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Editor’s note 3/11/21: This story was updated to reflect the new number of fans allowed to attend games at Coors Field after an announcement Tuesday that the team was granted a variance from the state, approving an increased capacity from 12,500 fans to 21,000 fans.
Like much else, the Colorado Rockies storied Opening Day festivities will look a bit different this year. While there will be fewer fans carousing around LoDo—only 21,000 people will be allowed to attend each game—those who aren’t able to snag tickets will be able to take part in celebrations at one of downtown Denver’s most exciting new developments.
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At the corner of 20th and Wazee streets, McGregor Square, which is owned by the Colorado Rockies, will feature two 13-story buildings and another 11-story one, housing a hotel, condos, restaurants, a food hall, an outdoor plaza, offices, and retail spaces. The 659,000-square-foot development, spanning an entire block adjacent to Coors Field, will open in phases. Condo residents will be the first to move in later this month.
“We really want this space to be active 365 days a year,” says Patrick Walsh, general manager of McGregor Square. “We want everybody to be able to bring their kids or grandkids or family and their friends and enjoy the experience. It is an extension to the game-day experience in that sense, but we’re trying to do it so it’s year-round.”
Here’s (almost) everything visitors can expect to find at McGregor Square as it opens up over the next few months.
Eat & Drink
So far, three restaurants and a coffee shop have been announced—all with an anticipated opening dates in late April or early May. Starbucks will be serving up java in the residential tower. Carmine’s on Penn, a family-style Italian restaurant, is also launching its second location underneath the locale’s fancy condos.
In the adjacent hotel tower, the owners of Urban Farmer and Poka Lola Social Club will open The Original—an eatery serving diner favorites with a modern twist. The menu will feature Prime Rib, a croughnut slider burger, and alcohol-infused milkshakes. The Original will provide dinner service Tuesday through Sunday when it opens later this month. The restaurant will also introduce weekend brunch on May 1, as well as a weekday lunch shortly thereafter.
McGregor Square, named after late Rockies president Keli McGregor, wouldn’t be complete without a sports bar. Tom’s Watch Bar will open at the corner of 19th and Wynkoop streets, Walsh says. In addition to craft beer, signature cocktails, burgers, sandwiches, and wings, the bar will have a giant stadium screen and 360-degree viewing room. The bar and restaurant will also have 230 outdoor seats and showcase a variety of sports, ranging from international, collegiate, and professional to “emerging obscure, and outrageous sports,” according to a statement from the company. (The restaurant also has a location at Denver International Airport named Tom’s Urban.)
“We really curated the [space],” Walsh says. “We didn’t want to put four or five sports bars and just play up the game-day thing.”
In addition to the above, the development will house a food hall dubbed Milepost Zero at the corner of 19th and Wazee streets. Walsh says the space will hold seven concepts and will be announced in April.
Play
Entertainment won’t be limited to what Rockies fans will be watching on the big screen. Tom’s Watch Bar, for example, will feature three Topgolf Swing Suites. The indoor simulators include golf, baseball, hockey, soccer, football, carnival games, and the opportunity to play dodgeball against digital zombies (yes, you read that right). Additional entertainment options at Tom’s will be announced soon, Walsh says.
If you’re looking to pump some iron, a 6,000-square-foot fitness center can also be found at McGregor Square. Run by local company Inward Fitness, the facility—named Rock Fitness—will open in early May for office tenants and anyone who wants to purchase a membership.
A Rockies Hall of Fame will also be ready to go in 2022 on the second floor of the hotel. When open, there will be traditional exhibits and virtual reality components.
The heart of McGregor Square, though, will be a 28,000-square-foot outdoor plaza. The plaza will be used for concerts, outdoor fitness classes, festivals, movie nights, and an ice rink in the winter. Walsh says ideas for the plaza’s use are still being discussed. He mentioned batting cages are a possibility. “We’re going to be as creative as possible,” he says. “We want it to be a really active space.”
Shop
One of the biggest retailers coming to the new development is Tattered Cover. The iconic Denver bookstore is in the midst of relocating from its longtime location at Wynkoop and 16th streets to McGregor Square, before opening sometime in May. Other retailers include a Rockies flagship store, Flowers on the Vine, and a Bank of Colorado branch.
Stay
One of the two 13-story towers will house the Rally Hotel from Sage Hospitality Group. (Sage also operates the Maven Hotel at the nearby Dairy Block.) Walsh says hotel rooms will average around $175 per night and will open on March 25, just ahead of Opening Day on April 1.
The other 13-story building will feature 103 condos. Brokered by Kentwood Real Estate, units will start at $500,000 and go up to $6 million. Floor plans range from studios to two-bedroom penthouses with a den.
The hotel and condo buildings will be connected with an enclosed walkway on the 11th floor. Hotel guests and residents will have access to the fitness center and a deck that features a pool and mountain views. Condo residents will also have access to separate saunas, a steam room, and an amenity room.
Work
WeWork was in talks to lease the more than 200,000-square-foot office tower, but due to the coworking start-up’s financial troubles, the space was leased to other tenants. WeWork has since been replaced by law firm Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie, computer security company Red Canary, and advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Walsh says the building should be fully leased in the next few months, and tenants will move into the space in June.
Editor’s note: We will continue to update the list of tenants at McGregor Square as they’re announced.
