Red Rocks Amphitheater has proposed additional paving projects and wheelchair accessible seats following settlement. The city of Denver, which owns Red Rocks, settled to pay $48,000 following a lawsuit that claimed that wheelchair accessible seats were more expensive than other seats.  The lawsuit alleged discrimination that was defiant of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As part of the lawsuit, more than 1,800 disabled people were issued refunds for concert tickets that they paid too much for. 

Red Rocks Amphitheater was built in 1941, long before the 1990 ADA. Many improvements have been made to the venue to ensure that it is compliant with the law. The proposed additional seating and paving are to ensure maximum accessibility, not just compliance. 

Currently, fully wheelchair accessible seats are available in the front and back rows. The improvements include removing the wooden benches so people may navigate their wheelchairs more easily. People who do not need a wheelchair but are in attendance with someone who does, may bring their own seat and sit shoulder to shoulder, rather than sitting further away. Additionally, seats directly in front of the stage will be able to see the on-stage interpreter for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

Learn more about the proposed improvements by visiting the Red Rocks website. Contact us at Viner Disability Law for more questions about disability rights.