Denver City Council approves plan to rezone area around Ball Arena for a development proposal

The Denver City Council on Monday night voted to approve a plan to rezone the area around Ball Arena for a development proposal.

It’s a historic step forward in the ongoing collaboration between Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and community groups pushing for a more vibrant and inclusive downtown.

The proposed project will help redevelop 70 acres of property around the arena where the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Mammoth play. It would create a residential neighborhood with parks, paths, retail space and roughly 6,000 units of housing. Some of that — approximately 1,000 units — would be affordable housing units along Auraria Parkway and Speer Boulevard.

Before voting on the proposal on Monday, the City Council had a period of public comment.

“I want Denver to be a great city and great cities do big things, and this is a huge development,” said Matt Larsen, a supporter.

“We have a huge housing affordability problem, still a huge homelessness problem, and the way you solve those problems is by building more.”

One resident who said they were concerned about the proposal has worries about connectedness with the rest of downtown.

“Right now if you walk across the eight lane Auraria Parkway, it does not feel like it’s going to feel connected. There is no way that there is any walkability between the proposed subdivision and Auraria Parkway,” that resident said.

It could be before 2026 before any of the projects around Ball Arena begin breaking ground.