The two finalists for Denver mayor talked about business-related issues Thursday, touching on topics that have gotten scant attention thus far in the race leading up to the June 4 runoff election.

Incumbent Michael Hancock and challenger Jamie Giellis talked about tax incentives, the 16^th Street Mall and what they would do as mayor during an economic slowdown during the hour-long debate co-hosted by Colorado Concern and CiviCO before about 100 people at Club CiviCo in Cherry Creek.

This reporter moderated the  debate.

Here are some excerpts:

Delays and cost overruns at the airport?

The two candidates differed sharply in their assessment of potential delays and cost overruns on the renovation of the Great Hall at Denver International Airport.

Giellis described it as a mismanaged project that is piling up costs through change orders that are driving a 20-month delay and escalating costs.

“We need to be accountable to the taxpayers to talk about what this is really going to cost us and how we’re going to manage this project going forward,” she said.

“The construction is underway, so this is going to be a complicated one to tackle, but we cannot let taxpayers put an astronomical bill for a project that’s really about building a shopping center there,” she added. “We have so many other important things to be investing in.”

Hancock countered that by law taxpayers will never be at risk because the project is funded entirely from an airport enterprise fund.

He called the reports of cost overruns and delays premature and based upon a one-sided perspective of the developer of the project.

“And thank God we are doing the project because if we have an abnormality with the concrete at the airport, we’re going to address it,” he said.

“Safety is everyone at the airport’s number one concern,” he added. “Once we settle that we’ll deal with the delays and the potential costs may be. But at no time will taxpayers foot the bill or be at risk.”

The National Western Center project

The two candidates were asked for their vision of how the massive overhaul of the National Western Center will impact neighborhoods like Globeville and Elyria-Swansea.

Hancock said the project will be a boon to the neighborhood by creating apprenticeship opportunities and jobs during the construction period plus permanent jobs once the center opens.

He also cited a community-controlled charitable fund that will derive revenue from operations at the center.

“And so, this has been a partnership since day one,” Hancock said. “We didn’t want to do to the community, we wanted to do with the community.”

“We also set some of the members of the community on our governing board as well as our advisory board, he added. “I’m pretty excited about what we’ve done. I think it’s going to be a better project, a better effort going forward because of the communication.”

Giellis agreed that the center presents “a tremendous opportunity” if done right and that the jobs and community fund are good things.

However, she cited concerns about the center’s purpose.

“My nervousness over where we’re headed is that we build it as a complex, that it is an entertainment complex that is essentially closed down and used for a certain function,” she said. “I think we have an opportunity to turn it into an incredible center of research for modern urban agriculture, for water quality.”

She also said she’s heard complaints from community members.

“Right now it doesn’t feel integrated with the community,” she said. I was…talking to community members who still feel like they are being shut out of a conversation.”

What to do when the boom goes bust?

Giellis, an urban planner making her first run for public office, said she would take a close look at the budget, scrutinize spending and conduct an audit to prepare in the event of an economic slow down.

She said city government grew by 20% over the last eight years at the same time that the city’s population grew by 11%.

“We have to look internally at our organization,” Giellis said.

“It starts with me ensuring that we have sufficient operations at the city, that we’re prioritizing what we need to tackle most to get through a bust cycle.”

Hancock said he benefited from having previously served as city council president at a time when then-Mayor John Hickenlooper was leading the city through a recession.

“We were able to keep the central services of Denver going because we understood the budget,” Hancock said.

He noted that in a budget briefing last week, city officials advised him that sales and use tax collections had softened for the third consecutive quarter. He said that prompted city officials to prepare for a slowdown.

 “And we are beginning that process right now, preparing all cabinet leads, all budget analysts to begin the process of holding the line on expenditures, beginning to make sure we can save within our allocated budget for 2019,” he said.

Dealing with developers

Both candidates were asked specifically how they would stand up to developers seeking approval for building projects.

Hancock, who is seeking a third and final four-year term, cited his work with implementing development fees.

“I’ve had quite a few conversations with developers who were not happy that we were moving to implement development fees in the city of Denver to help fund affordable housing,” Hancock said. “Those are not easy conversations.”

Giellis, a former president of the River North Arts District, said she would look at zoning, affordability requirements and design overlays to make sure that projects serve their neighborhoods.

“I’m not anti-development. We need smart development. We need smart growth,” Giellis said. “But re-zoning is the tool with which we can ask developers to do more for us. We can say to them, there’s an opportunity here for you to do more on this piece of land. And we will work with you if you give us more to do with the community.”

Hancock countered that the city already is doing that with requests from developers to address social needs. He said the next step will be to develop planning documents that are specific to each Denver neighborhood.

Revitalizing the 16^th Street Mall

The candidates were asked for their reaction to an RTD plan to reconfigure the pedestrian-transit mall by channeling shuttle buses along one central lane and widening the pedestrian areas. They were also asked what they would do to revitalize the mall.

Giellis said the mall has been a topic of conversation since she first came to Denver in 2006 and that there have been numerous studies on how to revitalize it.

“I struggle with the fact that perhaps changing the configuration of the lane system will be the solution that we’re all hoping for,” she said.

“I think we need to give adequate thought to some of the other opportunities and options that were brought forth in terms of moving circulation throughout Denver,” she added. “And perhaps looking at the form and function of 16th Street as a rule.”

Hancock said the mall’s maintenance has suffered from a lack of attention over the years. He noted that a group of international experts were called upon to offered advice.

He also said only a small percentage of the people who use the free mall shuttle stop and linger in the shops along the route.

“So the goal is to revitalize and reconfigure it so that we can become more engaged in the mall and give us some versatility in terms of activities and programs,” he said.

“So you’re going to see us be creative about how we bring people on the mall and how we get people to engage along the mall,” he added. “The reconfiguration and revitalization of the mall is the first step which will begin early next year.”