Does Denver have anything truly 'world-class'? (Vail, Breckenridge: ski resorts, theater, maintenance)

[cityboy2010]

Now before anyone says anything, I've lived in Denver a long time. I know Denver has a lot to offer. But seriously...when compared with another city, the museums don't seem to be so great anymore. Our downtown pales in comparison. Even our malls don't seem so bright and shiny. Our music scene is way outnumbered. Haha, we don't even have a "ghetto" streetcred. So what does Denver have that would land in the top-10, like will this city ever really be on the map? I'm starting to wonder if this actually is an overgrown, semi-cosmopolitan "cowtown". No offense intended. Remember, I'm from Denver. Just wondering what all the other Denver residents here think!

[Katarina Witt]

I've read that the Denver Public Library has a world class western history collection.

[vegaspilgrim]

World class MJ dispensaries.

[choosing78]

Perhaps you should go live in some other cities. I don't mean that in a nasty way but if Denver isn't appealing to you right now maybe you should try something else. Maybe you'll see with new eyes all Denver does have to offer. Denver might not have "the best" anything (except for maybe pro sports offerings) but it offers a nice well rounded combination of everything (nightlife, outdoors, opportunities, art and culture, affordability, laid back people, great weather).

[Scott5280]

Try living in a few other cities with WORLD CLASS dining,shopping,museums...a few of these places have WORLD CLASS gang and thug culture too.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Scott5280

Try living in a few other cities with WORLD CLASS dining,shopping,museums...a few of these places have WORLD CLASS gang and thug culture too.

Not to mention world class housing prices, taxes, and crowding.

[ajmac10]

Do the names Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, or Steamboat mean anything to you?? Now of course those aren't in Denver, but people move here every year just to be able to drive 2 hours and be at a "world class" ski resort, not to mention the millions of visitors each year that come here for that same reason.

[zenkonami]

Unfortunately the OP brings up a great point. Denver doesn't really have any single thing that is "World Class." I wish we did, but we're not there yet. I'd say that Fastracks in it's ambition is widely envied and copied throughout the nation, particularly among comparable cities to Denver, but it is also far from complete and even on completion may not be "World Class." Our art museum is good, and our library impressive, but not "World Class." Our parks system may come close, though having arrived in Denver during a recession it's hard to tell as it seems maintenance has been cut back some. The closest thing we may have is our bike culture, and I'm not sure that counts.

If only Denver would celebrate brewing more. That's one of the areas where we really *could* be "World Class." And if we can keep our railroad culture alive (and can finally get a standard front range line) we might eventually score there, too, though existing plans for Union Station will complicate that somewhat.

Otherwise, we're just a city with lots of cool little things. I'd love for us to really shine in a couple areas someday (on par with some major cities like SF, NY, London, Paris, etc...in just a few things, though), but I certainly wouldn't want that at the expense of our lifestyle, population or environment. Though hopeful, may we just can't have our cake and eat it too.

[proudphoenix]

While I know it can be annoying to have a question answered with another question, I can't help but wonder...

What is a city (or what are some cities) that you think of as being "world-class," and in what respect (or in which respects) do you think of it (or each of them) as being "world-class?

I think that what it means for specific places to be "world-class" can vary so much from one person to another that it might help me (at least, if not help anyone else) to know what it means for you, in order to respond further to your question.

[davidv]

If your definition of "world class" is that something is one of the top 10, top 50, or top 100 in the world, such a designation would put "world class" items in the top 0.1% of things worldwide. If you want to talk about things in in Denver that are in the top 100, you would have to include:

1.The Western History Collection at the Denver Public Library

2. American Indian and Pre-Columbian Art collection at the Denver Art Museum.

3. DIA.

4. Red Rocks Amphitheater

5. Many mountain ski resorts


If you consider something to "world class" because it has some of the best and newest amenities (that only the "best" facilities in the world have), then our stadiums, arenas, etc are "world class." Other items/places included in this definition would be:

1. Art museum addition.

2. Colorado Convention Center.