Empower Field Questionable After Fire For Broncos Opening Day

It looked really bad at first and then it seemed to not really be too big of a deal in the grad scheme of things but now, after inspections it looks like the long term effects of that fire that hit the suite level at Empower Field at Mile High could linger for several months with repairs quite possibly stretching past the Broncos home opener in September.

The fire at the stadium last week has effected 14 suites and a little over 200 seats. There's going to be a lot of restoration work that needs to be done due to the water damage sustained. The suites look to be ready by September but the tricky part to this whole project will be replacing the steel risers that help support the stadium that were effected during the fire with the extreme heat. That's the biggest issue.

Broncos CEO Joe Ellis had this to say to 9 News about the fire:

"At first I was sort of dismissive, a small little fire with a few chairs or something like that, but when I got down there and saw the magnitude of it and what it did to a certain small part of the building, it was not an insignificant event.

"Our staff along with the fire department and all the people associated with evacuating the building, which was actually a big deal, did a great job. Listen, it’s nothing like a forest fire that takes out a neighborhood of 100 homes like happened up in the Marshall Fire or anything like that. I don’t want anyone to think it was to that level at all. But fires are not to be messed with. They are serious incidents."

Other events like concerts, monster trucks shows and other things like that will continue to be held at the stadium with the damaged section obviously roped off but as for full capacity, we're just going to have to take a wait and see outlook on that whole situation.

Whether it's all ready or not for Broncos opening day one thing is for certain, Broncos Country will be loud and proud and ready to roll for the 2022 season.