Gondolas stretching around downtown Denver might seem a bit far-fetched, but local businessman Ryan Ross believes it could be the revitalization effort that the Mile High City needs.

The package of proposed ideas released under the branding of ‘New Downtown Denver’ includes three key components – moving sidewalks, a gondola system, and an amphitheater.

The gondola system is likely to get the most attention among the ideas posed in the greater plan, with the proposal involving a three-loop system that serves as a “ride-hailing network in the air, providing riders with customizable, on-demand transportation to within steps of wherever they want to go anywhere in or near downtown.”

“Current gondola technology is such that riders can board at any station and be immediately taken non-stop to any destination the system serves that they specify, or on a tour of the city from the air,” reads a statement from Ross.

Ross’ vision would have the gondolas running from 7 a.m. to midnight, with a loop running along 16th Street placed between two hubs – one hub being a loop that travels around Civic Center Park and another traveling in the Union Station to LoHi area. According to the website for the plan, gondola cabins would arrive on-demand and could carry up to six people, with a wait time estimated at five minutes or less. In this plan, the cabins would be capable of reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour between destinations.

As far as the moving sidewalks on 16th Street Mall go, these are envisioned as being covered in a see-thru hard-shell canopy, stretching 15 city blocks. This canopy would allow for air conditioning in hot weather and heating during winter in hopes of making the 16th Street Mall area appealing for visitors during all months of the year.

The third component of Ross’ plan involves the construction of a new amphitheater, which would also mean ‘undergrounding’ Arapahoe Street between 15th and 17th streets. Billed as a 1,000-seat indoor/outdoor venue, the plan claims that this would be downtown’s first publicly-owned venue with auditorium-style seating.

Of course, many people learning about this proposal will likely have questions about the cost.

According to the New Downtown Denver website, the gondola system would cost somewhere between $120 million and $340 million, the sidewalks with canopies would cost between $18 million and $105 million, and amphitheater construction would cost between $20 million and $80 million. Additionally, annual operating costs for all three projects combined are projected between $6.4 million and $20 million.

It’s also worth noting that the goal of the plan is to ultimately generate revenue for the city through aspects like advertising along moving sidewalks and tickets for the gondola service. Total revenue generated by the project has been estimated at between $21 million and $105 million per year.

The New Downtown Denver website lists potential funding sources for the large-scale project as the Denver Downtown Development Authority, public and private partnerships, Denver general obligation bonds, and Federal transportation grants.

“[This revitalization plan] would put Denver on the national map in a way no other city in the country can match,” said Ross. “And it tells the world that there’s brand-new downtown Denver that they’ll want to visit as soon as they can.”

This plan is being promoted under a non-profit created by Ross called New Downtown Denver, Inc. Ross has been living in Colorado for 40 years and has a private investigations firm in the 16th Street Mall area. Find the full website related to this plan here.

If the bold plan has a chance of coming to fruition, the next step seems to be gaining widespread public support.

Think this plan sounds like a good idea for revitalizing Denver’s downtown? Let us know in the comments.