Monfort to turn former ‘Real World’ house in LoDo into Riot House bar

This report first appeared at BusinessDen, a BizWest news partner.

The team behind the LoDo location of Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row plans to bring a second concept from Arizona-based Riot Hospitality Group to the same block.

Monfort Cos., MAR Ventures and Riot announced plans Thursday to redevelop the 1920 Market St. building into Riot House, a bar and restaurant that will feature a large center bar, dance floor and rooftop patio

It will be the second Riot House location, joining one in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Montfort Cos. Executive Vice President Kenneth Monfort, whose father Charlie and uncle Dick own the Colorado Rockies, previously told BusinessDen he sees the area around Coors Field becoming an entertainment district that can “play on a national stage.”

“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Riot Hospitality Group to deliver yet another unique entertainment offering to Denver and its Ballpark neighborhood,” Monfort said in a statement.

Monfort redeveloped the former LoDo’s Bar & Grill property at 1946 Market St. into Whiskey Row, breaking ground in February 2021 and opening at the end of last year. Monfort sold the real estate in March for $24 million but still owns the business in partnership with Riot.

The 1920 Market St. building, meanwhile, has been leased for years to three tenants: Brothers Bar and Grill, a wine shop and an interior design firm. In 2006, MTV filmed the 18th season of its pioneering reality show “The Real World” at the property. Dan Huml’s Magnetic Capital sold the building in January for $12 million to a buyer that Monfort described as on board with the redevelopment.

The approximately 21,000-square-foot building is slated to undergo extensive interior and exterior renovations and a rooftop addition before its debut as Riot House. In addition to receiving the normal city approvals, the redevelopment plans will have to be approved by the Lower Downtown Design Review Commission.

Construction, which the development team hopes to begin by the end of the year, is expected to take 10 to 12 months.

Monfort also has another entertainment-related redevelopment in the works nearby. He and Huml have signed a lease with piano bar Howl at the Moon for a building they own at 2100 Larimer St.

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