Denver Summit Broke Ground at Santa Fe Yards. A Field of Her Own Is Coming.

Kate Hanson: 12,500 seats built for us from the ground up. on Thursday, October 1st, I stood on a patch of dirt off of I-25 in Broadway and watched Denver Summit FC put shovels in the ground. And the best way I can explain what that felt like is to let Jen Millet do it.

Katie: As women and girls, we are taught implicitly and sometimes explicitly not to take up too much space. nearly a century ago, Virginia Wolfe wrote in an essay, a woman must have money in a room of her own if she is to create. And her point was simple talent was never the problem. What women lacked was investment and a space that was truly theirs. Women's sports have never lacked talent. For decades, the energy, passion, and economic power of this game have been bursting at the seams of borrowed venues, borrowed dates, borrowed locker rooms under somebody else's lights. So today, we aren't asking for a room of our own inside someone else's venue. We're standing in the heart of downtown Denver, surrounded by the skyline and the mountains and the pulse of the city. To break down on a stadium built by us for us. We aren't building on the outskirts, we aren't building in the margins. We're planting a flag right here in the center of Denver. The shovel going into the dirt today is the ultimate expression of taking up space. It is concrete, steel, and dirt, declaring that female athletes deserve the main stage, the brightest lights, and a permanent home in the center of a civic community. To everyone who looked at this empty law and saw the future of Colorado sports. Our partners, our investors, our staff, our players, our supporters, and the people of Denver, thank you for building with us. Soon this dirt will become a field filled with tens of thousands. And when a young girl walks through downtown Denver, looks up at these gates, and steps inside, she won't see borrowed space. She will see a cathedral built for her potential. She will learn, without anyone having to say a word, that she is allowed to stand tall. Make noise and take up all the space in the world.

Kate Hanson: A cathedral built for her potential. Folks, I had chills. I still do. Welcome back to the 5280 Pitch Women's Soccer at Altitude. I'm Kate Hansen, and this episode is gonna be a little bit different because on Thursday, October 1st, Denver Summit FC broke ground on our permanent stadium, Santa Fe Yards. And I was out there with my camera and my microphone. So today I'm mostly going to get out of the way. And let you hear it from the people who built this thing. I want to help fill in the stuff that didn't get said on the stage, but this was a moment for not just women in sports, but for Denver Sports that is going to live in the history books. I want you all to have the opportunity to feel that moment. If you're listening to this episode, I want you to be transported to that day because again, it was a day that I think all of us are going to remember for years to come. and this episode is really personal for me. I was born and raised here, and growing up, that site was the old Gates rubber factory. You'd drive by it on I-25, and there was the giant abandoned building just sitting there, broken windows, broken down. And then years later, when I was working in TV, I drove past it all the time. And by that time, it was just an empty lot. The building had been torn down. Nothing on it. And I always wondered, what are they ever going to do with that space? Well, now we know. They're building our stadium on it. So, for those of you who are new to Denver and you've only seen it as that blank space, that empty lot, there's a lot of history behind it. And I want to make sure that you all know there's so much more that went into this stadium other than just building on it. So here are the quick facts. Because If you're new to the Denver Summit, this might be the first that you're hearing all about a lot of this. is the designer of Santa Fe Yards. Fun fact, they also had a hand in the Common Spirit Performance Center and the Buffalo Bills brand new stadium in Buffalo. That is a populous project. Now. Mortenson is building it together with Graticon, which is a women-owned general contractor out of Lakewood. The stadium is going to be smaller than originally planned. It has 12,500 fixed seats plus safe standing areas that get it to around 13,000. Something that you all have said numerous times about the Centennial Stadium, Santa Fe Yards is going to definitely have, and that is a lot of shade. The club is targeting completion by the end of 2028, which means we will play most of the 2028 home schedule at Centennial Stadium before we move into Santa Fe Yards. And it is only the second stadium in this country built for a women's professional soccer team. Kansas City Current was the first to do that, and they did that in 2024. So now that we're all caught up and up to speed, let me set the scene for you. It was a gorgeous morning. Typical fall Colorado morning. So a little overcast, a little cool. But there was an energy in the air that you could feel from the moment that you stepped out of your car. Las Delayas Mariachi was playing when people walked in. The food and the coffee came from businesses right there in the neighborhood. Maria's Empanadas and Migas Coffee were there, and even the gift bags on the seats were from local spots. So the Women's Bean Project, the Culture Craft Coffee and Reunion Bakery. I loved that. They immersed themselves in the community and in women-owned businesses. It felt honestly it felt like a South Broadway event, not just a soccer event. The ceremony started with a land blessing from Shannon Francis, who is Dinae and Hopi. She burned sage and cedar, walked the aisle, and talked a lot about the South Platte, which runs right there next to the site. And she talked a lot about taking care of the water.

Katie: We're gonna pour some water here to remind that water is sacred, water is life, and to bring good energy, good thoughts. Water holds memory. Water is alive. And we want to honor that. Always honor and protect our waters,

Kate Hanson: Then the speeches. Jen Millet went first, and you already heard the end of hers. Mayor Mike Johnston spoke after her, and then Rob Cohen. Before Jen got to the part that you heard at the top, she thanked everybody who got this project here, because it was a long time coming. And she even slipped in a joke about the budget that I loved.

Katie: You took that vision and figured out how to build it on an extremely aggressive timeline with an extremely aggressive budget. And the budget piece I'm speaking into existence right now. To CAA Icon, you've been on this journey with us every twist and turn from truly the beginning. And I want to just thank you and thank you for the twists and turns you'll help us with that still lie ahead. To the NWSL, who we have some folks here today, thank you for your steadfast commitment to female athletes and for entrusting us with this franchise. Your support guiding us through this has been instrumental. To our partners at West East Neighborhood United for volunteering your time, late nights, long weekends. To partner with us to create the first ever community benefits agreement in women's professional sports.

Kate Hanson: I mean, anybody who's ever built anything knows that feeling. Then the mayor got up and he picked up right off of Jen's line. And stick around for this one because he works in just about every team in this town.

Katie: For the first time this century, Denver adds a new Titan to the sports landscape. And for the first time in history, that Titan is a woman. I think Jen Millet just captured it best. I think now Jen at the door to this stadium will have to be imprinted a field of her own, right? Because a search for a room of her own, this really is a field of her own designed by women's sports for women's sports. That was what was missing in this landscape for so long. It's what our residents wanted so badly, and it's what we are so proud to deliver. I say Denver sports fans for a long time have had the ability to get on that trusty Bronco. And ride it towards the mountains. you could cross the rapids on the way there. You might find yourself at the base of the mighty rockies on your climb. You might pass the mammoth along the way, or maybe dig for some nuggets of gold on the process, But the end of that long journey, you would finally reach the summit. And that is where we are.

Kate Hanson: A field of her own. And he got the broncos, the rabbits, the Rockies, the Nuggets, the Mammoth, all in there before he landed on the summit. I thought that was pretty cool. Then he pulled out a shirt. Here he is.

Katie: I I brought this shirt because this shirt was the one that we printed the day that we first announced the franchise. It just says Denver NWSL. Didn't have a name, didn't have a logo, but it we had a dream. And it reminded me of the dream that this city had for years before this happened. It was 10-year-old girls on the way to games in this city. It was fans and bars who mobilized around the idea. of a women's sports franchise. It was people who advocated and stayed at it and raised their voice and found champions like Rob and Molly Cohen who said, we believe this dream can be a reality. And today what we celebrate is the dreams of every one of those girls and every one of those residents who wanted a franchise of their own. And today, at last, they have it. I want to add I I had one more dream when we opened that day. I think the first interview I did on sports radio after the announcement was that not only would we build a stadium dedicated to our women's sports here, that not only would we welcome a franchise here, but that we might just maybe bring some of the greatest athletes in the world home to Colorado. and I said that day that my dream was that we might actually get Lindsey Heaps herself to come back and play for the summit. And now I am most proud of all to put on my Lindsey Heaps jersey.

Kate Hanson: So he's been talking about that Lindsey Heaps dream for two years. And there he was wearing her jersey. Honestly, I love that. What a cherry on top. Okay, so for a couple facts that the speeches didn't really get into. The city put $50 million towards the stadium and another $20 million towards everything around it. So the roads, the park, pedestrian bridge over to the light rail station. The ownership group is paying for the stadium itself, which is expected to cost around $200 million. And getting here wasn't easy. There was a long and at times pretty messy fight at City Council last December before that money got approved. Rob Cohen talked about that part and he gave a shout out to some of you who were there for all of it.

Katie: If you're a business from South Broadway, you showed up and you testified at City Council, you supported us. Some of you and you know who you are, took your daughter out of school and brought them down to city council meetings, long city council meetings, so that she could sit there and sit through the process and say, I was there when this dream started. I was there when it happened and when it when it became part of it.

Kate Hanson: And it's true. Somebody is going to be able to say that they were at that city council meeting the night that this got approved. Rob also said there were a lot of really tough nights and a lot of tears along the way. And then he explained why they never quit.

Katie: one where we can design a stadium with athletes in mind, that we can design a stadium with our supporters in mind, and that we can design a stadium with the community in mind. And so when we finish this stadium, this is bigger than just a stadium for Denver Summit FC. This is a demonstration to the world about how to invest in women and how to invest in professional women's sports. and hopefully we'll become the standard that happens from here forward. And so my dream one day is that a young player will walk into a stadium that's been here in Denver, that was built by a football club in Denver that's been part of the fabric for this community for a long time. And it will l no longer be a novelty. It will be normal.

Kate Hanson: That is the goal. And I'm gonna come back to that one at the end. And then it was time. They called up our three captains, Kaliegh Kurtz, Janine Sonis and Lindsey Heaps, along with Rob and Molly Cohen, the mayor, Councilwoman Flor Alvarez, whose district this is in. Hard hats on, shovels in hand. Here is how it sounded.

Katie: This journey it took a long time to get to this moment. It wasn't easy, but because of all of you, the hard work that you guys put in, we're able to be building now I need you guys get loud this for this. The first permanent stadium for women's professional soccer in Colorado. I'm gonna welcome everybody up to the stage. It's my privilege to welcome your Denver Summit FC captains. Kaliegh Kurtz, Janine Sonas, and Lindsey Heaps. Denver Summit FC controlling owner, Rob and Molly. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. And district seven councilwoman Flora Alvidres. She did so much work to help us get this over the finish line. You guys ready? You looking good? Hard hat shovels in hands? Let's count together, you guys. One, two, three.

Kate Hanson: I got chills when I heard them say this. The first permanent stadium for women's professional soccer in Colorado. That is what we were all standing on. Now, this is the part of the story I really wanted to tell you because I think it might get lost. Take a look. At who Denver Summit has hired to build this thing. So our club president, Jen Millet, is a Denver kid. She went to Cherry Creek High School, and then one of the two general contractors at Graticon is a women-owned business, and their CEO is Jessica Ostoyitch. And the person running the build every day for Mortenson is Elizabeth Erfling. They're project executive. I had the chance to talk with her after the ceremony. And it turns out that she's from here too. She remembers driving past that empty lot just like I do. And now she gets to build on it. So I asked her about that.

Katie: Kate with 5280 pitch. So as someone that's been born and raised here in Colorado, I have seen this land sit as a broken-down warehouse. Now is nothing. Since you're you've been here for a while too, how exciting is it to be able to actually turn this into something that's gonna have so much feeling and movement and momentum for women's professional sports? there's a few things. First of all, I mean this neighborhood has really been cut up. I'm from I'm from Colorado, born and raised here too. So seeing this really bring those two neighborhoods together is gonna be really exciting. I also think just walking close to this place is gonna feel a lot different with the park that's here. That's a parks the city of Denver Park that's gonna lead up to the to the stadium. So it's it's just it's it's a very different facility than what we have Colorado right now.

Kate Hanson: Here's the part that got me. Women made up about 11% of the construction workforce in this country last year. And surprisingly, at 11%, that's a 20-year high. But in the hands-on trades, that's about 4%. Elizabeth and I, like I said, had the chance to talk quite a bit After the groundbreaking ceremony, she told me that she grew up playing soccer here. Her daughter plays soccer here now. So to have her running this build, I think we were very fortunate, and I think it's a really big deal. then in the community benefits agreement, also. In the community benefit agreement with the neighborhoods, the club committed to reach out to women-owned and minority-owned businesses for the construction with a goal of hiring at least 25 of them. And at least a quarter of the food and drink vendors have to be women or minority-owned. One more thing that Elizabeth told me that I hadn't heard anywhere else. Thursday was really about starting the utility work and getting the site ready. building the stadium itself, starts in earnest next summer. So a little bit further out, so if you drive by and it doesn't look like anything's happening, stuff is happening, we're just not gonna get to see the vertical build until next until starting next summer. Now you know that too. Now let's talk about the players. Rob gave them a shout-out from the stage because Thursday was their day off.

Katie: and obviously last but not least, our our coaches, our sporting staff and our players. you may you may not know this, this is their day off. And I was joking with them. I think every single one of our players is here. And they chose to be here on their day off. This is the day they're supposed to sleep in and get rest. but they chose to be here. we're so proud of you guys. all of this is you're the reason why we're doing all of this.

Kate Hanson: And folks, almost the entire team was there. A couple of players weren't, but it was an off day, so I wouldn't read anything into that. the team could have slept in and they showed up anyway. I think that tells you how excited this group is about this project. Janine and Eva Gaetino sat down on stage for a little fireside chat with Jordan Angeli. And Janine went first. As you all know, she grew up in Highlands Ranch, played for Real, and she's been driving past this site on I-25 for years.

Katie: There's really not enough words to express what it means as a Colorado native, but also just as a as a person that's involved in this club. The level of investment is something that in my whole career I've never seen. And to not only see it but to be a part of it is incredibly special. So I would just like a massive round of applause for our ownership group and everybody involved in this project, it's been a season of firsts in so many ways. I've been so honored to be a part of so many of the amazing moments opening the training facility, seeing the temporary stadium take take place, and to have a temporary stadium that's nicer than most other stadiums that we play in is a pretty big deal. And then to have driven past this site for a long, long time on I-25 and think, what is that? and now people are gonna drive by here and see a world-class. Stadium where world class female athletes get to perform

Kate Hanson: Yeah, a temporary stadium that is nicer than most of the stadiums that they play in. She's right. Centennial Stadium is pretty great. Now, Eva, Eva grew up in Michigan, played at Notre Dame, and then played for PSG in France. And when she was asked about what she hopes people remember about that groundbreaking event, she gave my favorite answer of the whole morning.

Katie: I hope they remember just how unified we all are in this and how much we all believe in this and the work that from top to bottom has been put into this. And I I hope that like Janina's talking about with future generations, like coming from Michigan, growing up around soccer. I knew there was the N WSL, but you would look in the in the stands and there'd be no fans there. No one would be there, they'd be on turf. And and for this to just know all of the hard work that was put in and and to see young girls, older generations, whoever, just feeling a part of something and like seeing how much people believe in women and women's sports. I just really hope we can hold on to that because I know it won't be A straight line to success. I know there will be setbacks, but we're all unified in this and this is truly an incredible thing.

Kate Hanson: No fans in the stands and playing on turf. That was the league that Eva grew up watching. And it really wasn't that long ago. And I love that she was honest about it too. She said it won't be a straight line and there will be setbacks. We're that's how it goes with construction. But I want you all to look at where we are right now. And she also said something earlier on stage that I want you to hear too about what this place means for women.

Katie: I mean I think that everyone who has spoken so far has kind of touched on it just the investment in the resources. I think that for so long women have been in borrowed spaces and on borrowed time and I think that providing the resources, providing the investment so that the players can focus on their game and being the best in their in their respective aspects is is huge and it gives women the the opportunity to dream. And as players we have that responsibility but it also gives us a lot of pride and motivation just to be a part of it.

Kate Hanson: And of course we couldn't go to the event without hearing from Lindsey Heaps from Golden Colorado, play grew up playing for Colorado Rush. And asked her what this would have meant to her as a little girl.

Katie: we produce so many incredible athletes here in Colorado and a lot of incredible soccer players that have gone on and played professionally. Obviously I came from Rush, Janine played for Real, and we have a few other players on the team that that also played here. But growing up, you know, we didn't have a professional sports, women's sports team to to look up to. And if I look back now and I was able to walk into a stadium when I was, you know, nine, ten years old. old and and see a professional woman's soccer team playing here, man, would that be inspirational. And you know, I I grew up watching Messi, I grew up watching European football, but now all these little girls and boys as well, because I see a lot of little boys in our stadium watching us, get to see a a women's professional soccer team. So what a what an incredible thing to say, and I hope that we can just be an inspiration for for them and and also show what's possible here in their their home state.

Kate Hanson: She grew up watching Messi and now little girls and little boys in Colorado get to grow up watching her and her teammates right here at home. Some of the best athletes in the world. I've got one more for Lindsey because this is what players around the league are starting to notice.

Katie: I've been among some of the greatest teams. I've seen some of the best facilities and been around, you know, very experienced people and and players. but what Rob and Molly Cohen and the rest of the ownership group and everyone in this environment, they they've done everything right and I I'm not saying that lightly. just the way they've looked at every single detail and who you're hiring, what you're bringing in, the culture that you're trying to develop. The coach that you're bringing in, the players that you're bringing in, like it's just everything is so, so proper and they want to make it great. Obviously we want to sit here and win, but we want to have a good environment. We want people to come in and want to play here. And I've heard from so many players across the league. do you need a center back? Do you need a like people people want to be here and people see our facility and people see what we're doing here today? And I'm really proud of that and I'm also just like we have the best human beings in this in this facility across the board and they're so fun to work with and yeah I I can't say enough good things, I can't say a bad thing. so that's that's really you know exciting for NWSL because now we are looked at as one of the best club environments and we've been been here for less than a year so I'm very grateful to be a part of it.

Kate Hanson: Do you need a center back? I love that. And Jen told me the same thing from the front office side. the players get to choose where they go. Here's Jen.

Katie: Yeah, I mean it's been incredible for us as a club. You know, this is the first year in NWSL that it's all free agency. So meaning players get to choose. There's no draft. There's no expansion draft. There's no collegiate draft. And you know, being an expansion club with the first time that ever happens can be terrifying. And we have a belief that if we built the club the right way, players from Colorado already know how special Colorado is and they would want to come here. and so to be able to deliver the infrastructure that we've delivered on the performance center, coming to performance centers. Or Temp Stadium out in Centennial and and groundbreak here today, we're delivering on that event that we've made to them. and I think that, you know, for a professional athlete that grew up here, I can't imagine anything better as if being able to play in front of your friends, your family, and a place that you love.

Kate Hanson: So the training center, Centennial, and now Santa Fe Yards. That's all part of the pitch to players. And from what Lindsey said, it's working. So here's where I land. I've driven past that lot for most of my life. And on Thursday, October 1st, I got to stand on it and watch our captains pick up shovels with almost the whole team there on their day off. The mayor called it a field of her own. And I think that's exactly what it is. I'm gonna let Jen have the last word on it.

Katie: And I think that Rob Collins said it best, right? We are making history today, but we hope that women having their own facilities, their own stadiums, their own fans is just the North and the But to be a part of the early stages of that, is really what works.

Kate Hanson: That's what Rob said too. And I think that's the whole point of this. Someday a little girl walks into that stadium and she doesn't think twice about it. Because of course, women's soccer has its own stadium. Why wouldn't it? But folks We've got business right now too, because we're in the middle of a playoff push. Angel City comes to Centennial on October 17th. And Racing Louisville is coming on October 24th. We have two games left at home at Centennial Stadium. Come out. Be loud. Be that twelfth man. And let's help this team If you love this episode, make sure that you're subscribed. I hope that you felt like you were there with us in this special moment because it was a very special day, not just for Denver sports, but for women in sports, players. And I think that what happened on October 1st, hopefully that is Something that twenty, ten, hey, even five years from now, is just considered normal. What the Denver Summit are doing right now is the new normal for Female sports teams, regardless, whether it's soccer, the PHL, whether it's the WNBA, no matter what it is, this is the new standard for women's professional sports teams. And the Denver Summit are some of the first to be leading the charge. if you listened to today's episode and you didn't watch it over on YouTube, be sure to go check it out on YouTube. I have a lot of great visuals over there from the event. I want to know what your favorite moment was from the groundbreaking. What do you think this means for women in sports? What do you think this means for the Denver Summit? I want to hear from you. Please send me a DM, send me a message. I love hearing from you guys. I'm Kate Hansen. This is the 5280 Pitch Women's Soccer at Altitude. I'll talk with you soon.