The Denver Broncos plan to build a new stadium at Burnham Yard, a historic railyard in central Denver, city leaders announced Tuesday, outlining what the new home could mean for the community.
Mayor Mike Johnston, Gov. Jared Polis and the Walton-Penner Ownership Group unveiled the site in a joint letter, saying the privately funded stadium project will keep the team in the city while opening two major redevelopment opportunities.
“Today is a remarkable win-win-win for Denver,” Johnston said in a news release from his office. “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.”
The Broncos’ lease at Empower Field at Mile High expires in March 2031, and the city says the old stadium site and its surrounding parking lots will revert to Denver’s ownership. Officials anticipate beginning community planning for that property in 2026.
At the same time, the Burnham Yard development will transform a historic area in the La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhood near Baker. The site is currently 83 acres of land owned by Colorado Department of Transportation or Denver Water, along with some additional land that has been bought by the team over the past few months. The land, once used as a railyard for more than 150 years, will undergo environmental cleanup before construction. City leaders said the project represents several billion dollars of private investment.
The area stretches from Sixth to 13th avenues and is bordered by Seminole Road to the west and Osage Street to the east. The site has been owned by CDOT since 2021 after Union Pacific closed Burnham Yard in 2016. According to Historic Denver, the site “operated as one of the city’s most significant railyards for more than 150 years — first as the primary facility for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG), and much later for Union Pacific, which acquired the D&RG. The use of the yards predates Colorado statehood.”
Councilwoman Jamie Torres said the announcement marks a new chapter for a community long defined by its history.
“Today you may see abandoned land and abandoned buildings, but history lies beneath the surface, and today a new future is possible with the announcement of the Denver Broncos,” Torres shared in the news release. “These neighborhoods are home to 13,000 residents, an incredible Art District, Business Improvement District, cultural and historic districts of homes and buildings that tell the story of Denver.”
The privately funded multi-billion-dollar stadium is planned as a retractable-roof facility that would allow Denver to host more premier events than Empower Field. Officials said the venue could position the Mile High City to host a Super Bowl, a men’s or women’s Final Four, concerts and other major events that bring in hundreds of millions in economic activity each year. Team officials have already said they prefer outdoor games on natural grass, which led to the decision for a retractable roof rather than a dome.
While those features add to the project’s cost, city leaders emphasized that no new taxes will be used to build the stadium.
Council President Amanda P. Sandoval called the project critical for the city’s future.
“The Broncos are so much more than a team; they are a vital part of Denver’s identity and a cherished tradition,” Sandoval said. “The current stadium site is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a dynamic neighborhood that will bring new jobs, investment, and much-needed affordable housing.”
Neighborhood leaders also stressed the importance of ensuring that community voices shape the project.
“We are excited to work with the Broncos on a community benefits agreement that meets the needs and concerns of the neighborhood,” Nolan Hahn, president of the La Alma-Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association, told Denver Sports.
City officials said a Small Area Plan will guide development at Burnham Yard, with public meetings beginning in the coming years. That plan could include recommendations for housing, parks, grocery stores, child care centers and other amenities.
If approvals move forward, construction could begin later this decade, with the Broncos expected to play their first season in the new stadium in 2031.