Kroenke, neighborhood groups reach historic agreement ahead of Ball Arena redevelopment hearing
KDVR Fox 31
DENVER (KDVR) — A historic agreement has been reached that could help clear the way for a brand new skyline in part of downtown Denver.
The owner of Ball Arena has signed an agreement with a committee made up of more than a dozen neighborhood and community groups that would be impacted by plans to transform the parking lots around the arena into a bustling 70-acre neighborhood filled with parks, new high-rise housing, office and retail space and thousands of residents.
“The words community and development, they don't have to be opposite each other. And I think this process has shown that we can, as a community, work with the developer,” said Sue Powers, co-chair of the Ball Arena Community Benefits Agreement Committee (BACBAC), at a news conference announcing the agreement Wednesday afternoon.
Among those involved in the 15-month-long negotiations leading up to the agreement were the CU Denver Community Collaborative Research Center, Denver American Indian Commission, Denver Housing Authority, Denver Streets Partnership, Downtown Denver Partnership and the Sun Valley Community Coalition, along with a handful of other organizations with a vested interest in the outcome of the project, and its impacts on the surrounding area.
As part of the deal, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment vows to offer 18% of all new housing units in the project as affordable housing, and sign at least 20% of all contracts in the project to small, minority- or women-owned businesses. Additionally, they’ve designed more than $3 million in programs, internships and scholarships for local, displaced and indigenous youth.
“We ended up with an agreement that I think we're proud of as a community and that KSC is proud of as well,” Powers said.
The group worked closely with Kroenke officials. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment owns Ball Arena, as well as the marquis teams that play under its roof: The Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche.
“It's hard to snap your fingers and say we're going to build a community there. And I think community building, for us, it starts with listening to the community,” said Matt Mahoney, Kroenke’s senior vice president.
The agreement comes ahead of next Monday’s Denver City Council meeting when council members have scheduled a hearing on Kroenke’s rezoning application for the project.