Denver Water’s headquarters at 1600 W. 12th Ave. in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on June 14, 2025. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
The Denver Broncos’ reimbursement deal with Denver Water now has a framework, although the price tag is still unclear.
Earlier this month, the NFL team and the public utility inked a contract that specifies how the former will reimburse the latter for relocating certain operations to free up land for a new stadium.
The funding agreement, approved by Denver Water’s board Dec. 10, says that, every month, the utility will give the team invoices and supporting documentation for work that has been performed.
The Broncos, in turn, have 15 days from receipt to request additional information or dispute a charge, according to the agreement, which was obtained by BusinessDen in a public records request. The team must pay undisputed invoices within 30 days.
In the cases of property purchases, the team is to put aside money ahead of the purchases.
Denver Water’s headquarters and central operations complex are located on 35 acres next to Burnham Yard, a shuttered railyard owned by the state where the Broncos want to build the stadium. The utility has agreed to relocate operations from 25 of those acres so that they can be used by the Broncos, who have agreed to pay for all relocation costs.
In early September, Denver Water said it would determine how much the relocation will cost “over the next few months.” Travis Thompson, a spokesman for the utility, said last week that it had yet to determine that figure.
Denver Water has not said whether the Broncos will pay for the utility’s land or whether the team is being given it in exchange for paying to relocate the operations. Thompson indicated last week that has not been determined.
The largest share of relocated Denver Water operations are poised to go to Elyria-Swansea, where the utility has identified about a 20-acre site and submitted development plans. It purchased a portion of that site for $39.5 million in November, and is under contract to pay $13.5 million for the remainder next year.
Denver Water also paid $2 million last month for a half-acre site north of its headquarters building.
Thompson said the Broncos have paid for those purchases.
Denver Water’s headquarters at 1600 W. 12th Ave. in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on June 14, 2025. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
The Denver Broncos’ reimbursement deal with Denver Water now has a framework, although the price tag is still unclear.
Earlier this month, the NFL team and the public utility inked a contract that specifies how the former will reimburse the latter for relocating certain operations to free up land for a new stadium.
The funding agreement, approved by Denver Water’s board Dec. 10, says that, every month, the utility will give the team invoices and supporting documentation for work that has been performed.
The Broncos, in turn, have 15 days from receipt to request additional information or dispute a charge, according to the agreement, which was obtained by BusinessDen in a public records request. The team must pay undisputed invoices within 30 days.
In the cases of property purchases, the team is to put aside money ahead of the purchases.
Denver Water’s headquarters and central operations complex are located on 35 acres next to Burnham Yard, a shuttered railyard owned by the state where the Broncos want to build the stadium. The utility has agreed to relocate operations from 25 of those acres so that they can be used by the Broncos, who have agreed to pay for all relocation costs.
In early September, Denver Water said it would determine how much the relocation will cost “over the next few months.” Travis Thompson, a spokesman for the utility, said last week that it had yet to determine that figure.
Denver Water has not said whether the Broncos will pay for the utility’s land or whether the team is being given it in exchange for paying to relocate the operations. Thompson indicated last week that has not been determined.
The largest share of relocated Denver Water operations are poised to go to Elyria-Swansea, where the utility has identified about a 20-acre site and submitted development plans. It purchased a portion of that site for $39.5 million in November, and is under contract to pay $13.5 million for the remainder next year.
Denver Water also paid $2 million last month for a half-acre site north of its headquarters building.
Thompson said the Broncos have paid for those purchases.
