Denver Mayor Wellington Webb said renovating Mile High
Stadium "is a waste of taxpayer dollars" and called for a
new stadium to be built next to McNichols Sports Arena,
according to Alan Snel of the DENVER POST. After hearing
the remarks, Broncos stadium lobbyist Porter Wharton said
that Webb "seemingly is appreciative of the urgency that we
have to move this forward." Webb said that "while the city
studies McNichols' fate -- whether to level it or keep it as
a complement to the new Pepsi Center arena -- Denver
officials can work with the stadium board on a plan to build
a new football stadium on the McNichols parking lot at the
sports complex" (DENVER POST, 8/20).
GREEN SAYS BE LIKE ASCENT: In Denver, columnist Chuck
Green notes that the Pepsi Center will be privately funded
by Ascent Entertainment and writes that "it's natural to
wonder why [Broncos Owner Pat] Bowlen doesn't raise money
for a stadium by seeking investors in the Broncos football
team. ... When he conducts a campaign to persuade voters to
put $180 million into the project (probably next summer),
Bowlen will face a major task to explain why they should
contribute so much -- while he refuses to court private
investors. The taxpayer-friendly Pepsi Center deal just
made that job more difficult" (DENVER POST, 8/20).
