Denver, CO – The City and County of Denver Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center (NWCO) has selected the CH2M as its program manager for the National Western Center (NWC) campus development. The program represents a visionary transformation of the site into a year-round destination and regional asset, transforming these current Denver landmarks for the next 100 years.
With 250-acres of redeveloped land, the NWC will support Denver’s global standing as a world-class hub for agriculture and innovation while bolstering a variety of opportunities through the involvement of its founding partners including City and County of Denver, Western Stock Show Association, Colorado State University (CSU), the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and History Colorado. The partner group now includes Denver Water. In addition, a Citizens Advisory Committee made up of residents, business owners, and other stakeholders from the surrounding Globeville, Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods is also an integral part of the program.
“The National Western Center Program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in our community and create both a local and global destination for next generation agribusiness, education and entertainment,” says CH2M Chair and CEO Jacqueline Hinman. “The CH2M team, including our partner firms, believes in the importance of preserving Denver’s western heritage while embracing the wide-reaching potential embedded in this redevelopment. We are committed to the vision of creating an asset that will become a lasting economic and educational driver for the region,” adds Hinman.
As program manager, CH2M will deliver the ambitious goals set by the NWC Master Plan including full rehabilitation of the site and creating a new series of green and healthy spaces that will help to launch a new era for the National Western complex, Denver Coliseum and the adjoining neighborhoods. The Plan also advances the City’s intent to secure and grow the National Western Stock Show for the next century as the state’s largest agriculture convention.
“The National Western Center will serve as a catalyst for the new west and a new way of thinking. It will set a fresh and higher standard that focuses on the stewardship of our land and investment in our agricultural resources and businesses that help feed the world. It will tell the story of our frontier spirit through strong partnerships, a celebration of our western heritage and pioneering opportunities for the future,” says Kelly Leid, Executive Director NWCO.
The NWC Master Plan sets the stage for developing a Colorado asset dedicated to addressing the global challenges of food, water, energy and the environment, representing partnerships between the public and private sectors, and blurring the line between entertainment, competition, education and industry. The NWC will be a hotbed for applying best practices for immediate benefit to the community and society, and simultaneously creating an exciting life-long educational center impacting the preschool through college population, as well as lifelong learners throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region – all while delivering outcomes that can be broadly applied and scaled to address similar challenges globally. The intent is for the NWC to become an international model for a synergistic educational, business, entertainment, and research and development community, adapted to the evolving definitions for these sectors.
“Ultimately, the NWC Program is about more than buildings and infrastructure. It is about building beneficial partnerships and enriching our local community. As a hometown company, CH2M is honored to join with the City and County of Denver and all the NWC partners on this ambitious program,” says CH2M Program Director Patrick O’Keefe.
Image courtesy of CH2M