The Future of the Hughes Stadium Site

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Consultation has concluded

Site of redevelopment

Background:

Many Fort Collins residents have expressed interest in the future of the former Hughes Stadium property following the stadium’s demolition in 2018. This page has been updated to be a resource for residents as the plans for the future of the property development.

Currently, Colorado State University owns the 161-acre property. CSU has been working on its plans for the property, including working with a private developer on a proposal for a mix of housing, commercial, transit, and open space on the site.

CSU and the City met for a pre-submittal Preliminary Design Review on Nov. 19, 2020. The Preliminary Design Review materials can be found here. The City’s response to these pre-submittal materials is available here. The next step prior to an official submittal would be a neighborhood meeting open to all members of the public.

Once CSU has submitted an application for review under the City’s Land Use Code, application information will be available at the City’s Development Proposals Under Review searchable web page at: https://www.fcgov.com/developmentreview/proposals.

The City has not yet determined whether a future development plan for the property would be processed as a Site Plan Advisory Review (SPAR), rather than a standard development plan. Additional information about the nature and extent of the proposed development is needed from CSU before the City can make that determination.

Ballot Initiative:

A citizen-initiated ballot measure was submitted to City Council in 2020. The measure, which has the required number of signatures to be added to the April 2021 municipal election ballot, will ask voters to direct the City to rezone the property to the Public Open Lands zone district. The final ballot language was approved by the City Council at its regular meeting on February 16, 2021 for placement on the April ballot.

The ballot measure passed. View election results: https://www.fcgov.com/elections/results

Next Steps:

Rezoning:

City Council unanimously voted to adopt the rezoning on second reading on May 18, 2021.

Property Acquisition:

Initial contacts have been made with CSU representatives about the acquisition of the property and a staff team has been formed to consider possible options for pursuing the acquisition and to develop the information needed to evaluate fair market value and potential approaches for negotiating. Arrangements for external consultants to assist with this evaluation have begun. This process is expected to take some time to complete, and staff will update Council about key developments as they occur.

City and CSU Agree to Potential Path for Hughes Stadium Property Acquisition

On Friday, August 20, 2021 the City of Fort Collins, Colorado State University System (CSU) and Cottonwood Lands and Farms (a private entity that owns the Strauss Lakes Property) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that addresses the Hughes Stadium Property and the Strauss Lakes property and sets out a general outline for agreement among the parties, with various conditions and contingencies, including the need for the parties to subsequently negotiate and enter into formal agreements.

The MOU is intended to compensate CSU in order to meet the fiduciary obligations noted by CSU and provide CSU an alternative parcel of land near Horsetooth and Ziegler to be used for affordable housing. With those requirements met, CSU would then sell the Hughes Stadium property to the City. The arrangement is contingent on the Cottonwood Lands and Farms property sale and development going through the City’s regular development review process which will include opportunities for community engagement and feedback. Read the full press release. Read the full Memorandum of Understanding.


City and CSU to move forward with Hughes Stadium property acquisition

On November 15, 2021, The City of Fort Collins and Colorado State University announced they would be moving forward to finalize agreements for the City’s purchase of the former Hughes stadium property for an agreed-upon price of $12.5 million, as provided in their Memorandum of Understanding. Read more.

An overview of the proposed process was discussed at the Nov. 23 Council Work Session. Fort Collins City Council will discuss financing options that will allow for an accelerated purchase of the property, likely to be completed in the first half of 2022. They will also discuss the public engagement process that will help determine the future land use.


Background:

Many Fort Collins residents have expressed interest in the future of the former Hughes Stadium property following the stadium’s demolition in 2018. This page has been updated to be a resource for residents as the plans for the future of the property development.

Currently, Colorado State University owns the 161-acre property. CSU has been working on its plans for the property, including working with a private developer on a proposal for a mix of housing, commercial, transit, and open space on the site.

CSU and the City met for a pre-submittal Preliminary Design Review on Nov. 19, 2020. The Preliminary Design Review materials can be found here. The City’s response to these pre-submittal materials is available here. The next step prior to an official submittal would be a neighborhood meeting open to all members of the public.

Once CSU has submitted an application for review under the City’s Land Use Code, application information will be available at the City’s Development Proposals Under Review searchable web page at: https://www.fcgov.com/developmentreview/proposals.

The City has not yet determined whether a future development plan for the property would be processed as a Site Plan Advisory Review (SPAR), rather than a standard development plan. Additional information about the nature and extent of the proposed development is needed from CSU before the City can make that determination.

Ballot Initiative:

A citizen-initiated ballot measure was submitted to City Council in 2020. The measure, which has the required number of signatures to be added to the April 2021 municipal election ballot, will ask voters to direct the City to rezone the property to the Public Open Lands zone district. The final ballot language was approved by the City Council at its regular meeting on February 16, 2021 for placement on the April ballot.

The ballot measure passed. View election results: https://www.fcgov.com/elections/results

Next Steps:

Rezoning:

City Council unanimously voted to adopt the rezoning on second reading on May 18, 2021.

Property Acquisition:

Initial contacts have been made with CSU representatives about the acquisition of the property and a staff team has been formed to consider possible options for pursuing the acquisition and to develop the information needed to evaluate fair market value and potential approaches for negotiating. Arrangements for external consultants to assist with this evaluation have begun. This process is expected to take some time to complete, and staff will update Council about key developments as they occur.

City and CSU Agree to Potential Path for Hughes Stadium Property Acquisition

On Friday, August 20, 2021 the City of Fort Collins, Colorado State University System (CSU) and Cottonwood Lands and Farms (a private entity that owns the Strauss Lakes Property) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that addresses the Hughes Stadium Property and the Strauss Lakes property and sets out a general outline for agreement among the parties, with various conditions and contingencies, including the need for the parties to subsequently negotiate and enter into formal agreements.

The MOU is intended to compensate CSU in order to meet the fiduciary obligations noted by CSU and provide CSU an alternative parcel of land near Horsetooth and Ziegler to be used for affordable housing. With those requirements met, CSU would then sell the Hughes Stadium property to the City. The arrangement is contingent on the Cottonwood Lands and Farms property sale and development going through the City’s regular development review process which will include opportunities for community engagement and feedback. Read the full press release. Read the full Memorandum of Understanding.


City and CSU to move forward with Hughes Stadium property acquisition

On November 15, 2021, The City of Fort Collins and Colorado State University announced they would be moving forward to finalize agreements for the City’s purchase of the former Hughes stadium property for an agreed-upon price of $12.5 million, as provided in their Memorandum of Understanding. Read more.

An overview of the proposed process was discussed at the Nov. 23 Council Work Session. Fort Collins City Council will discuss financing options that will allow for an accelerated purchase of the property, likely to be completed in the first half of 2022. They will also discuss the public engagement process that will help determine the future land use.