by Conference Planners
The City of Denver has added a new mobile workshop to its 2010 Congress of Cities & Exposition offerings. Entitled "Smaller Cities Development of Sport, Event and Community Venues," the mobile workshop will explore the successful efforts of Commerce City, Colo., and Glendale, Colo., to develop sports and event venues that attract growth and development.
Mobile workshops will be available from December 1 through December 3 during the heart of the conference, which will be held November 30 to December 4.
During the smaller cities mobile workshop, participants will tour two Denver Metro communities that have developed sports and event venues to provide their areas with activity centers and future growth and potential development opportunities.
Commerce City
The Prairie Gateway Project is considered one of the most innovative public-private partnerships in the nation. In 2004, Commerce City purchased 917 acres of the former Rocky Mountain Arsenal from the federal government for redevelopment. Commerce City then entered a public-private partnership with Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) to develop a soccer specific stadium. City staff began working on concepts and proposed the 917-acre Western Tier property to KSE as an ideal location for the Colorado Rapids home.
The proximity to Denver, ease of access from the metro Denver area and opportunities for retail-, office- and sports-related development resulted in the Prairie Gateway Project, with Dicks Sporting Goods Park and the Commerce City Civic Center opening in spring of 2006.
The project, located adjacent to a 27-square mile urban wildlife refuge, includes the 18,000 seat professional soccer stadium, a 24-field athletic complex and facilities for concerts and other events. The venue creates a park-like, community-friendly atmosphere. Potential development opportunities include more than a million square feet of retail, commercial and office space. Additionally, the Prairie Gateway is home to the Commerce City Civic Center, which houses the city manager and community development offices, the Commerce City Police Department and Adams City High School.
Glendale
With a population of only 4,800 and boasting only three single-family homes, the City of Glendale’s 366 acres is surrounded by the City of Denver. But in 2005, the city set out to revolutionize and revitalize its community through the development of the first rugby-specific sports complex in the U.S. — Infinity Park.
Opened in September 2007, Infinity Park Stadium is home to the Glendale Raptors Rugby Football program, including Division I and II men’s and women’s teams, high school boy’s and girl’s teams and youth rugby for ages 5-15. It hosts both national and international rugby competitions, and teams from England, Ireland, France, Russia, Uruguay, Argentina and Canada have competed there in the Churchill Cup, which is all part of the re-branding of Glendale as Rugbytown, USA.
In addition to the stadium, Infinity Park includes a 21,000-square foot, state-of-the-art event center, a 35,000-square foot recreation center, a new 8-acre park with a second rugby pitch and the High Altitude Training Center.
Funded through a combination of certificates of participation, revenue bonds, grants, and open space and lodging taxes, the development of Infinity Park has spurred the city’s economy and brought new national hotel, restaurant and retail chains into the area.
Details: Register for the Congress of Cities by September 30 and save $100 off registration. Mobile workshops are included in the price of regular conference admission. Register at www.nlccongressofcities.org.
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Will we ever see Development @ the Prairie Gateway site in Commerce City, CO??? It has been years since the Commerce City Civic Center and Rapids stadium have been built and still no economic development. I guess patience is really a virtue.
