32 Facts About Denver International

1. Denver International needed more room to serve the various airlines that had made—and wanted to make—the Mile High City a hub of operations, and DIA did just that.

2. Denver International has a nearly complete beltway known as "the 470s".

3. Denver International is primarily served by the interstate freeways I-25 and I-70.

4. Denver International hosted the 2008 Democratic National Convention, which was the centennial of the city's first hosting of the landmark 1908 convention.

5. In 2005, Denver International became the first major city in the US to vote to make the private possession of less than an ounce of marijuana legal for adults 21 and older.

6. At the federal level, Denver International is the heart of Colorado's 1st congressional district, which includes all of Denver and parts of Arapahoe County.

7. Denver International is home to a large network of public community gardens, most of which are managed by Denver Urban Gardens, a non-profit organization.

8. Denver International continues to grow its park system with the development of many new parks along the Platte River through the city, and with Central Park and Bluff Lake Nature Center in the Stapleton neighborhood redevelopment.

9. Many of Denver International's parks were acquired from state lands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

10. Denver International is home to a variety of sports teams and is one of 13 US cities with teams from four major sports.

11. Denver International is well known for other types of food such as Rocky Mountain oysters, rainbow trout, and the Denver sandwich.

12. Denver International is famous for its dedication to New Mexican cuisine and the chile.

13. Denver International used to be a major trading center for beef and livestock when ranchers would drive cattle to the Denver Union Stockyards for sale.

14. Denver International has numerous art districts around the city, including Denver's Art District on Santa Fe and the River North Art District.

15. In 2015, Denver International ranked No 1 on Forbes' list of the Best Places for Business and Careers.

16. Denver International is in 149th place in terms of the cost of doing business in the United States.

17. Denver International lies within the semi-arid, continental climate zone.

18. Denver International has a number of neighborhoods not reflected in the administrative boundaries.

19. Denver International does not have larger area designations, unlike the City of Chicago, which has larger areas that house the neighborhoods.

20. Denver International is in the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor, between the Rocky Mountains to the west and the High Plains to the east.

21. Denver International is ranked as a Beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

22. Denver International is located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

23. Denver International is serious about sustainability with a LEED Gold convention center, green hotels, bike sharing, airport with solar panels and Greenprint Denver plan.

24. Denver International loves its sports, from basketball to football to soccer to baseball.

25. The Denver International Performing Art Complex is the 2nd largest performing arts center in the world.

26. Denver International is one of the sunniest cities in the US, with 300 annual days with some sunshine each year.

27. Denver International was home to the very first Chipotle Mexican Grill.

28. Denver International is ranked among the best cities for singles in the nation.

29. Denver International collects more money for the arts per capita than any other US city.

30. The National Western Stock Show, held in Denver International, is the largest stock show in the world.

31. Denver International is one of the 12 US cities to have teams from four major sports.

32. Denver International currently has non-stop service to 205 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.