Planning work is underway on the 164-acre site of the former Hughes Stadium, now referred to as the Fort Collins Foothills Multi-Use Site, following voter approval of a 2025 ballot initiative supporting its redevelopment.
The City of Fort Collins has announced and entered Phase 1 of the project, a Conceptual Framework that will establish a high-level plan for how the site will be organized and used moving forward.
A Multi-Use Approach
The site is being planned as a mix of recreation, conservation, and community space.
Included elements:
- Up to 60 acres of Natural Areas
- A conservation campus with potential education and wildlife rehabilitation uses
- A bike park of up to 35 acres
- Trail systems and bike and pedestrian circulation
- Community gathering and event space
- Parking, access roads, and supporting infrastructure
- Stormwater and site buffers
The focus at this stage is how these uses will be arranged across the property, and how they will interact with each other and with surrounding areas.
What’s Being Planned
Phase 1 does not include final designs. Instead, it will result in a conceptual plan that identifies general locations for major site elements, including:
- Trails and circulation routes
- The bike park footprint
- Natural areas and buffers
- Access points and parking
- Additional park and community spaces
The process also includes analysis of existing conditions such as traffic, topography, vegetation, and current trail connections, all of which will influence how the site develops.
Timeline
The project is now moving through a structured planning process:
- Q2–Q3 2026: Site analysis and existing conditions
- Q3 2026: Assessment of future site needs and programming
- Q4 2026: Development of a draft conceptual plan
- Q4 2026–Q1 2027: Public input and finalization of the plan
Later phases will move into detailed design, permitting, and eventual construction.
What It Means for Cycling in Fort Collins
With the project now in motion, decisions around trail connections, access, and the layout of the bike park will begin to take shape over the coming months. The site’s location along the foothills and near existing trail infrastructure makes connectivity a central part of that discussion.
More detailed information on specific features and timelines will come in later phases, but Phase 1 sets the framework that everything else will build from.
A full copy of the Phase 1 Conceptual Framework document is included below.
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