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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Commerce City leaders want to attract more retail and commercial businesses to Victory Crossing, a 200-acre mixed use development near 56th Avenue and Quebec Street that’s been in the works for more than 10 years.
The city purchased the land from the federal government in June 2004. In 2005, the city sold some of the land to Kroenke Sports and Entertainment to begin developing the land for commercial and retail use.
Dicks Sporting Goods Park where the Colorado Rapids play was completed in 2007 and the Commerce City Civic Center was also built that year.
Prairie Gateway Open Space, New Adams City High School, and the South Adams County Fire District administration building followed, but the development still lacks commercial and retail businesses that were promised to taxpayers.
One of those taxpayers, Justin Douglas, asked, "Is this really happening or have we all been promised a pipe dream?"
Denver7 reached out to Commerce City's Mayor Benjamin Huseman for answers.
“It’s a source of frustration, it’s a source of disappointment for a lot of people," Huseman said. "The residents were promised when this was all laid out and the soccer stadium was built … this was going to be a great area for retail, for dining, for a hotel.”
Tax increment financing (TIF) was approved for the project.
But Huseman said the land is still owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and the company hasn’t submitted plans for any new retail or commercial opportunities.
He said now would be the perfect time to continue developing Victory Crossing.
“The market is really prime right now especially with the growth that’s taken place in Northfield and Stapleton and Beeler Park," said Huseman.
He said the city is open to opportunities for the developing the land and they're hoping to confirm future plans before the TIF ends within the next few years.
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