DENVER — A new era in Denver agricultural history has begun with the next phase of construction at the new National Western Center in Denver.
The National Western Stock Show held groundbreaking ceremony Friday for its Legacy Building and Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center.
The 350,000-square-foot Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center will be home to the National Western Stock Show as well as community events, concerts, exhibitions, sporting events, trade shows and banquets.
Construction on the Livestock Center is expected to begin in February 2023, following the Stock Show, and could be completed in time for the show in January 2025.
The Livestock Center will have a 160,000-square-foot multi-use arena that will host year-round events like sporting events, conventions and lectures. It will also contain a 200,000-square-foot expo hall for indoor festivals, sporting events, conventions and farmers’ markets.
Also included will be a 20,000-square-foot auction hall space that will focus on smaller gatherings like livestock auctions, lectures, performances, movies, educational displays and competitions.
The Livestock Center will connect to the adjacent Legacy Building, the new headquarters of the National Western Stock Show.
"This marks an incredible milestone for both Denver and the National Western Center campus," Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said. "The city is proud to be spearheading construction efforts around this amazing new space and we’re thrilled to see the campus coming to life as a year-round destination for education, entertainment and business innovation."
"The new Livestock Center is an important achievement in the evolution of the National Western Center campus, creating a significant, flexible space drawing a wide spectrum of events and visitors every day of the year," Brad Buchanan, CEO of the National Western Center Authority said.
"We’re thrilled to support the effort in building the forever home of that National Western Stock Show within the year-round National Western Center campus focused on food, entertainment, agriculture and community."
Construction of the National Western Center started in 2018.
The $100-million urban renewal project is transforming the grounds of the National Western Stock Show into a year-round destination shared by Colorado State University and the City of Denver.
The 117th annual National Western Stock Show, a nationally recognized Western heritage and entertainment event with one of the world’s richest regular season professional rodeos, began Jan. 7 and continues through Sunday, Jan. 22.
The National Western Stock Show also has one of the country’s largest horse shows and Colorado’s largest agricultural trade show.
9NEWS is a corporate partner of the National Western Stock Show.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: National Western Stock Show
9NEWS+
9NEWS+ has multiple live daily shows including 9NEWS Mornings, Next with Kyle Clark and 9NEWS+ Daily, an original streaming program. 9NEWS+ is where you can watch live breaking news, weather updates, and press conferences. You can also replay recent newscasts and find videos on demand of our top stories, local politics, investigations and Colorado specific features.
To download 9NEWS+ on Roku search for KUSA.
To download 9NEWS+ on Fire TV search for 9NEWS.
