The Denver Broncos won’t verbally commit to Burnham Yard as a site for a new stadium, even if money says that’s where the team will go. Since the team has left the door open, other possible sites are still vying to lure the Broncos to their location.
The Broncos have not even committed to building a new stadium or going to a new site if they do build a new home. Team president Damani Leech has maintained for quite a while that the team is leaving all options open. That includes a renovation or new facility at the current site in Sun Valley or opening up the possibilities to a move.
Burnham Yard is the frontrunner if the team decides to build a new stadium and change sites with the team. The ownership group has reportedly bought multiple pieces of property in the area near the main parcel that the new facility would sit on. But if the team decides to build somewhere new and they don’t pick Burnham Yard, there are other options.
Enter Lone Tree, which many thought was the initial frontrunner for the team’s future home. The city has been active in trying to land the Broncos and has been vocal about that for a while. Lone Tree mayor Marissa Harmon again affirmed the city’s interest in hosting the local NFL team in a statement to 9NEWS on Monday.
“Over the past year, our conversations with the Denver Broncos and Lone Tree have been exploratory and constructive,’’ Harmon told KUSA. “The team’s vision—an activated, year‑round destination integrated with transit, walkable streets, and first‑class mobility—aligns with the long‑standing plan for the Lone Tree City Center near I‑25 and E‑470. Envisioned with employment centers, shopping areas, restaurants, hotels, an array of housing, parks, and plazas, the Lone Tree City Center is proposed to be metro Denver’s next large-scale vibrant downtown.”
The Broncos are focused on a project that would best prepare their NFL team for the next 50 years. They’ve been eyeing a possible move from downtown to Lone Tree for a while. The city shared in the past that the RidgeGate East land is on the southeast corner of Interstate 25 and Lincoln Avenue as a possibility. They highlighted in the past that it was already approved in 2018 to house a 440-acre development.
“Our collaboration with the Denver Broncos is consistent with our commitment to work with any potential business prospects that present opportunities to achieve the City’s vision for our City Center,” Harmon said. “Lone Tree has something very special here with our City Center and we are eager to explore every opportunity to bring our downtown to life while ensuring it reflects the community’s character and long-term vision of our residents.”
There is already infrastructure in place at the site. Lone Tree has invested hundreds of millions in the area that they annexed back in 2000, between highway improvements and making sure the RTD light rail reached the location.
“At this time, no formal proposals have been submitted, and no decisions or commitments have been made,” Harmon said.
The Broncos’ lease on Empower Field at Mile High expires in 2030, and the team is focused on not rushing into a new building but instead setting up the best situation possible for the long term. But it does seem fairly obvious that the team will most likely choose to build a new home. And as with most of the NFL’s newest stadiums, it seems likely that there will be a district built by the Broncos attached. That’s already being done in Denver with the new NWSL stadium, and the Avalanche and Nuggets are attempting something similar around Ball Arena.
There are lots of decisions, years of planning and building ahead of the Broncos — no matter what they settle on.