BRIGHTON — This city’s voters are not the only ones interested in an ambitious ballot measure calling for construction of a minor-league baseball stadium and community events center in Brighton.
The Nov. 6 vote also will be watched by Commerce City officials, who may ask their voters to finance a stadium project should the Brighton proposal fail at the ballot box.
“If Brighton does not pass a bond issue, we will be putting one in, at least if the numbers are right,” said Commerce City Mayor Paul Natale.
Both cities have been pursuing a minor-league team for about a year. The interest is high in getting a team to play in Brighton, said Mayor Jan Pawlowski, even though the stadium would not be a paying proposition for quite a while.
“All our financial people say it’s not going to make money for the city,” Pawlowski said. “But I think if it breaks even, it will repay our debts.”
But, she said, she’s hopeful Brighton voters will understand the benefits of having a multi-event complex in the city.
“I think if we have enough vision, we will be willing to take some risks,” Pawlowski said. “Our nation was built on those ideals.”
Voters are being asked to approve a 0.2-cent increase in the sales tax rate – 20 cents on each $100 purchase – to finance the 4,000-seat complex. It would be used more than 150 days a year to host baseball games, concerts, boxing matches, festivals, philanthropic events, fireworks, corporate outings and high school events as well as youth sports, according to officials.
An additional 2,000 seats would be available in grass berm areas. Costs of similar stadiums range from $15 million to $18 million, with a construction time of about one year.
Voters will allow Brighton to take a huge step forward if they approve the measure, Pawlowski said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
