Denver, CO

Editorial: Here’s how Denver should play the “$tadium Game” to secure a Mile High future

Published

1 year ago

January 8, 2025

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: January 8, 2025 at 11:40 AM MST

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Denver, CO

Projecting Nuggets’ Lineup vs. Spurs If Nikola Jokic Plays

Published

12 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Projecting Nuggets’ Lineup vs. Spurs If Nikola Jokic Plays

The Denver Nuggets have just one game left on their regular season calendar before their postseason action gets underway, as they’ll be tasked with a road trip against the West’s second-seeded San Antonio Spurs. And it’ll be a game for Denver where they’ll be without a significant chunk of their regular rotation.

No Jamal Murray, no Aaron Gordon, and neither starter on the wing in Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson will be suiting up in an effort to rest for the postseason. Nikola Jokic is listed as questionable, but is likely to play in order to meet the 65-game minimum required for end-of-season awards.

So, as the Nuggets’ lineup is set to be shorthanded in a night that could decide their final seeding in the Western Conference playoff picture, let’s take a peek at what their makeshift starting five could shake out to be:

PG: Bruce Brown

Mar 29, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Bruce Brown (11) reacts after a play in the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

While Tyus Jones could fill in as the starting point guard once again as he did against the OKC Thunder, this feels like the right moment for Bruce Brown to take those duties instead; someone who’s started just three games this season, but on pace to be one of 18 players around the league to play in all 82 regular-season games.

It’s hard to roll out an extremely small lineup against a team like the Spurs and hope for overwhelming success. Brown gives the Nuggets some upside in that size department, as well as their overall shotmaking.

SG: Tim Hardaway Jr.

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Outside of Jokic, Tim Hardaway Jr. is the easiest name to fill into the Nuggets’ makeshift starting five while without four of their regular starters, even while he might be making a last-effort push for those Sixth Man of the Year honors.

If the Nuggets want to pull off an upset victory over the Spurs to continue their lengthy win streak, they’ll have to cash in on a big offensive performance from Hardaway Jr., which could be well within play as he’ll become one of their de facto top options to look for on that side of the floor.

SF: Julian Strawther

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther (3) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Julian Strawther has shifted around the Nuggets lineup more than anyone this year. He’s gone from the end of the rotation to a fill-in starter on the wing, and even a DNP as Denver has gotten healthier towards the end of the season.

This game against San Antonio presents a perfect opportunity for Strawther to get a well-deserved start on the wing next to Hardaway Jr. His shot-making has been at some of the best of his career this season, averaging career-high shooting numbers from the field (46.7) and from three (38.0).

PF: Nikola Jokic

Apr 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

This is where Nikola Jokic comes in. Against the size that San Antonio presents with an alien like Victor Wembanyama in the frontcourt, coming to match that with a double-big lineup as the three-time MVP slots in at the four could be an ideal setup for this game in particular.

As it concerns Jokic’s availability, if he does play, don’t be shocked if he’s only on the floor for 15 minutes rather than the whole game. That’s all he needs to remain eligible for end-of-season awards, and might be all David Adelman is asking of him.

C: Jonas Valanciunas

Apr 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) leaves the court in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In an effort to try and match the Spurs’ length as best as possible, Jonas Valanciunas fills into the five in our lineup projections to do just that.

Surprisingly, Valanciunas has only started six games throughout his time with the Nuggets, and only one of those showings has been with him paired next to Jokic. But with the implications of Denver being shorthanded, along with their unique matchup of San Antonio, makes for the perfect opportunity to test the fit out once more before their playoff action gets underway next weekend.

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Championship-caliber defense not enough for Wisconsin to secure NCAA hockey title

Published

1 day ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Championship-caliber defense not enough for Wisconsin to secure NCAA hockey title

LAS VEGAS – Wisconsin had Denver under its thumb, but somehow the Pioneers slipped away.

Denver scored twice in the final 12 ½ minutes to score a 2-1 victory over the Badgers at T-Mobile Arena. The win gave the Pioneers their third national championship in five seasons and their 11th overall, and it came on a night when they were held to a season-low 15 shots on goal.

How did the Pioneers escape with a championship that easily could have been the Badgers’? To get an answer from the UW players, they would need more than the 15 minutes they got in the locker room to regroup before postgame interviews.

The pain they felt, however, needed no explanation.

“I think I’m still a little shocked right now,” senior captain Ben Dexheimer said. “I’m definitely going to settle in in the next few days, but I couldn’t be prouder of this team from the ups and downs throughout the year. I just love every one of those guys in that room.”

Rieger Lorenz and Kyle Chyzowski scored during a 7-minute stretch in the third period for Denver, which closed the season with a 29-11-3 record and a 17-game unbeaten streak.

The Badgers (24-13-2) were also pretty good at the end of the season, winning nine of 12 games to reach their first NCAA final since 2010. UW’s first championship since 2006 proved elusive, but the program defeated three top-10 teams to get to the title game.

It was a heck of a run, just not the greatest finish.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Badgers defense held up its end of the bargain

The improvement Wisconsin made defensively as the season went on was critical to its run to the title game. The Badgers had some defensive gems in the postseason, but this may be have been their best effort.

They held Denver to two shots in the first period, tying the fewest ever in a championship game, and then allowed just three in the second. The Pioneers’ 15 shots? That was also the fewest ever in a Frozen Four game.

Both Denver goals were hard earned.

On Lorenz’s goal, UW’s Daniel Hauser made the initial save. It was the rebound that got him. And Chyzowski’s game-winner came on an extended possession that, from the UW perspective, felt longer because Hauser lost his stick halfway through it.

“I’d probably say it’s the hardest team we’ve played against all year, just how they were on it,” Denver coach David Carle said. “Their forecheck made it real challenging to be able to break pucks out. We saw it against North Dakota, as well. It was an excellent team on their end.”

A 2-0 lead may have done the trick for UW

For the fourth time in the tournament, the Badgers scored first. Freshman Vasily Zelenov took an outlet pass from Weston Knox through the neutral zone and fired his only shot of the game from just outside the left circle.

The challenge was getting a second goal.

“We needed to in my opinion, get it to two, and we just couldn’t do that,” Badgers coach Mike Hastings said.

Similar to what Hauser has done for UW at times this season, Pioneers goaltender Johnny Hicks, the most outstanding player of the Frozen Four, kept his team in games. He finished the season 16-0-1.

“We were throwing everything we had at the net, but we just couldn’t find a way to get one through,” sophomore Gavin Morrissey said.

Denver’s defenders sacrificed their bodies in win

Wisconsin finished with 30 shots. Denver tallied 31 blocks, 10 better than its previous season best.

It is rare to see a team have more blocks than its opponents has shots in a game. Given UW’s struggle to get a second goal, Maybe if one of those got through …

“Obviously we only had one, so if I had to ask for something, it’d be one to get by them,” Hastings said. “Their commitment level, just like our commitment level, is at an all-time high when we get to this moment.”

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Wisconsin hockey vs. Denver: Live updates from the NCAA title game

Published

2 days ago

April 11, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin hockey vs. Denver: Live updates from the NCAA title game

LAS VEGAS – One more win and the Wisconsin men’s hockey team brings home a national championship and completes a heck of a postseason run.

The Badgers (24-12-2) face Denver (28-11-3) in the NCAA championship game at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at T-Mobile Arena with a chance to bring home their first national championship since 2006.

A win would also give UW its fourth straight postseason win over a higher seed. All those teams were ranked among the top eight in the final USCHO regular-season poll.

With a Wisonsin win …

The Badgers will sweep the men’s and women’s titles in the same season for the first time since 2006. No other college program has accomplished the feat.

The Big Ten would win its ninth title this school year. Here is the rundown: Football, Indiana; men’s basketball, Michigan; women’s basketball, UCLA, women’s hockey, Wisconsin; men’s soccer, Washington, wrestling, Penn State; field hockey, Northwestern, and water polo, UCLA.

Check for updates on the UW-Denver NCAA final throughout the day.

Wisconsin-Denver tale of the tape

Scoring offense: Wisconsin 3.71 (fifth nationally); Denver 3.62 (8).

Scoring defense: Wisconsin 2.97 (32); Denver 2.12 (4)

Scoring margin: Wisconsin .74 (14); Denver 1.50 (I5)

Power-play percentage: .265 (6), Denver .188 (37)

Penalty-kill percentage: .722 (58); Denver .818 (23)

A look at Wisconsin hockey’s final practice of the season

On the eve of the national championship game, the Wisconsin men”s hockey team went through a short workout at T-Mobile Arena on Friday Apri 10.

Coaching legend offers Mike Hastings advice

After the Badgers defeated North Dakota in the semifinals Thursday, Badgers coach Mike Hastings received a text message from former Boston College coach Jerry York.

“He just said enjoy tomorrow’s practice,” Hastings said. “We always thought it was the best practice of the year and then he put dot, dot, dot, but it was hard to schedule that one.”

Getting to the final possible practice of the season means reaching the national championship game. York coached for 50 seasons. He spent the final 28 at Boston College where he led the Eagles to eight NCAA finals and four championships.

As Hastings planned the team’s final practice of the season, he kept York’s message in mind.

“To me it’s about us having energy tomorrow because we’re going to need a lot of it,” Hastings said. “And so we went out for a short period of time. (The players) had a lot to do with what we were doing with practice.

“I went to the leadership group and said, ‘Hey, here’s some ideas I’ve got. What are you guys feeling?’ And so they ended up putting into that. It was a good 25-minute scheme.”

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