DENVER — The construction of Denver's National Western Center celebrated two milestones Thursday.
The City of Denver opened more than 6 acres of open space along the South Platte River at the National Western Center campus.
Also on Thursday, CSU Spur opened the final components of its CSU Spur campus, including the CSU Spur Hydro Backyard and the Denver Water laboratory inside CSU Spur.
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 (CSU) and the City of Denver.
Once complete, the National Western Center will be a year-round global destination for agriculture and food innovation, western heritage and culture.
“For generations, the riverfront here was inaccessible to the community, and one of our priorities with the National Western Center was to correct that,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said. “The city’s project team moved mountains – of pipes and railroad – to improve the riverfront to make it what it is today, a safe and family-friendly destination for visitors and community members to enjoy as their own.”
As part of the 250-acre redevelopment, the segment of land along the South Platte riverfront was restored and enhanced for public access, open space, flood protection, wildlife habitat and educational and research opportunities.
The outdoor areas at the National Western Center and CSU Spur will be gathering places for the community with an open-air amphitheater, public art installations and environmental education opportunities.
South Platte River open space
The City of Denver relocated and removed more than 14,000 linear feet of freight rail away from the river, including at-grade, unmarked rail crossings.
Crews have also buried 1,800 feet of seven-foot tall double wastewater pipes that once ran above-ground along the river. The riverfront also has new trails, pathways, lighting, picnic areas, public art, gathering spaces, water-efficient landscaping, and a connection to the South Platte River Greenway Trail.
For the first time, the riverfront area will connect to the neighborhood and nearby parks, via a new river bridge at 51st Avenue and the regional trail system.
“By creating a new riverfront open space that connects people to the natural environment and encourages activity and play, the National Western Center will become an anchor point that strengthens connections between Globeville and Elyria-Swansea and will create a much-needed recreational amenity for North Denver residents,” CEO of the National Western Center Authority, Brad Buchanan said.
“CSU Spur is focused on research, education, and public engagement with global issues of food, health, and water. The Backyard and Denver Water’s laboratory are some of the final assets to open as part of the CSU Spur campus at the National Western Center, and they’ll continue to offer meaningful ways for the public to connect with the campus and these topics that are so important to us all,” said CSU System Chancellor Tony Frank.
In January, the National Western Stock Show held groundbreaking ceremony 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 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.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: National Western Stock Show
MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS
Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER
Download the 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
ADD THE 9NEWS+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.