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FACT A
Honesty Framework
The label says how we know the figure. The grade rates the source record, not the project.
The grade rates the source record, not the project.
CDOT · Transportation
Burnham Yard Acquisition & Resale
State purchase of the 58-acre former rail yard in central Denver; agreed for resale to a stadium venture in 2026. Timeline 2021–2026.
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Latest public update
Bought for $50M in 2021 for rail consolidation and possible I-25 expansion; in 2026 the state agreed to sell the yard to a stadium development group for $46M — $4M less than it paid.
Open questions for the state ANALYSIS
- Why is the agreed resale price $4M below the 2021 purchase price?
- Which public benefits — rail relocation, I-25 right-of-way — survive the sale?
Fiscal position
Total project cost$50.0M
Total cost & funding are drawn from the official record(s) listed below.
Delivered. Project reported complete, so final spend approximates the total cost. Line-item expenditures can still be reconciled from TOPS/CORE.
Milestones
- State closes $50M purchase from the railroad — May 2021
- I-25 widening use ruled out as unaffordable — 2024
- Sale agreement with a stadium venture at $46M — May 2026
Who is being paid FACT
Funding sourceState transportation funds; resale proceeds return to the state.
| Vendor | Contract / value | Paid to date | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| WITHHELDSeller — state's 2021 acquisition of the 58-acre yard | $50.0M | $50.0M · closed May 2021 | A |
| WITHHELDBuyer — 2026 purchase agreement; closing expected fall 2026 | $45.8M | closing expected fall 2026 | B |
The money is published; the names are held. Each row below carries the contract value, what has been paid to date so far as it is published, and our confidence grade — the same figures as always, from the same official records. What is withheld is the vendor's name, the record link that names it, and the campaign-finance search that sat beside it. That is a deliberate decision taken pending legal review, not a figure we could not find: a blank cell would have said the opposite. What WITHHELD means
Source records
- AColorado Politics — state closes $50M Burnham Yard deal (May 2021)read 24 September 2026
- BDenverite / Gazette — $46M purchase agreement (2026)read 10 July 2026