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Approval of the Property Tax Increment Revenue Agreement with Adams County School District 14
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Summary and Background Information:
History
For more than 60 years, the Mile High Greyhound Park served as a major landmark in Commerce City and an entertainment mecca for generations of metro Denver residents. A former dog track and racing club, the Mile High Greyhound Park was built in 1946, and was originally known as the Mile High Kennel Club. Popularity of this track soon grew as it hosted summer dog races to overflow crowds. During the height of popularity in the late 1960’s and 1970’s, as many as 10,000 people would arrive daily to watch and take park in the live greyhound racing, and to dine in one of the facility’s three restaurants and two bars. During the 1970’s, it was identified as the nation’s most beautiful greyhound racing facility. By the 1980’s, greyhound racing began to lose its popularity, and in an attempt to remain competitive, significant structural renovations took place. With the advent of legalized gambling in the nearby mountain towns of Central City and Black Hawk, the Mile High Greyhound Park began to focus on off-track betting. Live greyhound racing finally came to an end in June 2008 and off-track betting closed shortly thereafter.
On August 2, 2011, the Commerce City Urban Renewal Authority purchased the 64-acre park for $3,350,000, with the intent of redeveloping the site in a way that is beneficial for the neighborhood and community as a whole. Since then, the City and URA have undertaken a variety of efforts to help move the redevelopment project forward.
Project Goals for the Vision Plan
As a result of the public outreach, the feasibility study, and other internal efforts, the City produced Mile High Greyhound Park Vision Book to better define the desired outcomes for potential developers and the public. Within the Book, the Vision for the project is stated as:
“The former Mile High Greyhound Park will cont...
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