A new Broncos stadium "could be called Mile High, would
not have a retractable roof dome, and a fourth of the cost
would be paid by team owner Pat Bowlen under a bill approved
by a House committee Monday night," according to Peggy Lowe
of the DENVER POST. As the bill now stands, Bowlen would
have to pay for 25% of the stadium, which he estimated will
cost at least $340M without a dome. Previously, Bowlen's
cost was capped at $100M. Under the present bill, the
amount of taxpayer subsidy is unchanged, at $266M. The
measure, already approved by the Senate, would extend a six-
county 0.1% sales tax, already in place for Coors Field, to
2018 (DENVER POST, 3/17). In CO Springs, Mary Boyle
reported that the committee also voted to retain the name
Mile High Stadium, "despite the fact that selling the naming
rights could save taxpayers as much as" $20M. Boyle added
that the bill still "faces more controversy on the House
floor" (GAZETTE TELEGRAPH, 3/17). In Denver, Chuck Green
writes that the House "should be proud" of the committee's
decision to require Bowlen to pay one fourth of the
construction costs, "since that is a practical way of
limiting extravagant spending." Green adds that the total
project "is likely to cost in excess of" $500M "and probably
more than" $600M (Chuck Green, DENVER POST, 3/18).
