https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9HdQqBOMcs
A tweet from Adrian Dater about a potential new arena for the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche sparked a bit of interest on social media this week.
Rumor is that Kroenke may want to build new arena for Avs and Nuggets in Commerce City area near Dick’s. Not imminent probably but at some point
— Adrian Dater (@adater) April 13, 2021
The fellas from the Denver Sports Betting Show dived into the proposal on the show this week. Check the full segment above or click here to watch. Catch the Denver Sports Betting show Monday-Friday from 3-4p on Mile High Sports radio 98.1 FM or stream live online right here on MileHighSports.com.
The Colorado Rapids currently play out in Commerce City at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. DSGP is regarded as one of the nicer complexes in Major League Soccer, and there is plenty of room to expand and develop in the surrounding area.
Ball Arena, formerly known as the Pepsi Center, has played host to the Avs and Nuggets since 1999. The arena has gone through several minor renovations over the years, the most recent being last year from the transition to Ball Arena from Pepsi Center.
Still, the arena is about as generic as they come. Nothing makes the arena stand out amongst the competition and it is probably the least exciting place to watch a professional sports game in town.
The Monfort family has done an excellent job of developing a pristine ballpark right in the heart of downtown. Coors Field is considered a cathedral for baseball fans, and despite being the third oldest ballpark in the National League, it still looks and feels like a new-age park.
Empower Field is alright, but there is plenty of space to tailgate and welcome Denver Broncos fans in droves. Additionally, there are only eight regular-season home games, so the extra features of a football stadium aren’t as important compared to an arena hosting games on a nightly basis during basketball and hockey season.
The location of Ball Arena leaves something to be desired. Located right off Speer Boulevard, the Arena is nestled between Elitch Gardens Theme Park, the Auraria Campus and I-25. There is only one real bar within walking distance, and trying to get to the heart of downtown requires some navigation.
It should be noted that the Kroenke family owns the land that the theme park currently sits on, and there have been rumors about moving the attractions out east for further expansion.
Nonetheless, Ball Arena needs a complete overhaul to bring it into the modern era of arenas. There’s some room to expand and redevelop at the current location, but the prospect of breaking ground on a new arena out in Commerce City is enticing.
The Northfield/Commerce City area is on the come up and one of the few places within spitting distance of downtown where there is considerable land to develop. Stan Kroenke has already bet big on stadiums with his $5 billion crown jewel in Los Angeles for the Rams. Perhaps Denver is next on the agenda. The Avs and Nuggets are both competitive and should remain competitive for the foreseeable future, which could play a role in the decision.
Kroenke is a real-estate guy, and he could very well eye the Commerce City area as his next playground as there is plenty of space out there to build a new metropolis anchored by three professional sports teams.
All I know is Phish tickets will probably go up if this happens.