Mayor Mike Johnston says he wants WNBA team in National Western Complex

When you think of the National Western complex in Denver, rodeo is the sport that likely comes to mind. However, if Denver’s mayor gets his way, there will be way more basketball played there than any other sport.

Mayor Mike Johnston told “Denverite” he wants to bring a WNBA team to Denver, saying in part that the city still has an obligation from a previous bond package to build a new coliseum at the National Western Center. Johnston spoke with the WNBA about using the planned facility for a Denver team, but it didn’t work out. However, there also are plans to build an indoor rodeo arena at the National Western Center, and Johnston thinks the WNBA could work there, too.

The city was one of several cities bidding for a WNBA expansion team earlier this year, but the league instead chose Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia. It’s not clear when or whether another expansion might happen.