$6 billion wish list, $800 million budget: Denver’s bond scramble is heating up
By Paolo Zialcita | Denverite
Everyone wants a piece of the Vibrant Denver Bond pie.
Denver has a rare opportunity to fund $800 million of capital projects in one fell swoop later this year — and everyone is clamoring for a piece of the pie.
If voters approve the measure this November the city will take out debt for a wide range of capital projects. But while $800 million may sound like a lot, it isn’t nearly enough to pay for everything city officials and residents want to build.
More than 220 projects appeared on an initial list the city is considering. Building all those projects would cost $6 billion, far more than what the city can afford. And whittling down the list hasn’t been easy.
The city’s cultural institutions — like the Boettcher Con...