Who’s Paying for the NWSL Stadium? Plus, RIP to a Local Legend and More 16th St. Mall Ideas!

There is less than one week until City Council votes on a $70 million plan to support the proposed NWSL stadium at the site of the old Gates Rubber Factory, and the debate is finally heating up! After we shared CU Denver professor Geoff Propheter’s critical take on the podcast last week, we heard from the owners, the mayor’s office, city council members, and both supporters and detractors of the project. So producer Paul Karolyi dug into the details, and he’s on with host Bree Davies to share more info you need to know before the vote. Plus, we discuss a couple of recent highs and lows from the local music world and hear some of your ideas to revamp the 16th St. Mall. 

We also have one further clarification on the specific source of the proposed $70 million expenditure. A spokesperson for the Dept. of Finance told us that, “Because the interest earnings on the 2017 Elevate Denver Bond can offset $60 million of the total $70 million cost of the Santa Fe Yards project, only approximately $10 million would come out of the city’s capital improvement fund. This $10 million would be split over 2026 and 2027, so about $4-6 million each year.”

What do you think about the proposal to spend $70 million on the NWSL stadium development project? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

Also, we have been thinking a lot lately about the possibility of a recession, and we want your help! Do you have any Denver hacks or tricks for squeezing the most out of every dollar? Help us make a Denver recession survival guide with a voicemail or a text: 720-500-5418

Bree mentioned DéCollage, whose new album you can stream/buy now and who you can see live at UMS this summer! She also talked about the passing of singer-songwriter Jill Sobule — Emily Ferguson at Westword wrote a nice tribute to the former Denverite. Paul shared NWSL co-owner Rob Cohen’s quote from this Denverite article about the stadium proposal, discussed Councilmember Sarah Parady’s line of questioning in this council meeting last week, and alluded to the fact that Denver voters already approved a $975 million bond to, among other things, install air conditioning at the 29 DPS schools without it.

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