential hub for a Front Range Passenger Rail line.

Not only would frustrated commuters gain back the countless hours of time they were losing to a poor road design, but chances were good that CDOT could make money on flipping the land it didn’t need.

Definitely enough to repay OEDIT, Shoshana Lew, CDOT’s executive director at the time, reassured commissioners.

None of that is happening.

CDOT will sell the 58 acres of Burnham Yard to the Denver Broncos, who are looking to build a new stadium on the site, for $45.8 million, less than what it paid.

After a deeper dive, CDOT nixed its original plans for transit improvements and found the land was more contaminated than expected. It also realized that straightening out I-25 was going to cost billions of dollars it didn’t have.

But not all was lost. A $4 billion football stadium and entertainment district will go into the area, with transit upgrades to serve that new use.

And as for the $7.5 million loan that is owed to OEDIT, only $2.5 million will go back into the state’s Strategic Fund, which is used to recruit employers and fund economic development programs across the state.

The fund has about $3.8 million left.

“What we are asking for today is to convert $5 million of the $7.5 million overall loan into a grant to make the rest of the infrastructure commitments that we’ve made happen,” Lisa Kaufmann, strategic adviser to Gov. Jared Polis, told the Economic Development Commission on Thursday morning.

The money would help fund a relocation of the main rail line, improve road access from Interstate 25, and eliminate three at-grade rail crossings.

For the “modest investment” in public infrastructure, the state would get billions of dollars in private investment, Kaufmann said.

And if that weren’t enough to sway the commissioners, Kaufmann reminded them that the reason the Strategic Fund even had the dollars to lend out was that she had lobbied to get $40 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds in there.

SEATTLE, Wash., May 22, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Global Artists Collective, F-Rock Inc., and Seattle’s Artists at the Center program proudly present “Intersections of Soul, Jazz & Hip-Hop Across the Generations” on May 31, 2026. This rare performance unites generations of artists and music genres, featuring Grammy-nominated jazz artist Nathan Breedlove alongside his nephew, B-Boy Fidget (aka Marcus Sharpe), his brother Ted Sharpe, and the award-winning band Global Heat.

The 12-member ensemble will take you on a journey from the classic Jazz Hip Hop of Digable Planets, Soho, and more; to the Soul hits of Jill Scott and Kandace Springs; to present day fusion of Eric B & Rakim, Kendrick LaMar, and ensemble originals.

Join us for an inspiring cross-cultural, cross-generational celebration of music and community.

• When: Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 3 PM.
• Where: Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109
• Admission: Free; All-Ages.

FEATURED ARTISTS:

• Nathan Breedlove — Grammy-nominated trumpeter and composer, Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame inductee, and Lionel Hampton Orchestra
• B-boy Fidget — Dynamic rapper/producer and b-boy; credits include 2 Chainz, Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Waka Flocka, and Tech N9ne.
• Ted Sharpe — Percussionist formerly with the Caribbean All-Stars.
• Global Heat — Funky beats, heart-felt vocals, and positive vibes:
  “Truly remarkable and wonderful original music” [Joyce Taylor, NBC News, Seattle] and “High-caliber” [ Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, Reno].

ABOUT ARTISTS AT THE CENTER:

This performance is part of the City of Seattle’s Artists at the Center series, a collaboration between the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and Seattle Center. The program is supported by the Uptown Arts & Culture Coalition and funded by a 10-year grant from Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Kraken.

More information: https://www.seattlecenter.com/events/featured-events/artists-at-the-center

ABOUT GLOBAL ARTISTS COLLECTIVE:

Global Artists Collective is a Seattle-based performing arts nonprofit dedicated to creating cross-cultural programming that increases access for underrepresented artists and brings diverse communities together through shared artistic experiences.

Learn more: https://GlobalArtistsCollective.org

MULTIMEDIA — POSTER AND LOGOS:
https://bit.ly/4fyQL7l

No celebrity endorsement claimed or implied.

NEWS SOURCE: Global Artists Collective

Keywords: Music and Recording, Performing arts, Global Artists Collective, Artists at the Center, Seattle, Nathan Breedlove, F-Rock Inc, SEATTLE, Wash.

This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Global Artists Collective) who is solely responsible for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P135711 APDF15TBLLI

To view the original version, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/generations-of-seattle-talent-unite-for-intersections-of-soul-jazz-and-hip-hop-at-seattle-center/

© 2026 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA.

Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.