The Denver Broncos are steadily piecing together the land needed for a new stadium at Burnham Yard, with fresh deals landing just weeks apart this summer. The push comes as the team works to lock down its future home well before the current lease at Empower Field runs out in 2031, a timeline that has drawn far more public attention than something like Colorado sports betting revenue reports typically do. Here is where the project stands and what comes next.
Why the Broncos Wanted a New Stadium
The Broncos began exploring a new stadium site after determining that Empower Field, opened in 2001, would need major renovations to stay competitive with the wave of new NFL venues built over the past decade. Rather than retrofit the existing site, the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group set its sights on Burnham Yard, a historic 150-acre former railyard south of downtown Denver. The plan called for a privately financed, retractable-roof stadium anchoring a much larger mixed-use district with housing, retail, and public space, funded without new taxes on residents.
The May Agreement With CDOT
In May, the Broncos finalized a formal agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation to purchase the core Burnham Yard property for $45.8 million, with closing expected in the fall. That deal marked the first major step toward assembling the full site and came alongside a related agreement to relocate Denver Water facilities that currently sit on part of the land. Around the same time, a coalition called Burnham Yard Community Action formed, made up of sixteen neighborhood organizations tasked with negotiating a legally binding community benefits agreement, something no other NFL team has signed with local community groups before.
August's Developments and What They Mean
Momentum picked up again in August. Early in the month, the Broncos closed on roughly ten additional acres from SRM Concrete, filling in another piece of the larger footprint they need for the project. Days later, the team released updated master plan renderings showing a central commercial strip and the possibility of converting old rail tracks into a walking-and-running path, a nod to the site's history. At a community meeting on August 12, team president Damani Leech said construction could begin as early as spring 2027, with the stadium initially opening alongside surface parking lots similar to those at Empower Field today, before denser development fills in over later phases.
What's Next and How It Compares
If the timeline holds, the new stadium would open in time for the 2031 season, replacing Empower Field, which is roughly a mile away near the South Platte River. The two sites are close enough that fans will notice familiar landmarks, but the new stadium is designed as the centerpiece of an entirely new neighborhood rather than a standalone venue surrounded by parking. A project of this size is expected to ripple through the local economy well beyond game days, from new housing and retail to the continued growth of Colorado sports betting apps, as fans look for new ways to engage with Broncos games. Community negotiations, city approvals, and financing details still need to be finalized, but for now, Burnham Yard remains on track as the Broncos' preferred path forward.
