Denver just approved an $800 million deal to fund a new equestrian center and hotel at the National Western Center, and not everyone is thrilled.

The 35-year public-private agreement includes a 160-room hotel, a 4,500-seat arena with 570 horse stalls, a parking garage, workforce housing, and a 4,000-square-foot community center.

The equestrian complex is set to open in 2028.

The project will use roughly $350–$400 million of available 2C bond revenue (funds approved by voters for tourism projects like the Stock Show and Colorado Convention Center), and includes an additional $3 million annual contingency pot if the project doesn’t perform.

The plan passed with a 9-4 City Council vote, but not without resistance.

Residents of the surrounding Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods, who’ve long raised concerns about gentrification and displacement tied to the National Western Center, criticized the deal for offering weak community benefits.

The agreement includes a community building and $22 million over 35 years toward a community investment fund, but much of that depends on future donations, not guaranteed money.

Some council members pushed for a $16 million lump-sum payout to community-led projects but were voted down.

Others questioned the timing, with the city facing a $250 million budget shortfall, hiring freezes, and furloughs. Still, supporters say this development is key to unlocking additional phases of the National Western campus, particularly the 65-acre “triangle” site at its southern end.

The city selected its development team last summer and sees this as a long-term investment in Denver’s western heritage, even as concerns around equity and displacement remain unresolved.