What We're Building
The future home of the National Western Stock Show
The National Western Center is being built by the City and County of Denver in partnership with the National Western Stock Show and Colorado State University. With programming support by History Colorado and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
Built on the historic grounds of the National Western Stock Show, this site was the epicenter of agribusiness in the Rocky Mountain West for most of the 20th century. Just two miles north of downtown Denver, the site is a unique opportunity to connect the rural and urban economies and become the new epicenter of innovative agribusiness.
State-of-the-art spaces will play host to concerts and festivals, farmers’ markets, sporting events, trade shows, and conventions, as well as office space, business incubators, classes, public art, cultural events, family activities, shops, and more.
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National Western Center
Photo courtesy of City and County of Denver
The construction of more than 2.2 million square feet of new indoor and outdoor spaces is underway now, designed to host innovation and research labs, farmer's markets, international conferences, outdoor festivals, and the National Western Stock Show every January.
Construction is currently underway for phases 1 and 2.
The Legacy Building
The Western Stock Show Association Legacy Building, slated for completion in 2023, will be the National Western Stock Show’s world headquarters.
This building will serve as a home to all members of the National Western family. It will be a gathering place, gallery, and a watering hole for friends, cowboys, and art lovers alike.
Honoring the Legacy Campaign
Photo courtesy of City and County of Denver
The $100 million Honoring the Legacy campaign provides support for the new National Western Center, one of the nation’s most ambitious urban renewal projects. The National Western Center will not only provide a home to the incomparable NWSS for the next 100 years but also will expand and enhance this regional asset into a world-class hub for agriculture, education, and innovation.
Equestrian Center: Latest News
National Western Stock Show Celebrates Approval
of New Equestrian Center
DENVER, CO, June 3, 2025 – The National Western Stock Show is proud to join the National Western Center Authority in celebrating the Denver City Council’s approval to begin construction on the long-anticipated Equestrian Center, a key component of the ongoing National Western Center campus development.
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Slated to break ground in fall 2025, the Equestrian Center will be located on the west side of the new campus. This state-of-the-art, year-round facility is dedicated exclusively to equestrian use and will include a parking structure and hotel to accommodate guests and participants. The new venue will sit just north of the Colorado State University Spur campus’s Vida building, home to the Temple Grandin Equine Center, the Humane Colorado small animal hospital, and a sports rehabilitation center for equine athletes.
Designed in close collaboration with equine community leaders, the facility reflects the needs and values of the industry, with an emphasis on animal comfort, health, and modern amenities to support a diverse array of equestrian disciplines.
Key features of the future Equestrian Center include:
- Flexible paddock and stalling configurations to host various events
- Under-seat circulation is designed for cattle handling and administrative use
- Immediate proximity to the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center and the HW Hutchison Family Stockyards Events Center for multi-arena utilization and expanded stalling
- Access to stockyards equipped for warm-up arenas, parking, and trailer accommodations
“The new Equestrian Center will open the door to year-round opportunities, drawing equine enthusiasts and some of the nation’s most prestigious horse shows to Denver,” said Wes Allison, President and CEO of the National Western Stock Show.
“It strengthens Denver’s standing as a premier destination with cutting-edge facilities built to serve the industry and the community for generations. These improvements will also enhance the National Western Stock Show each January, delivering a first-class experience for our exhibitors and guests. We’re incredibly grateful to the City of Denver for its continued commitment to expanding access to Western heritage, culture, and agriculture through world-class facilities. With the CSU Spur campus and the Stock Show, the National Western Center is well-positioned for sustained growth and long-term success.”
To follow progress on the National Western Center campus, visit nationalwesterncenter.com
Drawing of the National Western Center Equestrian Center
Rendering of the National Western Center Equestrian Center
Rendering of the National Western Center Hotel & Equestrian Center
National Western Center Partners
