South Platte River Committee Meeting on Soccer Stadium Funding and Community Benefits Agreement - December 10, 2025

The South Platte River Committee of Denver City Council met on December 10, 2025, to consider four action items related to the proposed soccer stadium at Santa Fe Yards for the Denver Summit FC women's professional soccer team. The meeting included updates on community engagement, a breakdown of the city's $50 million investment, and discussion of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) that is still being finalized. Councilmembers expressed concerns about the rushed timeline and the lack of a finalized CBA document, while community representatives spoke in support of the project after extensive volunteer negotiations. The committee voted to send all four items to the full council for consideration on December 15, 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Anita Van Wells (President, Athmar Park Neighborhood Association, co-chair of West East Neighbors United) presented a prepared statement thanking volunteers and the Denver Summit team, confirming that a CBA has been reached in principle but legal drafting is ongoing. She urged the city to better support communities in such negotiations, noting the hundreds of volunteer hours contributed.
• Adriana Lopez (President, Valverde Neighborhood Association, co-chair) reaffirmed Valverde's commitment to equity and acknowledged the short timeline but expressed confidence in the tentative agreement.
• Tim Lopez (Baker neighborhood, co-chair) described personal sacrifices made by community volunteers (e.g., family emergencies, surgeries) and his 25-year involvement with the Gates site. He emphasized that negotiations were conducted in good faith and requested continued fiscal soundness from the city.

Discussion Items

• Project Overview and Community Engagement: Dan Barrett (CAA Icon) and Jen Millet (Denver Summit FC President) presented the project, highlighting that the site (former Gates rubber factory, dormant since 1991) is ready for development after multiple failed attempts. Millet reported that the club is on pace to break records for professional women's sports in the market, with season ticket deposits and nearly 30,000 tickets sold for the inaugural match at Empower Field in March 2026. She stated that a CBA was reached with West East Neighbors United after 28 meetings and over 100 volunteer hours, covering sustainability, social equity, history/art/culture, transportation, and business/labor. The finalized agreement is expected before December 15.
• City Financial Commitment: Jeff Dolan (Chief Strategy Officer, Mayor's Office) detailed the $50 million city investment, capped at that amount, for on-site work including land acquisition ($35 million) and site improvements ($15 million). The breakdown includes earthwork/excavation ($7.125 million), erosion control, utilities, ADA work, and safety controls. Dolan noted that the team is responsible for any cost overruns. Councilwoman Sandoval questioned the shift from earlier estimates of $45-$46 million for land alone, and raised concerns about the impact on other capital improvement projects. Laura Walker (Director of Capital Planning, Finance Department) explained that the $50 million comes from shifting Elevate Denver bond projects to interest earnings, and confirmed that no project schedules or scopes would be affected (e.g., Swansea Rec Center would proceed as planned).
• North Bridge: Dolan confirmed the city will build a pedestrian bridge from the I-25/Broadway RTD station to the west side of the tracks, estimated at $25 million. The city will pursue state and federal grants, regional mill levy funds (projected $14 million through 2046), and other sources. There is no timetable in the IGA; the city will build when funds are available.
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Waterfall: Tracy Huggins (Denver Urban Renewal Authority) explained the flow of tax increment from the site, including payments to DPS, bondholders, and a 90/10 split after developer advances are repaid. Projections were provided to Councilwoman Alvidrez.
• Economic Impact: Projections show $82 million per year in direct, indirect, and induced spending, 1,100 jobs, and $2 billion in economic activity over 30 years, based on comparison to Kansas City's purpose-built stadium. The study by city economist Lisa Martinez Templeton was updated and confirmed.
• Council Concerns: Several council members (Sandoval, Cashman, Gonzalez Gutierrez) expressed frustration about the rushed timeline and the absence of a CBA document before the committee vote. Council President Sandoval noted that she felt personally threatened when the possibility of relocating the team was raised after she asked detailed questions. Councilman Flynn and others did not view the relocation talk as a threat but as a business reality. Councilwoman Watson insisted that no vote should occur on Monday without the CBA provided by Friday (December 12).

Key Outcomes

• The committee voted unanimously (with Councilwoman Haredy stating she would be a "no" on the floor but supports sending to the floor) to approve a motion to send all four action items to the full council for first reading on December 15, 2025. The four items are: (1) approval of the stadium property agreement, (2) intergovernmental agreement with the Broadway Station Metropolitan District, (3) appropriation of $50 million from capital improvement funds, and (4) amendment to the 2025 intergovernmental agreement.
• The committee held an executive session (pursuant to DRNC 2-34A) for legal advice on threatened litigation prior to the vote.
• Council members requested that the finalized CBA be provided by Friday, December 12, to allow adequate review before the December 15 council meeting.