Colorado Convention Center To Remain An Alternative COVID-19 Care Site Through The End Of 2020

DENVER (CBS4) - The lease of the Colorado Convention Center for alternative COVID-19 care during the coronavirus pandemic was set to expire in two days, but City of Denver officials say the lease has now been extended. The lease of the convention center will now last through the end of 2020.

Hundreds of beds are available at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver in the event of a new surge of COVID cases. So far the convention center generally hasn't had to be used because hospitals haven't been overloaded with coronavirus patients.

Initially the plan was to have 2,000 beds at the convention center but that plan was scaled back.

In the late spring, Kevin Klein, Colorado's Director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said "We want to keep the ability to turn (the Colorado Convention Center) on in short order through what would be the next wave in the fall."

Since the outbreak in March, all conventions that were scheduled to take place at the Colorado Convention Center have had to cancel, including the Great American Beer Festival and the Denver Auto Show.