Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:30 a.m. (Denver time), City and County Building, room 391
The Parks, Art and Culture Committee, chaired by Council Member Darrell Watson, heard three action items. The first was a request for a contract with Tryba Architects for the design of the Boettner/Better concert hall renovation, a roughly $120 million project funded in part by $20 million in bond money; members discussed acoustics preservation, funding sources, the symphony's planned season during construction, and the design team's track record. The second was a biennial golf fee increase for the city's enterprise-funded golf courses, with discussion of dynamic pricing, rising costs, affordability concerns about junior fees, and whether fees should be indexed to inflation. The third was a fee schedule update for the Buffalo Bill Museum on Lookout Mountain, its first significant increase in almost 20 years, with members raising concerns about raising children's rates while holding senior rates flat. Motions were made and roll-call votes were taken on the action items.
0:06 Welcome back to this monthly
0:09 meeting of the Parks, Arts and
0:09 Culture Committee of Denver
0:14 City Council. Join us and the
0:17 Parks Arts and Culture
0:24 Committee starting now. And to
0:25 the Parks, Arts and Culture
0:27 Committee. My name is Sean
0:28 Towle ever present the
0:31 constituents in district today
0:32 is Tuesday. NOVEMBER it's also
0:35 my late pm there examine
0:37 celebrate we can begin with
0:40 around an addictions if want
0:42 Thank said in a large. Good
0:44 morning, Carol Watson, Fine
0:48 District 9. Good morning, Paul
0:51 Kashmann it could pretty nifty
0:53 district reporting and those
0:54 are your What I mean, it's
0:57 it's trick 7. Good morning.
0:57 Diana Romero, couple Sundays,
0:59 Denver district 4 chris hinds
1:04 lucky District. 10 and we have
1:04 no councilmembers online and
1:06 presentation. We had 3 action
1:06 so we can jump into the
1:09 items on the agenda today. If
1:09 you all can introduce
1:10 yourselves and you can get
1:13 into presentations, Kelly
1:16 favorite bond office manager,
1:22 daily Fiber project punter for
1:22 director from and everybody
1:27 office. So we're here today
1:34 bring forward request for a
1:36 contract with tribe architects
1:37 Bill. 26 16. To move forward
1:40 for the design for better
1:42 concert hall. At that point
1:43 all good and turned over to
1:48 Kerry Thank you all for today.
1:50 A little bit about the
1:51 project. The Better Project
1:53 will renovate existing
1:55 facility to address building
1:56 systems and finishes that have
1:59 exceeded their useful Marable
2:02 before plan modifications to
2:03 improve circulation,
2:05 operational functionality,
2:06 ada, compliance and look to
2:06 integrate an education
2:10 component. Thanks to
2:11 improvements, including roof
2:12 facade, repairs or replacement
2:15 will be included as required
2:16 project total project funding
2:19 as 120 million dollars. The
2:23 bottom 5 Van timing is
2:24 20 million dollars of the
2:25 remainder be from the da in
2:28 the symphony. The pre been
2:29 meeting with Suu was very
2:32 successful. And we have over
2:33 100 people attend for the
2:37 design service teams.
2:37 Currently we're scheduled to
2:42 start designing in DECEMBER.
2:43 Reviewing current conditions
2:45 facility. There are ongoing
2:46 accessibility concerns,
2:48 limited access routes to
2:49 entrances service counters,
2:53 restrooms seating areas. There
2:54 are operational challenges
2:56 during performances and events
2:58 that went to officiant.
2:59 Accommodations, support spaces
3:01 for musicians, staff and
3:03 patients. There's also dated
3:05 safety and security systems,
3:06 including surveillance, access
3:06 control and life safety
3:10 equipment. JUNE, mechanical,
3:11 electrical and plumbing
3:12 systems and controls are
3:14 nearing the end of their life
3:17 and requiring modernization
3:19 and due to the age of the
3:21 building of exterior materials
3:24 is evident in target repairs
3:25 will be needed to breath
3:29 Further deterioration moving
3:32 into the concert hall itself
3:34 critically. The concert com
3:35 lacks clarity and balance
3:39 required here performances and
3:40 infrastructure does not meet
3:44 district performance standards
3:46 without a lighting controls be
3:49 systems which limit production
3:50 quality, flexibility of
3:50 support for modern station
3:55 sitting in multimedia. Moving
3:59 into the renovations. The
4:00 project's scope is to improve
4:03 repair or replace the
4:06 following items. Hvac fire
4:06 protection, electrical,
4:07 mechanical and plumbing
4:11 systems. Life safety,
4:14 technology, and security
4:19 stage, lighting audio, visual
4:19 systems into Phoenicians
4:20 Tijuana. Tn Lay an acoustic
4:25 treatments with a half point.
4:28 Design team also for plan lot
4:32 of patients to improve
4:33 circulation operations, any
4:35 compliance and integrates that
4:36 educational component, xt
4:38 repairs to rethink the site
4:39 and elements hoping included
4:42 required. And the project will
4:44 also evaluate the potential of
4:48 billion expansion for News.
4:50 And in addition West side to
4:51 activate adjacent sculpture
4:53 Park.
4:59 So the for the design team, we
5:00 have chosen tried architects
5:02 in partnership with fellow man
5:06 element out of Seattle, their
5:09 contract capacity is 16.4, 9
5:11 million dollars to JANUARY
5:12 30th of our meeting that 19%
5:20 MAY be I'm sorry. 23rd.
5:21 Designed schedule plans to be
5:23 a structured phased approach
5:24 from existing conditions
5:25 through construction milestone
5:29 costs. Checks throughout. We
5:32 intend to integrate the cmc
5:34 she seen him gc Reconstruction
5:36 involvement to inform pricing,
5:38 sequencing and logistics. And
5:39 there's the potential to have
5:41 a fairly procurement packages
5:42 to manage along the islands
5:44 that protect the twenty-twenty
5:46 construction. Start continues.
5:46 Coordination across
5:50 disciplines to reduce for We
5:51 design and maintain schedule
5:57 certainly is part of their
5:58 some white right and no and
6:01 women has great experience in
6:02 concert hall designed proven
6:04 success on major symphony
6:05 performing heart are venues
6:08 across the United They bring
6:09 deep experience in both new
6:11 construction complex
6:12 renovations and have expertise
6:14 directly aligned with bettors.
6:14 Acoustic and audience
6:20 experience goals. For trying
6:21 they are a local farmer from
6:23 that has great site knowledge
6:24 with Denver's civic and
6:27 cultural project. Experience a
6:28 strong understanding of
6:30 Coca-Cola Co it's agencies and
6:32 approval process ease with
6:32 extensive history. Now to
6:33 getting the challenges of
6:35 renovating the number
6:36 facilities, they are
6:38 definitely a trusted Multiple
6:40 Denver performing arts complex
6:42 projects. Also bringing
6:45 together a strong strategy
6:45 with disciplined, integrated
6:49 approach across all design and
6:50 technical disciplines
6:51 structured decision-making to
6:53 maintain momentum and
6:54 alignment and early in
6:55 continues. Costco going meant
6:55 to protect budget and
7:05 schedule. Is our presentation.
7:07 We don't have anyone in the
7:10 count high until the Thank
7:16 you. Committee want to take a
7:16 couple minutes on this one
7:18 because better is in district
7:24 10. So straight architects. So
7:26 as David trying yeah, he is a
7:29 constituent you know, better
7:34 opened in 1978. As the first.
7:35 In the round, Stephanie
7:37 Holland country, which makes
7:39 it interesting and
7:40 distinctive. And so when I
7:41 hear you're you're interested
7:44 and tweaking the acoustics.
7:47 I'm like 8 upstairs as I was
7:49 leaving here, don't let him
7:50 touch you construct. I hope
7:55 that you're intending to make
7:56 and as opposed to damaging
7:59 that the interest rates that.
8:01 But I don't know. I guess I
8:02 could be a question because
8:03 that's certainly something
8:06 that is of concern. How will
8:07 you improve the without
8:12 damaging what's already there?
8:14 Part of this 2 sticks is
8:16 actually the name of the
8:16 firm's Paul Scarborough's. One
8:19 of the most notable
8:20 acquisitions in the world.
8:22 It's a part of this team that
8:24 was a central counting factor
8:24 in this election. That a major
8:25 portion of one of the things
8:29 that we had asked for the
8:31 symphony actually as a
8:33 non-voting member on panel
8:35 with us to lend subject
8:36 matter, expertise as it
8:37 relates to in the round. That
8:39 is. And as it relates to, I
8:41 could states and how that
8:44 plays and orchestra music is
8:46 not a natural So the in the
8:46 round venue is is really
8:49 important to that part of
8:51 where things can get better at
8:53 that sure is actually reducing
8:54 the volume and making it a
8:57 better experience from to
8:58 standpoint. So this being
9:01 driven out of that. So it's
9:02 it's with an improved can
9:09 stick. Experience in mind. You
9:12 and certainly for a long time
9:12 veteran is needed to relieve
9:15 tension. And so I'm glad that
9:16 we're had the voters said yes
9:19 to that attention to the
9:24 vibrant for hands and I think
9:26 you when we're ready to build,
9:27 we want to make sure that
9:28 we're building the right
9:31 thing. And I'm just talking
9:34 about try Bartek's. I think
9:36 that is a fabulous choice. He
9:40 found it is from David Travel
9:41 founded the firm in 1988. If
9:43 you spend any time downtown,
9:45 you've seen his work union
9:50 station. I went from a dark.
9:51 The poda diverse living the
9:54 Wellington Webb, Municipal
9:59 Building many of us or visit
10:01 every day history, Colorado
10:03 the master plans for the
10:04 different panic garden and the
10:06 different parties His practice
10:06 is built on preservation. And
10:10 so if you were last week, if
10:11 you went to the historic
10:13 Denver annual dinner more than
10:15 one year before and were the
10:16 one you're both the that the
10:16 year before that for the one
10:17 before that he wasn't all of
10:26 them so taking buildings. The
10:26 city already loves and making
10:27 them work for the next 50
10:32 years. All right. Without
10:33 losing would make them worth
10:33 seeing, I think is something
10:36 trend architects can do.
10:37 That's exactly what we're
10:39 looking for. Adventure. It's
10:40 not a tear down its a
10:42 renovation rehabilitation of a
10:43 hole that people have strong
10:45 feelings about, And I
10:47 mentioned it dumps tears and
10:50 strong feelings about because
10:51 and it takes diligent and
10:55 restraint to get it right
10:56 tried. Architects shown over
11:01 and that the team does the
11:02 homework, respects the Contra
11:03 contacts. Pence still deliver
11:05 something beautiful. So I have
11:08 the highest hopes for this
11:09 hand. I'm grateful to the
11:13 symphony to arts and venues
11:14 that and the Byron different
11:16 team for for getting us there.
11:17 I look forward to supporting a
11:20 resolution hand. Should
11:21 anything go wrong? And I don't
11:22 think there would anything
11:23 that goes wrong. I know where
11:27 he lives. So I will Palin. I'm
11:29 really looking forward seeing
11:31 come to fruition. Thank you.
11:32 Committee chair, thank you so
11:36 much. COUNCILMAN's like
11:37 thanks, MADAM Chair. Thank you
11:38 guys. Very supportive of this.
11:42 I'm just curious. So this
11:43 contract for the design
11:44 pieces, 16.4 million. There
11:46 was 20 million in the bond for
11:50 it. And that is only a portion
11:51 of what the symphony is
11:53 raising to actually do this
11:54 renovation. So I'm just
11:57 curious how like all of that
11:58 dovetails together because not
12:00 all our money, but this is all
12:03 our or is it, I guess just can
12:04 you walk me through that a
12:06 little bit here. And so the
12:09 funding is a mixture of the
12:11 20 million dollars, a vibrant
12:13 living. There is commitment
12:15 from from arts and venues.
12:18 Significant basically delta
12:19 that 100 and then there's also
12:22 the commitment from something
12:23 to fund raise additional money
12:26 on top of that, which they had
12:27 the naming rights of that are
12:29 moved to the hole itself. They
12:30 had a 2 million dollar m
12:34 donation from the Better
12:37 Foundation already come But
12:38 that's it. That's what saw a
12:39 couple weeks So the important
12:41 thing on their capital
12:42 campaign compete with their
12:43 15 million defense
12:46 commitments. Got it. A cage.
12:49 So what we are looking at is
12:53 the 16.4 is that all from
12:55 vibrant proceedings? That is
12:57 right now from vibrant. And
12:59 some menus has they're kind of
13:00 construction. Yeah, 100 kind
13:04 Okay. Great. Thanks. So can to
13:08 want thank the committee Thank
13:09 you so much of the
13:10 presentation. The contract
13:11 piece is important. Vlad
13:12 COUNCILMAN Sort of prove that
13:15 for a cure is on the Colorado
13:16 symphony process. Can you kind
13:18 of speak a little bit to what
13:19 their process would be for
13:21 over the next year? Is there a
13:22 timeline by which have to be
13:25 back into the center? Talk a
13:27 little about what we're doing
13:29 as far as where they're
13:31 playing, how board meeting
13:34 with folks so that they remain
13:34 of that, their season
13:37 continues would love to more
13:38 about that. Yeah. So I do
13:42 think something has be here
13:43 today. So the symphony we have
13:46 a move out date kind of where
13:49 they will be exiting out of
13:50 that year to allow for the
13:52 work tap. We have set timeline
13:53 that I don't think we've gone
13:55 super public with yet, but we
13:56 know how long that they're
13:58 planning to go out. It is not
14:02 an insignificant amount of
14:03 Dana Wachter from the center
14:03 it's been open that this is
14:05 both a challenge and an
14:07 opportunity to go get into the
14:08 communities in a way that they
14:10 haven't before. They're going
14:12 to go play places that they
14:15 before. So when you get into
14:15 the summer season, been a lot
14:16 of time there about center and
14:20 red rocks for end, they think
14:24 I'm playing with support
14:25 families frequently. So they
14:26 are their season and better
14:27 really is focused on about
14:30 half the year. So for that
14:31 half the year, they're going
14:35 to go out into the community
14:37 ends seek out kind smaller
14:40 days to go get into the
14:41 community. They have not
14:41 unveiled that full season.
14:43 They're going to do it that
14:44 they're not packing in and
14:45 then just ignoring the season.
14:46 They are going to go out into
14:49 the community and play and
14:50 smaller houses and kind of go
14:53 around the city and the
14:53 greater metro area in a
14:55 different way than they ever
14:58 have before. Thank you so
14:59 much. Have a backyard. You
15:02 complain thanks Daniel sounds
15:05 really cool to Senate. I
15:07 PRESIDENT. Thank MADAM Chair,
15:08 and thank you for the
15:11 presentation. I think there
15:12 were a few things that this
15:15 tied with another process that
15:19 came through committee earlier
15:22 around the public-private
15:22 partnership concert or that
15:23 your foundation really doing a
15:25 lot of the foundation. We are
15:28 working with them to allow for
15:29 naming rights, which I think
15:30 was a really creative and
15:32 generous thing, too. Bring
15:35 together a public-private
15:37 partnership. And I would also
15:39 add to your comment about the
15:41 symphony by understanding is
15:42 that not only in the metro
15:45 area, but there around the
15:46 state and that this