Is Denver now, or will it ever be, a WORLD CLASS CITY?

Commentary by Dave Felice

Writing in the recent edition of Denver's Indulge magazine, Thom Wise says a massive "regional attraction" proposed for City Park [City Loop] exemplifies a lack of "world class thinking."

Wise, described as a "chronicler of the Denver restaurant scene," claims the city could have been "re-inventing, re-energizing, and re-purposing" the Gates complex on South Broadway.  Instead, he says, "Denver will have unremarkable condos and even more forgettable ho-hum retail." 

According to Wise, the "lack of world class thinking" comes from the "same politically-motivated cadre trying to cram the 'City Loop' concept into City Park.

"Let's be honest," writes Wise.  "New York, Sydney, Paris, and Hong Kong are world class cities...but Denver is not there."

Instead of Mayor Michael B. Hancock's effort about "building Denver into a world class city," Wise suggests it requires "real boldness to rise up and admit" that Denver is what it is and what it may never be.