DENVER — The newest addition to Denver's historic Lower Downtown neighborhood officially opens Friday.
McGregor Square held its grand opening celebration on Friday, June 11 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The program and ribbon-cutting began at 5:30 p.m.
The new complex, located across the street from the Coors Field ballpark, includes a new hotel, luxury condos, office space, a Tattered Cover bookstore, bars and restaurants.
Colorado Rockies owner, chairman and CEO Dick Monfort was joined by former Rockies Manager Clint Hurdle and Lori McGregor at Friday's opening ceremony. McGregor Square is named after the Rockies' late president, Keli McGregor, who passed away in April of 2010.
Friday's grand opening had live music by Raising Cain, drinks available for purchase throughout the plaza and tonight's Rockies game in Cincinnati will be broadcast on the plaza's video board.
McGregor Square stores Carmines, Starbucks, Tattered Cover and Tom’s Watch Bar will also all be open Friday.
McGregor Square in Denver
The area used to be the west parking lot of Coors Field before construction crews broke ground about three years ago.
The new high-rise complex spans a city block. The building's bricks are designed to blend in with the old neighborhood, but the architecture has a new modern look, including a top floor bridge between two connecting towers.
A space in the new Rally Hotel will become the home for the Rockies Hall of Fame.
The large plaza will have green space seating and an outdoor big screen. The lower level will be outfitted with sports bars, a coffee shop and other retailers.
"The biggest thing we probably have is a 30 thousand foot plaza that we think we can activate throughout the entire year with ice skating rinks in the winter, movie nights in the summers," said Patrick Walsh, general manager of the project.
He adds that the development will be able to provide hundreds of jobs.
"I know we have a lot of jobs that we would love to fill right now," Walsh said. "...we will be employing hundreds of people at this development. I know Tom's has hired over one hundred and forty, and that's just one of our restaurants. So this is a big, big driver."
The developer said the idea behind the project was to enhance the Lower Downtown neighborhood without taking anything away from its history.
"LoDo is such a great dynamic area. And we wanted it to be a part of it, not something that we dropped it in," said Walsh.
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