🏙️ A new $500 million investment in downtown

📢 The Latest on Auraria’s Anti-War Protests

School's out for the three colleges on Denver’s Auraria Campus, and graduation ceremonies will press on this weekend despite the anti-war demonstrators still camped out on the quad. Negotiations with school leadership appear to have stalled after a meeting on Monday. In the two weeks since protesters erected their tents, serious confrontations with law enforcement had been avoided until Tuesday when a number of citations were issued to those occupying a campus building. [Denverite]

🏙️ Can $500 Million Save Downtown?

Yesterday, Mayor Mike Johnston announced a new plan to help downtown Denver escape the “doom loop” it’s trapped in that has left businesses still struggling to recover from the pandemic. The plan centers around an “obscure special taxing authority” — the very same that helped transform a formerly dilapidated bus terminal into the Union Station we know today. Johnston says the plan could lead to $500 million in new investment. [Denver Post 🔒]

• Speak up: The mayor is asking for input on his ambitious new plan.
• More from the mayor: We recently hosted a Q+A with Johnston and asked for his thoughts on everything from the campus protests and his anti-homeless critics to the new Taylor Swift album. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🚰 Thornton Water Pipeline Approved

A years-long fight over water access between the city of Thornton and Larimer County has finally been settled. This week, Larimer County commissioners begrudgingly OK’d the controversial construction of a 10-mile segment of pipeline to bring water from the Cache la Poudre River down to service Thornton’s swelling population. Despite pushback from the Larimer County community, commissioners conceded it was the “best of a bad solution.” [CO Sun]

🤝 Kirkland Museum and DAM Merge

The Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art is being renamed the Kirkland Institute of Fine and Decorative Art at the Denver Art Museum, as the two longtime cultural establishments merge operations. Kirkland’s three-room studio building and its distinctive vignette-style exhibits will remain the same. Members of each museum will have access to both places starting this summer. [Denverite]

Last week’s answer: Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum 🛩️

Located on the sprawling campus of what was formerly the Lowry Air Force Base, Wings Over the Rockies is a community space honoring the area’s aviation history through truly awe-inspiring space, aircraft, and military exhibits. At its sister campus, Exploration of Flight, located at the Centennial Airport, visitors can participate in interactive educational flight experiences and aviation-centered events.

💡 Reader Hailey G. says: “Tip for folks: You can get free passes to the museum (as available) with a Denver Library Card. [It’s also] right next to one of my fav beer halls, Lowry Beer Garden!”

👏 Major claps for our quickest correct guessers:

• Paul V. was the first to write in with the correct answer!
• But Ashley C., Diane G., Loren S., Randy K., Lori W., and 32 others (!) weren’t far behind!
• And an extra special shoutout goes to Hey Denver reader Mary Lou W. for sending us last week’s pic!

This Week’s Photo:

🕵️ Do YOU recognize this big letter B? Be among the first to respond with where to find this and you’ll get a special shoutout in next Friday’s newsletter!

​​ Special thanks to reader Elizabeth W. for sending in this week’s pic!

📸 Want to submit a photo? Send me a snapshot of somewhere in Denver, and I’ll consider it for an upcoming photo trivia segment!

A Concert Ticket Fix, Road Rage, and Jamal Murray’s Tantrum

Do you really know how much it will cost to see a concert at Red Rocks this summer? A new bill wants to ensure that live entertainment fans get to see the actual ticket price, fees included, before purchase. Then, Colorado’s got a road rage problem and traffic is one of the leading causes. Plus, all the other big news stories in the Mile High this week.