The National Western Center Campus Walking Tour
June 17, 2026
THIS TOUR IS SOLD OUT!
Tour description: The National Western Center (NWC) is more than a redevelopment project, it is a visionary transformation of the historic National Western Complex to address animal health and performance and provide for water, energy, agriculture, and rodeo events while prioritizing local neighborhood integration and community benefits.
Join the Denver Architecture Foundation and our tour guides Mike Bouchard, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center, and David Morris, Principal and Office Director at HKS Denver, to understand the master plan behind the campus expansion from its current 110 acres to 250 acres of multiuse facilities in the heart of Denver. Highlights of the tour will be the HW Hutchison Family Stockyards Event Center and the Sue Anschutz Rodgers Livestock Center. This versatile Livestock Center hosts events ranging from the annual Stock Show to concerts, graduations, and trade shows, while the 46,000 square foot Stockyards Event Center offers a modern space for lectures, conventions, performances, and corporate events.
About the campus: The guided tour will feature two major venues at the National Western Center campus: the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center and the HW Hutchison Family Stockyards Event Center. Opening in January 2026, the 357,000-square-foot Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center is one of the campus’s most versatile facilities, designed to support year-round programming and large-scale events. The venue includes a 161,000-square-foot multiuse arena, a 185,000-square-foot expo hall, an 11,000-square-foot auction and event hall, and direct connections to the WSSA Legacy Building with multiple event and concourse entry points. Designed to accommodate everything from livestock events and sporting competitions to concerts, graduations, trade shows, banquets, and community gatherings, the facility represents a major investment in flexible public event space. The tour will also highlight the HW Hutchison Family Stockyards Event Center, a 46,000-square-foot venue completed in 2021 that supports lectures, seminars, conventions, corporate events, expos, esports, live performances, and other year-round programming. The building features a 630-seat auditorium, a 17,500-square-foot multiuse expo hall, and direct access to the 20-acre Stockyards, known as “The Yards.”
About the guides: Mike Bouchard is Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center. With a background in landscape architecture, urban development and infrastructure delivery, he has spent his career shaping cities in both the private and public sectors. As Executive Director, he leads one of Denver’s most complex and ambitious redevelopment programs transforming the historic stock show campus into a global hub for education and entertainment while delivering community benefits to the Globeville, Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods where it resides.
David Morris is a Principal and Office Director at HKS Denver. He is passionate about creating impactful, contextually-rich work and building strong, collaborative teams. With experience as a design architect and a background in interior architecture and urban planning, he has led high-performing design studios in mixed-use, commercial office, hospitality and multifamily residential projects. As Office Director, he leads Denver’s continued growth and success while being an active leader in the design community.
Accessibility information: All primary tour routes are ADA compliant.
Refund policy: The Denver Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization. Ticket sales support the Foundation in continuing to provide quality events to the public. We are unable to provide refunds or credits for any reason less than 48 hours prior to the event.
Please note that DAF tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. DAF staff will contact all attendees directly should a tour be cancelled for any reason.