The longtime director of Denver’s National Western Center project will depart as the $1.1 billion undertaking is primed for the start of its demolition, environmental cleanup and construction phases.
Kelly Leid this week that he has decided to return to Denver homebuilder Oakwood Homes after nine years in public sector jobs. Those include working as operations director at Denver Public Schools before joining Mayor Michael Hancock’s administration in 2011, first overseeing development services and then starting the office, where he took on the National Western redevelopment, in 2013.
Hancock on Wednesday appointed Gretchen Hollrah, Leid’s deputy in the split-off National Western Center office, as the new executive director. She will start after Leid’s last day, Oct. 2. The director’s salary is $155,436.
“(Leid’s) ability to consistently take on significant, complex projects, bringing a broad coalition of public and private interests together, and organize them toward success is truly unique,” Hancock said in a news release. “It is bittersweet to see him go, but his impact through sincere public service will continue as his legacy.”
Leid, who played a key role in overseeing the financing and construction of Sports Authority Field before his last stint at Oakwood, will return as executive vice president. The homebuilder, founded by Hancock friend and donor Pat Hammill, by Clayton Properties Group, a division of Berkshire Hathaway.
The decadelong National Western Center project aims to transform the stock show site into a year-round tourism, event, education and agricultural innovation center.
Hollrah takes over ahead of a pivotal year. In 2018, the office is set to move from downtown to the 250-acre National Western campus the city is assembling and with its main partners, the Western Stock Show Association and Colorado State University.