DENVER – Sports fans and music aficionados will soon be able to leave their COVID-19 vaccine cards and masks at home if attending events at Ball Arena and the Paramount Theatre.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) officials announced Wednesday they would be lifting all COVID-19 safety protocols for both venues starting this Saturday, March 12.
That means anyone going to see the Nuggets, the Avs, the Colorado Mammoth or any other entertainment shows won’t be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test before getting in the door. Mask wearing will also no longer be required.
The safety protocols, which have been in place since Nov. 10, 2021, will remain in effect for events at both venues this Thursday and Friday, and for the Billie Eilish concert at Ball Arena on March 19.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, the health, safety and wellness of our fans, staff, vendors, athletes and performers has been our top priority and after discussions with local, state and federal health officials as well as with officials from the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), National Lacrosse League (NLL) and various concert and entertainment entities, we have decided to lift all current event COVID-19 entry protocols effective on March 12, 2022,” said Matt Bell, Senior Vice President of Venue Operations for KSE.
Officials said they will continue to honor event-specific COVID-19 protocols as requested by an artist or performer, so make sure you check what the protocols will be for a specific event before you head out the door.
“While certain NBA, NHL and NLL restrictions will continue to remain in place related to players, coaches and team support staff, we are prepared to safely take this important next step and return our daily event operations for our fans to pre-pandemic levels and we will continue to work with local, state and federal health officials as well as our league officials to constantly monitor any changes to the COVID-19 landscape in the coming weeks and months,” Bell said.
KSE officials said in a news release they will continue to work with local and state health officials on COVID-19 and other public health matters, but stopped short of saying whether these protocols could return to both venues if the trajectory of the pandemic changes in the coming months.
Bob McDonald, the executive director of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE), said in a statement the lifting of these restrictions is “part of the process of moving to the next phase of managing COVID-19 in our city.”
Denver’s one-week incidence rate was 25 cases per 100,000 people as of March 5, according to city data. The current one-week positivity rate in Denver is 2.3%.
