West East Neighbors United Negotiates Community Benefits Agreement with National Women’s Soccer League Team

Denver, CO — West East Neighbors United is pleased to announce that it is currently negotiating a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) in good faith with the National Women’s Soccer League’s Denver Summit FC Team. 

These negotiations, which began in late September, are vital for ensuring community voices and priorities are acknowledged, particularly as the new soccer stadium, planned for the former Gates factory site, represents a once-in-a-generation development that surrounding neighborhoods have not seen in decades. Compared to other CBA negotiations, the timeline for this CBA is notably short with a desired deadline of December 15. 

Since June, community volunteers have swiftly formed a steering committee of 15 organizations and subcommittees comprising nearly 64 leaders from neighborhoods located on both the west and east sides of the stadium, along with registered neighborhood organizations and nonprofits. This collaborative effort bridges the historical divide created by the I-25 highway along the South Platte River, which is central to the steering committee’s mission and name, West East Neighbors United. The committee is dedicated to ensuring that residents and businesses benefit from the stadium development through CBA negotiations.

The steering committee includes representatives from neighborhoods that connect to the site, including Valverde, Athmar Park, Ruby Hill, West Wash Park, Baker, Lincoln Broadway Corridor, Platt Park, and Overland Park, alongside Denver INC, FaithBridge, Asian Girls Unite, River Sisters, The Park People, South Broadway Merchants Association, and other community organizations.

Some neighborhoods represented on the steering committee, including Valverde, Athmar Park, and Ruby Hill, have been identified by the city as Neighborhood & Equity Stabilization (NEST) areas, and / or redlined neighborhoods. Launched in 2018, the city’s NEST initiative aims to preserve the culture and character of these neighborhoods amid significant change linked to gentrification and displacement, providing long-term residents and businesses with opportunities to remain in place. 

West East Neighbors United’s goal is to establish a binding CBA that creates a Community Investment Fund, while addressing key community benefits in the following five areas:

1. Social Equity – stadium programming and amenities benefit neighboring communities and are accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds, including youth and elders.
2. Transportation & Infrastructure – stadium visitors have a variety of transportation options available to them that maximizes safety, connectivity, and convenience for those arriving by foot, bike or public transit, while minimizing environmental impacts.
3. History, Culture & Art – the stadium reflects and uplifts the surrounding community by engaging local artists, centering local culture, honoring history, and continuing the legacy of cultural gatherings and celebrations that have long taken place in the area.
4. Parks & Environment – the stadium minimizes negative environmental, climate, and river impacts while maximizing trees, greenspace and open space, and it works to ensure conformance with modern environmental standards.
5. Business & Labor – local workers, businesses, and contractors benefit from both the construction and ongoing operations of the stadium.

As negotiations progress, equity is a key focus for West East Neighbors United, prioritizing this lens throughout the CBA. With the city investing $70 million of taxpayer funds into the project, there is a strong desire to ensure that the development benefits the community.

The new stadium will impact thousands of surrounding residents in Denver, underscoring the importance of community engagement.

Residents are encouraged to attend and engage about the soccer development at these upcoming Denver City Council Meetings:

• November 12 – South Platte River Committee
• November 17 – City Council First Reading
• December 15 – City Council Second Reading 

West East Neighbors United will continue to share updates on behalf of the committee as necessary.