Building Denver’s Next Great Sports Districts

How sports-anchored developments are driving billions in investment, transforming infrastructure and creating new destination districts for the city

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  Robert Cohen

  As Chairman and CEO of the IMA Financial Group, Inc., an integrated financial services company, Robert Cohen is responsible for the company’s core strategic plan, including organic growth, M&A and building an industry-leading employee culture. Since assuming the role of CEO of IMA in 2000 Rob has led the enterprise to over 700% revenue growth while building a client focused culture rooted in employee ownership. His vision for IMA is to remain big enough to provide all the resources necessary for any client, but small enough to always focus on each client and service their individual needs. IMA’s commitment to the community began when the company was incorporated and simultaneously created the IMA Foundation. Rob has built upon this commitment by defining IMA’s mission statement as: Protecting Assets, Making a Difference. Rob strongly believes in personally giving back to the community and has served on more than 20 non-profit boards throughout his career in a variety of leadership capacities. Currently Rob serves on Colorado I Have a Dream Foundation (Co-Founder & Past Chair), Colorado Succeeds, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (Past Chair), Denver Sports (Founder & Past Chair), Downtown Denver Partnership (Past Chair), Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. (Past Chair), United States Olympic Museum, United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation and Visit Denver (Past Chair). A native of Kansas, Rob received his bachelor’s degrees in both Risk Management and Finance from the University of Texas at Austin. He went on to earn his Charter Property Casualty Underwriters designation (CPCU). His local and national professional memberships include Colorado Concern, Colorado Forum, Assurex Global, Intersure (Past Chair), World Presidents’ Organization, Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (Past Chair), and World Broker Network. His many recognitions include the National Philanthropy Day in Colorado “Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser” award (2002), the Partners in Philanthropy “Corporate Citizen of the Year” award (2011), the Urban Legend Award (2018), the Most Admired CEO Award (2019), Metropolitan State University of Denver’s “Marathon Award” (2022), the Denver Business Journal’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award (2022), Visit Denver’s Hall of Fame Inductee (2023), and Insurance Business America’s Hall of Fame Honoree (2023). He and his wife Molly reside in Denver and have three sons and one daughter.

  IMA Financial Group

  Chairman & CEO

  Robert Cohen

  Chairman & CEO

  IMA Financial Group

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  Walter Isenberg

  The co-founder of Sage Hospitality, Walter Isenberg serves as the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Denver-based Sage Hospitality specializes in the operations, development and capital transactions of hospitality real estate. Sage Hospitality owns and operates hotels and restaurants in 26 states. Isenberg directs all company operations, including property management, real estate transactions and brand development. Isenberg co-founded Sage Hospitality in 1984 with partner Zachary Neumeyer. The company’s history in hospitality includes ground-up development, historic-adaptive re-use, acquisitions and third-party management. Sage hotels include well -known brands such as JW Marriott, Starwood Collection, Westin and Hilton, as well as several independent hotels. In 2006, Sage formed the Sage Restaurant Group, which operates unique high-volume restaurants inside its urban hotels.

  Sage Hospitality

  Co-Founder, President & CEO

  Walter Isenberg

  Co-Founder, President & CEO

  Sage Hospitality

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  Jamie Torres

  Councilwoman Jamie Torres took office as the Denver City Council Member representing District 3, Denver’s westside, on July 15, 2019. She was elected to serve as Council President in 2022 through July of 2024. Jamie’s roots are directly in the west Denver community where she and her husband currently call home. She is a third-generation Denverite, her grandmother was born in a small house in the Curtis Park neighborhood and grew up in the old Auraria Neighborhood and her grandfather grew up in Sun Valley. Her family moved to Villa Park in the 1960s where Jamie has now lived for over 30 years. It is her home and the community is her inspiration. Jamie is a community advocate and community connector to her core. Prior to being elected, Jamie spent 18 years in the Human Rights & Community Partnerships Agency (HRCP) in the City and County of Denver where she helped ensure Denver is focused on the civil rights, human rights, and social justice needs of its residents. Jamie was both Deputy Director of the Agency and Director of the Denver Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs, an office she started in 2005 because she saw a need for greater immigrant inclusion. Over the years in working for local government, Jamie worked directly on issues of poverty, equity, food insecurity, community and civic engagement, immigrant integration, and approaching innovative ways of direct leadership development in underrepresented communities. Jamie is committed to representing the incredible community of District 3, advocating for key services and amenities that impact our quality of life, and ensuring the city delivers on its commitment to equity for the good of our collective future.

  District 3

  Denver City Council

  Jamie Torres

  Denver City Council

  District 3

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  Bill Johnson

  Bill Johnson is the design principal for HOK’s Denver office and is a recognized leader in the design of sports and entertainment facilities. Over the course of his 35-year career, Bill has applied his expertise and design sensitivity to a wide variety of project types striving to create spaces that are good neighbors, innovation drivers and great urban places. He is passionate about blurring the boundaries between sport and culture and communicating how architecture can elevate the human experience. His approach is defined by his ability to design award-winning buildings that contribute to the vitality of the broader community.

  HOK

  Senior Principal

  Bill Johnson

  Senior Principal

  HOK

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  Troy Orzech

  VP

  JLL

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  Yvette Roman

  Yvette Roman is the owner and founder of Ellipsis Construction, a licensed, women-owned commercial General Contractor based in Denver, CO. With over a decade of experience in commercial construction and a degree in civil engineering, Yvette has managed complex public and private projects in both Los Angeles, CA, and Denver, CO. Her company holds a Class A General Contractor License, allowing them to take on commercial projects of any scale across Colorado, with a current focus on Tenant Improvement projects. Ellipsis Construction was founded in the wake of COVID, a turning point that led Yvette to embrace entrepreneurship. Committed to relationships, sustainability, and innovation, she has streamlined operational processes to reduce inefficiencies and human errors like double entry. Her team is dedicated to delivering high-quality, environmentally responsible projects that ensure long-term success for businesses.

  Founder | Principal | Owner

  Ellipsis Construction

  Moderator

  Yvette Roman

  Ellipsis Construction

  Founder | Principal | Owner

The Rise of Experience-Driven Entertainment

Exploring how experiential venues, destination restaurants, and hybrid entertainment concepts are redefining urban placemaking and driving real estate demand

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  Steve Nalley

  Chief Real Estate Officer

  National Western Center Authority

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  Jose Carredano

  Managing Partner

  Fox Park

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  Kevin Bacon

  30+ years’ experience in the hospitality industry, including restaurants, family leisure and consumer entertainment In the mid 1990s co-founded Frankie & Benny’s, which became one of the UK’s largest casual dining brands, overseeing growth from the first site to over 180 restaurants across the UK and Europe, with a workforce of 6,500+ employees Group Managing Director and board member of FTSE 250, stock market listed The Restaurant Group plc (mkt cap £1.2 billion); 7 restaurant brands - including Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquitos, Garfunkel's, Blubeckers, Brunning and Price - across almost 350 sites nationwide Managing Director of Jamie Oliver International, responsible for expanding Jamie’s highly successful “Jamie’s Italian” brand overseas in markets, including the Middle East, Australia and Asia Recipient of UK’s ‘Leisure Operator of the Year 2008’ at the prestigious UK Retail and Property Awards in recognition of being the industry’s leading expert on provincial developments Senior Non-executive Director, TeamSport Indoor Go Karting, Europe’s largest go-karting leisure operator (current) Past non-executive director / senior advisor roles: Chester Racecourse, QSR Automations, Flypay/Flyt, Ignite Group, SNUG Bars

  Urban Legacies - URWLD

  CEO

  Kevin Bacon

  CEO

  Urban Legacies - URWLD

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  Zachary Kotel

  Co-Founder & Executive Director

  Lavender Hill Cultural District

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  Ashley Clark

  Ashley Clark is the Director of Project Development at Mortenson, a Minneapolis-based family-owned company that's had a presence in Denver for nearly 45 years. She began her career as a field engineer after graduating from Iowa State University in 2013 with a degree in construction engineering. Ashley’s career spans over a decade, with her early years focused on high-profile Sports + Entertainment projects like U.S. Bank Stadium, Chase Center, Climate Pledge Arena, and Geodis Park. She then moved on to direct large-scale projects in the rapidly growing data center sector. Ashley is a passionate advocate for women in construction. She co-founded three business resource groups at Mortenson that support women and parents. She is relocating from Omaha, Nebraska to Denver, Colorado with her husband and two daughters and is excited to get to know the Denver community.

  Mortenson

  Director

  Ashley Clark

  Director

  Mortenson

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  Melyssa Hartzell

  Melyssa Hartzell, a Principal at Martin/Martin, Inc. (370+ employee-owned full-service survey, civil and structural engineering firm based in Lakewood, Colorado with 9 offices across the Nation), brings extensive experience in project management in civil engineering, focusing on land development, site development, and urban infrastructure projects. Her expertise spans street layout and roadway design, site grading, wastewater and waterline systems, and comprehensive drainage and erosion control reporting. Over her 17-year career, she has built a strong track record working with Colorado municipalities, gaining in-depth knowledge of entitlement processes and regulations. In addition, Melyssa has cultivated close relationships with architects, developers, and key stakeholders within the sports community, positioning her as a go-to professional for successful project execution in high-profile, complex developments. Notable projects include: Colorado State University (CSU) Canvas Football Stadium, National Western CSU SPUR, Ball Arena Redevelopment, Denver Broncos Training Center, University of Colorado Boulder Potts and Prentup Fields, Colorado Rockies Coors Field and East Plaza, Victory Crossing, and multiple golf courses and recreation centers.

  Martin/Martin, Inc.

  Principal

  Moderator

  Melyssa Hartzell

  Principal

  Martin/Martin, Inc.