To support the development of future iterations of the RFP for the Triangle Project at the National Western Center (NWC), the City and County of Denver’s Performance Based Infrastructure Office (PBI) is launching the first in a series of community meetings on January 25, 2020 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Swansea Recreation Center. The draft RFP lays the foundation for building a final RFP and will go through as many as four rounds of drafts before the final version is reissued in Fall 2020.
The Office of Performance Based Infrastructure is procuring the National Western Center “Triangle” Project as a hybrid design, build, finance, operate, maintain public-private partnership. The project is expected to consist of: the design, construction, and financing of a new approximately 10,000 seat arena, expo hall, rehabilitation of the historic 1909 Building and other public infrastructure; long term operations, event programming, and maintenance of the public facilities; and fully-integrates market real estate development on the remainder of the Triangle with the City of Denver and the NWC Authority.
The National Western Center Master Plan outlines eight phases for the completion of the campus. The City of Denver is looking for a development partner to build out the remaining phases of the campus to design, build, finance, operate and maintain public facilities, including:
- restoration of the 1909 Stadium Arena,
- construction of an exposition hall,
- construction of a new, mid-size arena for the National Western Stock Show rodeos, concerts and other year-round entertainment events, and
- environmental clean-up of parts of the site and construction of infrastructure to support and connect the campus to surrounding neighborhoods.
In addition to the technical elements of the project, the draft RFP includes community equity requirements (schedule 20 of the draft RFP) for:
- prevailing and livable wage obligations,
- diversity and inclusion requirements,
- workforce requirements,
- entrepreneurial advancement through Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) in the design, construction and operational stages,
- public art requirements, and
- requirements that 20 percent of any residential development included be affordable housing with a variety of unit sizes both for sale and for rent, available to a mix of income levels.
The Triangle Project will advance the vision and mission of the National Western Center and contribute to its long-term success, while helping to activate the campus with a mix of uses to further serve local neighborhoods and create jobs. The RFP will be scored on a best value basis with technical, financial and community equity requirements.
To read and comment on the draft RFP, and learn more about the Triangle at National Western Center, visit the PBI website.
