Denver Councilwoman Raises Concerns Over Taxpayer Funding For Soccer Stadium

By Daniel Boniface | The Denver Gazette

A proposed Denver stadium for professional women’s soccer could be in jeopardy of receiving public funding following the city’s budget troubles and layoffs.

City Councilmember Flor Alvidrez, who represents District 7 where the Denver Summit FC stadium would be built, walked back her support for the project in an interview Monday on the popular podcast, City Cast Denver, saying she was undecided on whether she’ll vote to approve a $70 million subsidy.

Paul Karolyi, the show’s senior producer, pointed out that Alvidrez was wearing a t-shirt promoting Denver’s National Women’s Soccer League team when the city council voted 11-1 to move forward with the framework for a public-private partnership around the proposed stadium.

“It seemed like you were fully all-in at that point,” Karolyi said.

“That was before layoffs,” Alvidrez said. “That was before other things. And so, you know, I will decide as the time comes and when things happen.”

The city of Denver last month laid off 169 people, eliminated 666 vacant positions and transferred another 92 employees in an attempt to plug a $250 million budget hole.

The budget moves appear to have changed the tenor of conversations around $70 million in public funding for the Denver Summit FC stadium at the former Gates Rubber Factory site at I-25 and Broadway.

Alvidrez said she is “not excited” about the $70 million subsidy, which would be used to purchase the land where the stadium would be built and fund infrastructure around the project. However, Alvidrez said she is excited about the prospect of having Denver Summit FC in her home district, but that wasn’t what excited her most about the project.

“I am excited about potentially being able to access the light rail station from Athmar Park, from Ruby Hill, because right now, if you’re going to get over there, it’s very difficult,” Alvidrez said.

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