No, Colorado Sports Stadiums Aren't All Cashless

For some, cash is still considered king when they go to Colorado sports stadiums.

Luckily for them — and anyone else choosing to live off the credit-card grid — most major venues in the state actually continue to accept coins and bills as forms of payment, despite language on arena websites denouncing the practice.


But a 2021 state law — Retail Business Must Accept Cash — requires “retail establishments that offer goods or services to accept United States currency (cash) to purchase the goods or services.” The legislation was put forth by Senator Robert Rodriguez and Representative Alex Valdez in response to local businesses suspending their acceptance of cash when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“That was detrimental to a lot of folks in my district who don't have a bank account, don't have a debit card,” says Valdez, who represents Colorado's 5th Congressional District in Denver. “We have all sorts of communities that are in the cash economy, and it just became difficult for them to get access to the basics.”

Residents who don’t have credit cards can be found all over, Valdez notes.

“People have had credit problems in the past and they can't get bank accounts,” he says. “In some instances, you have immigrant communities that either prefer the cash economy or it’s a necessity for them, and you have folks who don't believe that every transaction they want [should be] tracked, so there's actually a lot of folks that just don't want to share data so openly.”

Regardless, the point of the Must Accept Cash law is that folks should be able to spend their hard-earned money at any business, in whatever form they wish. That includes sports and concert venues.

“We understand that [stadiums] are trying to find a balance between not having large sums of cash on hand and also serving all of their customers,” Valdez says. “Ultimately, when it comes to sports and concerts, it's all about the revenue, and money is money. So most merchants have complied and continued to do business as they did before the pandemic.”

Around the metro Denver area, most venues advertise as being cashless despite still offering cash options. Such claims aren’t technically illegal; some arenas and stadiums get around the law with systems such as the one at Empower Field that involves people exchanging cash for cards at reverse ATMs.

Still, Valdez cautions businesses against using such language.

“I wouldn't condone that, because that is exclusionary for folks,” he says. “It would be essentially stating something that is not allowed.”

Westword has confirmed that nearly all of the major sports and music venues in Denver and the surrounding area still accept cash, though the way people can use it varies. Below are some of the current options:

Ball Arena

Home to the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Mammoth, Ball Arena allows visitors to use cash at multiple locations inside the venue.

“Ball Arena Concessions, Suites, and Premium location are cashless,” the venue says in its food and beverage policies. “Guests may pay with debit or credit for their convenience. Select Ball Arena locations do accept cash as payment.”

Currently, concessions at sections 146 and 379 accept physical money. Both locations offer food and beverage options. When concerts or touring events use the arena, it is up to the act or event to determine whether their merchandise booths will accept cash. In-house merchandise at the arena is card-only.

Coors Field

The Colorado Rockies currently allow people visiting Coors Field to use cash on merchandise being sold in specific locations throughout the venue. Along with Empower Field, the baseball stadium is managed by the Metropolitan Football Stadium District. And like Empower, Coors has opted to implement reverse ATMs that convert cash into a payment card valid at the stadiums and most other retailers where credit cards are accepted.

“Establishments that provide a device to convert cash into a prepaid card with no fee and a minimum balance of no more than one dollar” are granted an exception to the 2021 law requiring businesses to accept cash, according to state law.

Coors Field currently has six regular ATMs and two reverse ATMS. The reverse ATMs are located behind sections 114 and 330. There are also four concession stands that accept cash.

“The Ticket Office, retail locations and most concession stands will be CASHLESS with only credit cards accepted,” Coors Field says on its "Know Before You Go" page. “Cash will only be accepted at the following concession stands: Section 109 Fanfare, 134 Grille Works, 306 Grille Works and 327 Fanfare.”

Denver Coliseum

The Denver Coliseum — managed by Denver Arts & Venues — is technically a cashless venue, but it also employs reverse ATMs as a way to get around the law. 

“There are reverse ATMs to convert any cash to a card for patrons to use," the arena says in its Frequently Asked Questions section.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — located in Commerce City and home to the Colorado Rapids — is mainly cashless. But like Ball Arena, the venue does offer at least two concession stands that will take your money.

The locations that accept cash are at Section 113 and Section 122. The team store accepts cash, as well.

"The only facet where the stadium is digital-only is in regards to tickets," the Rapids say.

Empower Field at Mile High

The 76,000-plus capacity Denver Broncos stadium currently has ten reverse ATMs — five of which also serve as regular ATMs.

According to the Empower Field at Mile High Cashless Facility web page, the reverse ATMS are located at sections 105, 113, 121, 134, 307, 322, 335, 508, 520 and 534.

Folsom Field

Home of the Colorado Buffaloes and epic concerts — like the final run of Dead & Company this summer — Folsom Field actually makes no reference in its Field Policies as to whether or not it accepts cash. However, on a Dead & Company Concert Information page, it says: “Only credit cards will be accepted as we have transitioned to cashless for concessions.”

The venue is currently preparing to be in "Prime Time" this season as new head football coach Deion Sanders takes over the beleaguered program.

“Folsom Field is a cashless facility,” confirms Troy Andre, associate director of athletic communications, in a statement to Westword. "We do have a cash option available in compliance with the Colorado State law, but our focus, for efficiency and the convenience of our fans, is to encourage all to use the wide variety of options on game day at Folsom Field."

When asked, Andre refused to give any information about what that cash option actually is.

If anyone has had issues using cash around CU Boulder, Valdez wants to hear about it.

“We’re always interested to hear what people's experiences are with this,” he says. “I know myself and the senator that I worked with are both open to hearing from constituents about how this is working for them.”