DENVER — Broncos president Damani Leech made it clear on multiple occasions Thursday night that Burnham Yard is the “preferred” site for the team’s new stadium and surrounding development.

Not simply the site. Merely “preferred.”

“We were very intentional about that language,” he said. “What we didn’t want to do was announce in September that this is the site and plant a flag in the ground ”

The community gathering at La Alma Recreation Center — not much farther than a long Bo Nix pass away from where the Broncos would like to build their colossal project — was another step toward that goal, with Leech serving as part of a presentation that opened the door for local feedback.

Attendees jammed the gymnasium, filling every folding chair and standing several rows deep in the back of the room. And before and after the presentation, many of them wrote suggestions on post-it notes affixed to a handful of boards around the gym.

That’s part of why Leech circled back to the word “preferred.” But there’s more to it.

1. BRONCOS ARE STILL ‘TRYING TO WORK ON’ TRANSACTIONS TO ACQUIRE ALL THE LAND NEEDED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT

“We really want to respect the overall process,” Leech said. “It’s important to respect the city council’s role in this, the mayor’s office’s role in this, the state, CDOT, all these different entities, and also make sure that we get the right community input before we can say this is actually where it’s going to be.”

But not all the land has been acquired. SRM Concrete in particular is one company that hasn’t signed on to selling its tract of land, which is in the heart of the area the Broncos would like to develop.

“There are a variety of private real-estate transactions that we’re trying to work on,” Leech said. “Some of those have been made public, but that’s also probably why this is the ‘preferred’ site.”

2. DESPITE THAT, THE TARGET TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IS THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2027

“We feel good about that timeline,” Leech said.

“But there are a number of important steps that have to happen from a municipal standpoint, from a real-estate standpoint, a lot of things that have to happen for that to come to fruition.”

Another reason the Q1 projected start time for the earliest land-clearing to begin construction is fascinating because …

3. NO TIMELINE FOR STADIUM RENDERINGS, NO ARCHITECT YET SELECTED FOR THE STADIUM

Leech confirmed both when meeting with media after speaking.

“There’s no timeline for that,” Leech said.

” … It’s certainly something that we’re focused on. Don’t know, can’t pick a date for that, but it’s definitely something that we’re focused on, particularly now that the season’s over.”

This, of course, ensured that no Broncos new stadium renderings would be a part of Thursday night’s presentation.

4. THE DEVELOPMENT ISN’T PROJECTED TO CREATE ANOTHER PROMINENT SKYLINE

One aspect of the plan presented was that the highest point of in the development — the Broncos’ new stadium — was projected to reach 220 feet above street level, but none of the conceptual building heights were taller than 150 feet, with most shown at 45 to 70 feet in height.

“I think what we showed today, we’re looking at somewhere between 5 and 7 million square feet of development that I think is actually pretty moderate,” Leech said. “So, hopefully people feel pretty good that it’s not gonna be a bunch of skyscrapers right up against the residential neighborhood.”

5. THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE BY 2031

Even if the Broncos meet their target of beginning to clear the land for the opening phases of construction next year, they would leave the northern and southern parcels of the development for use as temporary surface parking, with the intention of developing those areas with mixed-use buildings and open spaces in the future.

The plan for 2031 is to have the district’s infrastructure complete, along with the stadium, the buildings of the adjacent core entertainment district and a renovated and repurposed Locomotive Shop building ready to go.