After nearly a decade in the making, on April 23, 2021, Weidner Apartment Homes hosted the grand opening of Weidner Field, Colorado Springs’s new downtown stadium and community events center. The stadium can seat over 8,000 people, features a reservable Sky Lounge and Founder Club, three concession stands, and offers 6035 Hospitality catering.
Weidner Apartment Homes calls our contribution of Weidner Field a “Love Note” because it follows the definition of the term coined by Peter Kageyama in his book “For the Love of Cities: A Love Affair Between People and Their Places.” Essentially a Love Note is a small thing that cities or communities can do for their people to bring them joy. Every Weidner associate has read the book, and its principles heavily influence how we run our company and apartment communities.
Weidner’s motives for creating a new stadium in Colorado Springs were related to business efforts and personal ties to the city. As part-owner of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC soccer team, Weidner wanted to create a new stadium to build the brand and support the club. Colorado Springs is also proudly nicknamed “The City of The Future” and “The Best Place to Live on Earth,” and these claims have a strong backing. The city’s population has grown 37% since 2000, El Paso County has added 7,400 new jobs in the past year, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum was recently built downtown. By rooting themselves in the downtown market through the creation of Weidner Field, Weidner can be at the forefront of the area’s continued growth and prosperity.
Business purposes aside, the Chairman and Founder, Dean Weidner, has a strong connection to Colorado Springs as he grew up in the town and still has family living in the area. Dean and his wife, Ana Weidner, are also committed philanthropists and continually seek opportunities to better the communities Weidner Apartment Homes serves. Through the creation of Weidner Field, Dean Weidner has given back and strengthened the community by providing a place where people can connect and enjoy games, events, and concerts.
Weidner added additional features to Weidner Field to contribute to the architecture and culture of Colorado Springs. One of the unique features of Weidner Field is the art installation displayed outside of the stadium. This installation is the company’s participation in the Colorado Springs Art Walk which features a city tour highlighting everything from local museums to giant art sculptures. Weidner Field is now a stop on the Art Walk with ten 12-foot-tall murals of stunning pieces by the late Olympic Games artist LeRoy Neiman. These pieces bring color to the city and make Neiman’s legendary art accessible to everyone, every day, free of charge. Showcasing his work is synonymous with the city’s connection to the Olympics, evident in their training facilities and new museum. The art installation is part of Weidner’s collaboration with the Neiman Foundation and Weidner Field’s sister project, City of Champions, at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
Another special addition to Weidner Field is the stunning 35-foot-tall entryway sculpture, The Epicenter. This is a 164,000-pound polished stainless-steel masterpiece of a sphere surrounded by elevated rings. The structure is also outlined with a remote-controlled LED lighting system that creates a spectacular display, perfect for pumping up the crowd after a Switchbacks goal! The sculpture is Weidner’s gift to the city for residents and visitors to enjoy. The Epicenter is a memorable and distinctive part of downtown and a new landmark in Colorado Springs, CO.