National Western Stock Show
Tourism Star Award Recipient — 2001
The National Western Stock Show has become such a fixture in Denver that it is hard to imagine January without it. The first stock show was held in 1906 and attracted 15,000 people, who came to the site in the Denver Stockyards by horse drawn carriage and steam locomotives. The rodeo was added in 1932 and in 1953, the Denver Coliseum was dedicated with the Westernaires making their first appearance.
By 1991, the Expo Hall and Stadium Hall had opened and in 1995 the Events Center became one of the nation’s top state-of-the-art equestrian arenas.
In 2000, the all time attendance record was set with 631,801 paid admissions, helping to make this event the world’s largest stock show and indoor rodeo. But equally important, the National Western has become the largest single economic driver for Denver in January, making it a true Tourism Star.
The profile of each Tourism Star is reflective of the time of the award.