Denver Broncos announce plans for new stadium at Burnham Yard

DENVER (KDVR) — The rumors are true: the Denver Broncos are planning for a new stadium.

After months of possible deals, paperwork and talk of a new stadium, on Tuesday, the Broncos, Mayor Mike Johnston and Gov. Jared Polis finally announced their preferred site for the new stadium with a retractable roof at Burnham Yard, a 58-acre abandoned railyard.

The current Empower Field at Mile High Stadium opened in 2001 to replace the Broncos’ original Mile High Stadium. The stadium moved less than 50 feet and cost more than $400 million. Now, the new stadium plans to move about a mile further in a privately-funded, several billion-dollar investment.

“Today is a remarkable win-win-win for Denver,” said Johnston. “The Broncos are staying in Denver, we will finally open up the historic Burnham Yard neighborhood for development, and we get to reimagine the Mile High Stadium site as a thriving community in West Denver. The Walton-Penner Ownership Group’s private investment into building a world-class stadium in the heart of Denver will open up new possibilities – not just for Burnham Yard – but across the city.

Polis said they purchased the land after the Union Pacific Railroad shut down operations at Burnham Yard. Now, as some of the last undeveloped land in the city, there are new plans for the area.

Plans for the new stadium — and maybe a Super Bowl

The Walton-Penner Ownership Group will privately fund the purchase of the land and the new stadium with a retractable roof, according to the city. This could lead to a chance at hosting the Super Bowl and Final Four, while still giving the Broncos a home-field advantage playing in the snow, the city said. The mayor told FOX31 there will be a light rail on site.

In order to build a stadium in the area, the mayor’s office said this will include cleaning up polluted land used by the railyard for more than 150 years. The city will also work with the community to develop an area plan which could include recommendations for housing, parks, grocery stores and more.

That said, developing on Burnham Yard has already stirred up some controversy.

At the end of July, Historic Denver, a non-profit organization that advocates for historic landmarks, said the Colorado Department of Transportation destroyed several historic properties on the parcel of land. The non-profit said this was a site where women and people of color were able to work when they couldn’t anywhere else.

Polis said in a social media post that it would “bring back to life” some parts of Burnham Yards, including the over three-story-tall diesel locomotive shop.

“Burnham Yard, since its inception, has been a demonstration of audacious visions and bold innovation that put our beloved capital city on the map over 150 years ago. That’s why development of Burnham Yard represents more than just a new NFL stadium, more than just an urban renewal opportunity; it’s a chance to demonstrate Colorado’s commitment to excellence, leading the nation in visionary, responsible growth that celebrates our heritage while embracing tomorrow’s possibilities,” Polis said.

Meanwhile, Burham Yard was home to Denver Water and the site of its Operations Complex, which was just built in 2019. Denver Water said after many months of “intense discussion and negotiation” with the Broncos, Denver Water needs to relocate some of its facilities for the plan to work. Denver Water said the Broncos agreed to pay for all relocation costs, and it’s looking at new sites like 40th and Clayton, in north Denver. The cost of the project will be determined in the next few months.

The old stadium’s 80 acres of land will go back to Denver after the lease ends in 2030. The city said it anticipates beginning the Burnham Yard planning process in 2026. Residents can sign up for updates on community meetings.