History
The stadium opened in 1948 as Bears Stadium, a ballpark for Denver's minor-league baseball team. The AFL's Broncos started playing there in 1960, and the city bought it and renamed it Mile High Stadium.
Its best-known feature was a triple-deck east grandstand, built in the mid-1970s, that floated on water bearings. Hydraulic rams pushed it out about 145 feet for baseball. Thanks to that flexibility, MLB's expansion Rockies could play their first two seasons there in 1993 and 1994.
The Broncos moved next door to the new Invesco Field for the 2001 season, and the last professional event at the old stadium was an MLS match that September. Contractors took it down piece by piece in early 2002, and the site became parking for the new stadium.
Why it matters: It was the Broncos' home for 41 seasons, and its movable grandstand let one venue serve both NFL and MLB.
Timeline
- August 14, 1948
The ballpark opened for the minor-league Denver Bears.
- October 2, 1960First Broncos home game[3]
The AFL Broncos beat the Oakland Raiders 31–14 in their first game at the stadium.
- 1968
The stadium took the Mile High name after the city acquired it. Sources differ on the year.
- 1975–1977Movable east stands built[1]
A triple-deck east grandstand was built that could be moved on water bearings to switch between football and baseball layouts.
- 1993Rockies' first seasons[1]
MLB's expansion Rockies played their first two seasons here.
- December 23, 2000
The Broncos beat the 49ers 38–9 in their last game at the stadium.
- September 8, 2001Last professional event[1]
The Colorado Rapids lost to the LA Galaxy in the final game.
- April 17, 2002
Spirtas Wrecking finished taking the stadium apart conventionally, without an implosion.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,4] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Parking lot for Empower Field at Mile High[1,4] |
| Surviving remnants | Wikipedia says a miniature replica of the stadium stands in the parking lot, and the hills that formed the west and north stands still mark the site.[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Colorado Rapids | MLS |
|---|---|
| Denver Bears / Zephyrs | Western League / American Association / PCL · 1948–1992 |
| Denver Broncos | AFL/NFL · 1960–2000 |
| Colorado Rockies | MLB · 1993–1994 |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Bears Stadium (1948–1968) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2755 West 17th Avenue, Denver, Colorado[1,3] |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football, Baseball, Soccer |
| Level | AFL, NFL, MLB, Minor League, MLS |
| Opened | August 14, 1948[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | September 8, 2001[1] |
| Demolished | April 17, 2002[1,4] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 76,273[1] |
| Capacity notes | The infobox gives 76,273 for 1986–2001. The body text gives 76,123 after suites were added in 1986. |
| Architect | Stanley E. Morse[1] |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Owner / operator | Rocky Mountain Sports, Inc. (1948–1968); City & County of Denver (1968–2001) |
| Closure | Replaced by Invesco Field at Mile High (now Empower Field at Mile High), built next door. |
Documented details
- The movable east stands weighed close to 9 million pounds and moved about two feet per minute on a film of water, so each change took about six hours.[1]
- A fire in late January 2002, just as demolition began, damaged a section of the west stands' second deck.[4]
- The Broncos went 190-108-7 at the stadium from 1960 to 2000, according to the team's historian.[2]
Connected venues
Sources
- Mile High Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, opened, remnants, teams
- Sacco Sez: By any name, a stadium of champions, Denver Broncos. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: opened, teams
- Mile High Stadium – stadium page, Pro-Football-Reference. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, teams
- Denver Bids Fond Farewell to Mile High Stadium, Construction Equipment Guide. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: current land use, demolished
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (3)
- Sources disagree on the renaming year: 1968 (Wikipedia), 1969 (Broncos.com), and 'Bears Stadium 1960–1967' (Pro-Football-Reference).
- The Broncos.com article confirms 1948 but not the exact day. Aug 14, 1948 comes from Wikipedia only.
- The closing date (Sept 8, 2001, Rapids match) comes from Wikipedia only. The final Broncos game (Dec 23, 2000) is corroborated by Pro-Football-Reference.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.