land secured for big western stock show expansion in denver

The next step in the massive expansion of the National Western Center in Denver has been taken with a city council vote approving the acquisition of land needed for the project.

Hosting the popular National Western Stock Show, which every January attracts up to 650,000 people for more than two weeks and features rodeos and a variety of trades shows, the Western Stock Show Association announced last year plans to undertake what has become a $765 million project that includes replacing the center’s aging arena facility.

The project, to be done in two phases, will also see the construction of new offices, a medical center for horses, and a series of public plazas.

The land acquired for the project includes 38 individual prices of property running off of Brighton Boulevard between 47th Street and Race Court in north Denver.

Most of the those properties, in an area of town dotted with one and two-story commercial and industrial buildings, were purchased by the City of Denver. A handful have gone through the process of eminent domain.

Plans currently call for work on the redevelopment to begin in the fall of 2019.

By Garry Boulard