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Denver again delays decision on $800 million expansion of National Western Center

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Denver again delays decision on 0 million expansion of National Western Center


Denver again delayed making a decision over whether to spend $800 million over 35 years on an expansion of the National Western Center in a close-call vote that split the City Council on Monday evening.

The two-week postponement comes as community advocates say they need more time to analyze the agreement and to try to negotiate for additional investment in the surrounding Elyria-Swansea neighborhood from the National Western Center Authority — the group that operates the facility.

The advocates say they want to see an additional $16 million lump sum for the community investment fund under an agreement they’re developing with the National Western Center Authority.

“We can address some of the questions that have been unanswered and we can possibly negotiate some more revenue or some more benefits for the community investment fund with these two weeks,” said Alfonso Espino, one of the community advocates.

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The National Western Center Authority says they can’t afford to pay that. They estimate that under the current terms of the agreement, they are already planning to dedicate at least $22 million to the community investment fund over the next 35 years through various measures.

“We get up every day to create community benefit,” said Brad Buchanan, CEO of the National Western Center Authority. “Every decision we make is looking through the lens of community benefit.”

In a 7-5 vote, the council decided to postpone the vote until June 2. City officials say it’s unlikely that the agreement between the entities will change during that time. Espino argues that even if that’s true, they’ve successfully gotten concessions from previous delays.

“We feel that it’s important to make the gesture,” Espino said.

Council members Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Flor Alvidrez, Sarah Parady, Paul Kashmann, Amanda Sandoval, Stacie Gilmore and Jamie Torres voted in favor of the postponement.

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“I’m asking for a little bit more time so that his conversation can continue,” Gonzales-Gutierrez said when proposing the postponement.

Council members Chris Hinds, Darrell Watson, Amanda Sawyer, Diana Romero-Campbell and Kevin Flynn voted no.

“I will continue to fight for more funds to go to (community investment fund),” Watson said. “I also know that in two weeks, the response that’s going to come back to the community is that there is not going to be a $16 million dollar lump sum.”

This is the second time the council has postponed the vote in two weeks. If they don’t take action on it June 2, it will automatically be approved.

The National Western Center Authority said they’ve already agreed to several community benefits, including a 4,000-square-foot community center and 5 acres of open space. They also plan to set aside 1% of all their hotel fees to go toward the fund and will offer all attendees the ability to round up their purchases to donate to the fund.

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They say they will continue to look for other ways to donate to the fund. The dollars will be used for anti-displacement measures in the community to prevent gentrification caused by from the project.

Several council members who ultimately voted no said they agree with the efforts from the advocates to try to protect their community.

“You are right. You have been displaced, you have been marginalized, you have lived in one of the most polluted zip codes in the state,” Sawyer said. “I’m just not sure that the language of this agreement is going to change any in two weeks.”

The project represents the next stage of a massive project on the 250–acre campus, which has been under redevelopment since 2019. The city and its partners in the project want to expand the facility into a year-round exhibition with agricultural education and entertainment.

The public-private partnership chose Community Activation Partners, a consortium of contractors, as the developer. That group includes Fengate Asset Management, Hensel Phelps Construction, McWhinney Real Estate and Sage Hospitality.

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The plan would include building a 4,500-seat equestrian center, a 570-stall stable, a 160-room hotel, 30 to 40 units of workforce housing and 580 parking spaces.

The principal cost is estimated to be $400 million and would be financed over 35 years through annual payments of up to $23 million. Without any refinancing, that would amount to about $800 million.

It would be paid for from revenue from Ballot Measure 2C, a 2015 voter-approved measure that permanently extended taxes on hotels and car rentals to support the National Western Center.

Construction would begin this fall with a goal of completion by 2028.

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Things To Do In And Around Denver This Weekend – 12/17-12/21 – 303 Magazine

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Things To Do In And Around Denver This Weekend – 12/17-12/21 – 303 Magazine


When: Dec 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: Fight Club – 1959 16th St Mall Denver
Cost: Price varies
The Lowdown: 

Guests have the option of $39 bottomless flatbreads, which includes the price of their oche reservation for Social Darts®. The bottomless flatbread menu features Smoked Salmon Flatbread, Four Cheese Flatbread, Breakfast Flatbread, or Garden Vegetable Flatbread. Guests can also order off the á la carte menu, which includes a fresh-cut fruit plate, breakfast sliders,, avocado toast, and Flight Club’s famous churros.





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Denver airport delays, crashes, broken windows, downed power lines: What to know about Colorado’s windy Wednesday

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Denver airport delays, crashes, broken windows, downed power lines: What to know about Colorado’s windy Wednesday


Hurricane-force winds in Colorado on Wednesday had a major impact across the Denver metro area, Front Range, and foothills. It’s a First Alert Weather Day because of the dangerous conditions.

Gusts of over 100 mph — equivalent to a category 2 hurricane — were reported in some parts of the Front Range, and over 100,000 people were without power as of 7 p.m. On Berthoud Pass, between Empire and Winter Park, wind gusts reached at least 102 mph. They reached 97 mph at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Boulder County, 96 mph in Marshall, and 93 mph in West Arvada. 

Several highways were closed, Denver International Airport saw dozens of delays, power lines and other property damage were reported, schools were closed, Denver’s holiday events were canceled, and thousands of homes and businesses were without power after Xcel’s Public Safety Power Shutoff and unplanned outages.

Power shutoff

Xcel Energy was implementing what it calls a Public Safety Shutoff, for only the second time ever in Colorado. An estimated 50,000 people across the Front Range were impacted, mostly in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties.

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Restoration for some areas was expected to start around 6 p.m. Wednesday, but many customers told CBS News Colorado that Xcel told them it could be up to three days before their power is restored.

Downed power lines are seen as a result of powerful winds near Golden, Colorado, on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025.

CBS


As a result, the Colorado Division of Emergency Management opened charging centers, shelters, and resource centers in the impacted areas.

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Xcel said it shut off the power in these areas because of the combination of wind speeds and dry conditions that increase the chance of wildfires.

Once conditions improve, Xcel Energy Colorado President Robert Kenney said crews will begin inspecting lines to determine when power can be restored.

“Once the wind event stops, that does not mean your power will be immediately restored,” he said. “We have several hundred crew members that are already being pre-positioned, that are on standby, so that when the wind event does end, they will be able to immediately begin inspecting the lines. They have to visually inspect the lines for damage before restoring the power.”

Delayed flights

The Federal Aviation Administration called for a ground delay at Denver International Airport from 5 through 8 p.m., although that’s subject to change, based on evolving weather conditions.

As of about 6:30 p.m., 66 flights were delayed, and one was canceled.

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Wind gusts were recorded at around 40 mph at the airport around 5 p.m.

School closures

Several school districts — including Jefferson County, Colorado’s second-largest — closed schools, and many also canceled after-school activities.

The University of Colorado cancelled classes, but the Buffs’ basketball game against Portland State is continuing, although fans are not allowed to attend.

Highway closures

Several highways in the foothills near Boulder, as well as in Northern Colorado up to the Wyoming state line, were closed. At least one crash also closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 on the Eastern Plains.

Those planned closures included:

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  • Highway 93 between Boulder and Arvada
  • Highway 36 between Boulder and Lyons
  • Highway 128 from Superior to Highway 93 
  • Highway 287 between Ted’s Place and the Wyoming border closed this afternoon, but has since reopened

Damage and other closures

Power lines were reported as having fallen across the Denver metro area, adding to the number of customers without power.

A number of local businesses were also forced to close — some out of caution, others due to a lack of power.

Car and structure windows were also broken by flying debris, like this car in Boulder, whose windows were shattered by small, flying rocks.

windows-shattered-boulder-logan-smith-2.jpg

A car window in Boulder, Colorado, was shattered by flying rocks on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025.

CBS


Despite losing power around 10 a.m., Ace Hardware in Golden remained open and kept busy, selling generators, flashlights, batteries, and tools and materials to prevent or fix damage.

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Some business owners raised concerns about what a days-long outage could mean for their companies, products, and customers.

“We could lose everything,” DeAnn Wieber, owner of the Windy Saddle Cafe in Golden, said. “We could lose all our food, the time that it took to prepare everything, and we just don’t know. And there’s are a lot of businesses going through the same thing.”

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Canceled due to high winds: Wednesday’s drone show, holiday tree, Christkindlmarket

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Canceled due to high winds: Wednesday’s drone show, holiday tree, Christkindlmarket


Downtown’s Mile High Drone Show, the Denver Christkindlmarket and access to the Mile High Tree have been canceled for Wednesday, Dec. 17, due to high winds, said producers at Visit Denver.



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