Many businesses along South Broadway are hoping the plans for a soccer stadium for Denver Summit FC don’t get derailed.
The project involves building a National Women’s Soccer League stadium in the Santa Fe Yards, near Interstate 25 and South Broadway.
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Last week, Denver City Council stalled on a vote to buy the site, but Mayor Mike Johnston says he is doing everything he can to keep the stadium from being built in a different city.
Blue Bonnet general manager hoping for “boost of development and excitement”
Many business owners in that part of Denver see a professional women’s soccer stadium as an economic opportunity. If the deal were to fall apart, operators of the restaurant Blue Bonnet are among those who believe it would have a major impact.
“This year, our motto has been ‘Survive ’25,'” said Chris Strowmatt, the general manager at Blue Bonnet, which has been a Mexican food staple along South Broadway for 57 years. The restaurant sits right near the proposed stadium site.
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When Strowmatt first heard about the possibility of building the soccer stadium nearby, she said she was elated.
“This was a huge boost to us, knowing that something so important to the city was going to be so close to us and so important to this whole South Broadway area,” said Strowmatt.
Strowmatt says there’s been a lack of development and business since the pandemic, but building a stadium nearby, she believes, would spur growth.
“All of the vacancies around us, we’ve seen our sales drop about 20 to 25% over the last few years. We just need a boost of development and excitement into this area,” said Strowmatt. “It’s not just a soccer stadium. It’s a place for live concerts. It’s a place for families to go. It’ll have a great playground. It really will bring a lot of people to this area.”
Denver mayor 100% committed to stadium project
Johnston shared his thoughts at a community event on Wednesday.
“Over my dead body am I going to let the Summit stadium leave Denver. We want that site to be here,” said Johnston.
Council members say they want to be good stewards of up to $70 million in taxpayer dollars, but lingering questions remain over that costs, timelines and community impact.
“I’m very confident we’re going to work with the city council to get the questions they have answered, and we’ll move the stadium forward, but we are 100% committed in making sure that stays,” said the mayor.
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Johnston added the stadium also has easy access to public transportation and will activate other corridors in the city.
“Where we want more foot traffic to support these great small businesses, small art galleries that have been around for 10, 20, 30, 40 years,” said Johnston.
Strowmatt said her message to city leaders is, “get it done, please get it done, not just for us, but for everybody in this area. It would not just help us, but it would help all the small businesses on South Broadway.”
Denver Summit FC grateful for outpouring of support
After saying last week it was looking at alternatives outside the city for their stadium, a statement from the soccer club said it’s continuing to work with the mayor and city council, adding it was grateful for the outpouring of support from the community.
The full statement reads: “Denver Summit FC continues to work in good faith with the community, City of Denver, the Mayor’s Office and the City Council to get this stadium deal done in Denver. Denver Summit FC is grateful for the outpouring of support that we have received from everyone throughout Denver, the Front Range and across all of Colorado.”