The real Land Man + his impact on Colorado’s future

If you’ve been to a Nuggets or Avalanche game, or if you’ve watched your favorite band perform at Ball Arena, you have felt the footprint of Stan Kroenke in Colorado. But here’s something you might not realize…

Following a massive New Mexico land deal on January 13, he now owns approximately 2.7 million acres of land across the United States, which makes him the largest private landowner in the country.

Just to put that into perspective…

That’s roughly 500K acres larger than Yellowstone National Park.

That’s 2x the size of Delaware.

That’s 6x the size of Rocky Mountain National Park.

That’s 25x the size of the city of Denver.

That’s over 2M football fields.

That’s 18.8M double residential lots in Denver Proper. (A true “Denver double” lot is 6,250 SF.)

WOWWW.

So the real estate question becomes: what does this mean for Colorado? Pull up a chair and let’s talk about it!

Full Disclaimer: I nerd out about stuff like this so I’m about to go deep and for those of you who don’t want to read on, here’s the TLDR: I think it’s wildly fascinating and ultimately, a great sign for our city.

Ok, let’s dive in! First, in today’s world, owning a sports team isn’t just about championships. It’s about control of the surrounding real estate. Kroenke owns Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which controls the Nuggets, the Avalanche, the Rapids, the Mammoth, the LA Rams, and the Arsenal men’s and women’s soccer teams, in addition to venues like Ball Arena, DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, Paramount Theater and Elitch Gardens, and Altitude Sports & Entertainment.

And because I know you’ve heard whispers about the massive redevelopment project planned around Ball Arena known as River Mile, you already know that this isn’t about sports. As much as I love them, this isn’t their moment. This is about urban redevelopment at scale.

Did you know that as of June 2025, the 62-acre River Mile project surrounding Ball Arena is now owned exclusively by Kroenke? He bought out Revesco Properties’ interest in the investment, making him the sole owner in a development that is going to change Denver’s landscape. When one entity controls both the arena and the land around it, they don’t just influence games - they influence housing, zoning, retail + office space, hospitality, new development, public transit integration, riverfront activations, and so much more.

In addition to Kroenke’s Denver real estate holdings, his most recent land acquisition has put him on the map on a national level… and increased his leverage accordingly. The more land you control, the more levers you have to pull: preserve it, develop it, lease it, trade it, sell it, or hold it. More dirt = more possible moves. And in real estate, having options is power.

For comparison’s sake, let’s look at McDonald's. I may or may not have indulged in a late-night quarter pounder once or twice… I won’t tell if you don’t.

Anyway, most people think McDonald’s is in the burger business. 

It’s not. It’s in the real estate business.

McDonald’s owns (or controls through long-term leases) the land under the majority of its locations, where franchisees pay rent. The quarter pounders may be the attraction, but the land is the long-term play, and the golden arches are just anchors for the real estate, which typically appreciates over time.

Let’s translate that back to Denver.

The games & concerts are the attraction, Ball Arena is the anchor, and the surrounding land is the long-term play.

Just like McDonald’s uses their restaurants to drive predictable traffic to their real estate, sports franchises do the exact same thing - and I’d venture that it’s even more predictable because of their respective seasons. So when one ownership group controls both the entertainment assets and the surrounding development opportunity, they’re poised to shape a city and its future.

Now, let’s examine the fact that his land portfolio leans heavily western. His largest land acquisitions started with ranches, and ranches aren’t impulse purchases. They are rooted in generational wealth strategy, with confidence in long-term land value and often times, an interest in influence or control over natural resources.

Colorado sits in a unique position because we’re a desirable lifestyle state with limited buildable land, strict water constraints, and increasing development pressure. When a single owner holds vast acreage across the West, it creates leverage and influence over how land and natural resources are preserved, managed, or potentially activated in the future.

Here’s another thing most people don’t think about: large-scale development is simply easier when fewer decision-makers are involved. In any big project, multiple decision-makers slow progress down. Multiple landowners = multiple agendas. When one ownership group controls a large footprint like River Mile, projects can move faster, more cohesively, and more strategically. It becomes less democratic, but I would argue that it’s more efficient if managed properly.

So again, what exactly does this signal for Colorado real estate?

That it’s a strong long-term investment.

Why? Because big bets send signals. Let’s say you’re in Vegas. When a high roller repeatedly bets big on a blackjack table, you naturally lean in - without even thinking about it. So when an ultra-high-net-worth individual continues doubling down on Western land specifically, it reinforces something we’re already seeing on the ground. It’s not a short-term play; it’s a long-term asset.

They’re essentially saying: “This land will matter more in 30 years, not less.” That level of confidence has a massive ripple effect, and it makes you think in decades versus election cycles. This matters because Rome wasn’t built in a day and cities aren’t shaped overnight. They are built and shaped by who holds the land and how long they plan to hold it. And what this tells me is that not only is Kroenke betting on the West, he’s betting on Denver, land scarcity, and long-term value.

Personally, I’d much rather have big-picture thinkers shaping our skyline than short-term flippers chasing quarterly returns. This is exactly the kind of confidence and hope that I’m leaning into right now, and if you know someone who is looking to make a wise investment in Colorado, I’d love to help them find it!

Call or text me directly any time: 970-331-1352