Hundreds of Denver residents attended a community information meeting hosted by the Denver Broncos at La Alma Recreation Center to discuss the Burnham Yard area plan. The event provided attendees with updates on the design principles for a proposed stadium-anchored mixed-use district, details about the project schedule, and an overview of how the development aims to honor local culture and history.
The meeting focused on gathering feedback from residents in the La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood and surrounding areas. Community members were encouraged to share their thoughts, concerns, and hopes for the project.
Cecil Courtney, one of those in attendance, said, “I think it’s always important to have community feedback and see what’s important to the people that live here. The Denver Broncos are Denver, and I think if you don’t get Denver’s input, you’re missing a step.”
Broncos President Damani Leech emphasized the organization’s commitment to listening to community voices. “There’s a lot of angst, is what we’ve heard from individuals when we’ve met with them about, ‘What is this going to be?’ And that’s understandable. It’s a large development that’s in your neighborhood. Hopefully, people came away feeling better informed, but also understanding that we’re really early in the process and there’s an opportunity to give us their feedback,” Leech said.
Leech noted that specific details about the new stadium—including its capacity—have not yet been decided. There is also no timeline for releasing renderings of the stadium at this stage. However, he made clear that plans extend beyond just building a sports venue; preserving historic elements such as the railroad turntable and locomotive shop is part of preliminary designs for a vibrant mixed-use district intended for year-round use.
“We want it to be a great place for fans on game day, but also a great place every day for this community that surrounds it — but also everybody in the city of Denver,” Leech added.
The Broncos have partnered with Sasaki, an international design firm responsible for creating the site’s master plan. Josh Brooks from Sasaki explained their approach: “We’re incredibly excited to think about a new and innovative model. This is not just a stadium, but rather an entire community. … This is a world-class place for both the everyday and big day, the fans and the community.”
Community member Ozell McKinney expressed optimism about what lies ahead: “I’m looking forward to it being a world-class type of environment. Not only for now, but in the future — and where people can enjoy it year-round.”
During Thursday’s event, residents had opportunities to speak directly with team officials and participate in surveys addressing preferences for open space within Burnham Yard as well as broader concerns about development impacts.
Neighborhood resident Jordan Freeburn said after attending: “I took away that they want to be really involved with community input… I think people in this community, myself being one of them — I live just a few blocks away — really value that.”
Leech summarized his vision by saying: “I think anecdotally, I want friends and family to come into Denver and ask where [they] should go, and everybody to say, ‘You should go to Burnham Yard.’ That’s what I want.”
