City Cast Denver

Ball Arena is set to get a $135 million makeover, complete with more escalators and a giant LED screen outside for fans to watch the action. Editor and founder of The Lever David Sirota joins host Bree Davies to talk about why Ball Arena’s owner Stan Kroenke is spending millions to update the lobby of his arena and what, if anything, it means for the fan experience. Plus, they discuss the complete melting away of St. Mary’s Glacier and the impacts of climate change on Colorado’s tourism economy. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on Reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member! What do you think of Ball Arena’s proposed remodel? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 Learn more about the sponsors of this September 23rd episode: Wild Free Colorado Rebel Bread Chalat Hatten and Banker Blue Sky Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

A grocery store or a bar? This is the question at the center of the future of The Holly, a shopping center in Northeast Park Hill. The generational gathering place for Denver’s Black community is currently embroiled in a fight between a landlord and tenants – and it’s exposing a deeper conversation about who a proposed remodel of The Holly is for. Green chile correspondent (and current candidate for House District 5) Justine Sandoval joins host Bree Davies and brand new City Cast Denver creative producer Shane Franklin to talk about why revamping a strip mall is stirring so many emotions. Bree mentioned our episode with Julian Rubinstein, author of “The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun, and the Struggle to Save an American Neighborhood” and Terrance Roberts, the subject of the book. She also talked about our interview with Roberts when he ran for mayor back in 2023. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on Reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member! What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 If you enjoyed this interview with Kevin Smith, the CEO of Denver Film, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 22nd episode: Wild Free Colorado Rebel Bread Chalat Hatten and Banker Blue Sky Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Green chile is a staple of Colorado cuisine – both the pepper itself and the spicy, soupy stew used to smother everything from burritos and french fries to eggs and hamburgers. For decades, Denverites have been flocking to The Original Chubby’s Burger Drive In for their version of the versatile dish, and there is perhaps no version as hotly contested as Chubby’s. Our resident green chile correspondent (and current candidate for House District 5) Justine Sandoval sits down with host Bree Davies to regale her with the tale of how Chubby’s came to be and the Cordova family’s dramatic and spicy rise to the top. We pulled some background information for this show from Adam Cayton-Holland’s 2007 Westword piece, “Smothered: The Saga of the Chubby's Empire,” (which includes a conversation with the late, great Stella Cordova herself!) This episode first aired on October 5, 2022. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on Reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member! What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 Learn more about the sponsors of this September 21st episode: SCP WildFree Colorado Springs Hotel Rebel Bread Chalat Hatten Law Blue Sky Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Would Denver be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime and depression recorded near newly transformed, “greened” neighborhood lots. But how did they do it? David talks with City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and special guest Matt Rader, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, about how Philly prioritized revitalizing its abandoned outdoor space, the ways that having a nonprofit partner has made all the difference, and what still needs to be done. Mentioned on the show: Study showing 29% decrease in gun violence near transformed lots: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1718503115 Study showing 41% decrease in reported depression: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2688343 Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.

The Mercury Cafe is back! Again! This time around, the buyers are asking the community what they want from this legendary space before moving into it. Can a cultural icon be preserved while also evolving with the times? City government reporter Elliott Wenzler joins host Bree Davies to peer into the crystal ball to see the Merc’s future, plus they discuss Mayor Mike Johnston’s optimistic city budget for 2027 and share their wins and fails of the week. Oh, and if you’re a City Cast Denver Neighbor you get a special segment just for members where Elliott and Bree daydream about their fave Denver businesses of yore. Elliott talked about a woman’s account of surviving a bear bite and DIA’s high marks for passenger happiness. Bree discussed the community survey from the new owners of The Mercury Cafe, the Supreme Court’s ruling on mail-in ballots this midterm, Torres shutting down and moving locations, and her love letter to an old restaurant. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on Reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member! What’s the long-gone Denver business you miss the most? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 Learn more about the sponsors of this September 18th episode: Arvada Center Denver Health Denver Botanic Garden Clyfford Still Museum Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise