Denver Summit FC's owner says a giant piece of the club's long-planned stadium puzzle is already in motion, and not just on paper. Rob Cohen told reporters this week that a modular version of the venue has been built overseas, is now headed for Colorado, and that the team expects the structure to be finished by July. If that timeline holds, it would speed up expectations for the Santa Fe Yards project and could quickly change where fans are packing into stands this spring and summer. Local officials and construction managers, however, say they need to see documentation and delivery details before they accept July as the working deadline.
Owner's claim: finished by July and shipment from China
As reported by 9News, Cohen said on Monday that the stadium "will be finished by July" and that portions of the venue have already been constructed and are being shipped from China. Cohen presented the fast build as part of the club's push to deliver a home field quickly for the new NWSL franchise. The remarks came in a brief on-camera interview and were attributed to the owner by the station.
City funding and who’s building
The permanent 14,500-seat stadium is planned for Santa Fe Yards near I 25 and Santa Fe Drive, and Denver officials have committed public money to the broader redevelopment that will host the venue. The Denver Gazette reported that the City Council approved a package that will send roughly $70 million toward the land and infrastructure. The club has tapped Mortenson as construction manager, and Mortenson says preconstruction work is underway with full construction scheduled to start in the spring.
Where the team will play in 2026
Before the permanent venue is ready, Summit FC will stage its inaugural NWSL home match at Empower Field at Mile High and will then use a temporary 12,000-seat stadium in Centennial for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. PR Newswire carries the club's kickoff announcement, and the team's news page outlines the temporary stadium plan next to its training complex. That phased setup was part of the franchise's strategy to satisfy NWSL requirements while the Santa Fe project moves ahead.
How realistic is a July finish?
Modular and volumetric construction, where finished components are manufactured off-site and shipped in for fast assembly, has become more common, and Chinese factories have supplied full room modules and other large building pieces to projects abroad. China Daily has reported on volumetric units exported from China to Western projects. Even so, pulling together a 12,000 to 14,500-seat stadium in only a few months would be a very tight schedule, and Mortenson's note that full construction starts in spring suggests significant on-site work will still be required before any July deadline can be confirmed.
What to watch next
Key clues will come from building permits, customs or shipping filings, and updated construction schedules from the club and Mortenson, records that will show when components land in Colorado and when on-site assembly is actually underway. Axios and other local outlets note the city still has to complete a community benefits agreement and work through remaining permitting steps tied to the Santa Fe Yards plan. Summit officials say they remain committed to Denver as the club and city hammer out those details, and the next several weeks should reveal whether the July target is a solid deadline or more of an optimistic talking point.
