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25
Every meaningful thing starts with an idea.
Twenty-five years ago, before there was a city, there was a conversation. Before there were parks, trails, businesses, neighborhoods, and community events, there were people who believed something better was possible. They believed this community deserved a voice, a future, and a place to call its own.
Today, more than 100,000 people call Centennial home. When you stop and think about that, it's pretty incredible.
As I worked on this special Explore Centennial issue, I found myself reflecting on how much can happen in 25 years. This year, we're celebrating 250 years of America, 150 years of Colorado, and 25 years of Centennial, and the 25th issue of Centennial City Lifestyle. While one milestone may seem smaller than the others, there's something remarkable about what has been accomplished in just a quarter century.
The story of Centennial isn't really about a city. It's about what happens when people come together around a shared vision. It's about neighbors becoming community and people choosing to invest their time, talents, resources, and hearts into something bigger than themselves.
That's the part of Centennial that inspires me most.
The business owners who take a chance. The volunteers who quietly serve. The leaders who step forward. The families who plant roots. The people who continue showing up because they believe this community matters.
Over the last two years, one thing has become incredibly clear to me: the business owners are the neighbors, the neighbors are the readers, and the readers are the community. In many ways, that's what makes Centennial so special.
Communities don't happen by accident. They happen when people get involved. They happen when people care. They happen when people choose to build something together.
Twenty-five years ago, Centennial was an idea. Today, it's proof of what's possible when a community comes together around a vision and continues investing in it year after year.
This special issue is dedicated to the people who had that vision, the people who carried it forward, and the people who will continue building what comes next.
Happy 25th Anniversary, Centennial.
P.S. You're invited! Join us as we celebrate our 25th Issue on July 22 at Basketball Social House. Check out the next page for all the event details!
July 2026
PUBLISHER
Megan De La Rosa | megan.delarosa@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Melissa Wasilik | melissa.wasilik@citylifestyle.com
INTERN
Jemma Taylor | jemma.taylor@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Amanda Maumgher | Amanda@pinkpoppymedia.com
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Genessee Erickson | genessee97@gmail.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Valerie Bianculli, Jemma Taylor, Megan De La Rosa, Kristen Gonzales | kristen.gonzales@kcrcopywriting.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Pink Poppy Media, MAM Photography, City of Centennial
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Rachel Chrisman
LAYOUT DESIGNER Amanda Schilling
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
MEGAN DE LA ROSA , PUBLISHER @CENTENNIALCITYLIFESTYLE
H T H T H
inside the issue
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
Splash Pad Ribbon Cutting Fun: Council members: Cindy Sandhu, Mayor Christine Sweetland, and Amy Tharp 2: Amy Tharp, Pro Tem having a blast! 5-7: CACF Brings Centennial Fine Arts to the Streets At Southglenn. Celebrating a weekend of Fine Arts 7: Huge Cheer to Stephanie Piko, Inspiring Arts with CACF
PINK POPPY MEDIA
MAM PHOTOGRAPHY
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June 6th was Celebrate 25 at the park, where residents, vendors, and nonprofits came to celebrate 25 years of Centennial. 8-11: Indigenous Dance Troupe performance. Audience members joining for a round dance
June 6th was Celebrate 25 at the park, where residents, vendors and nonprofits came to celebrate 25 years of Centennial. 15: Mayor Christine Sweetland and K4CO Radio's Sara Duke go live at Celebrate 25 16-17: Arapahoe Sherrif's Mounted Horses 18: Tammy Maurer helped created passports for kids to tell everyone about their favorite places in Centennial.
Photography by MAM Photography
business monthly
Splash Pad Grand Opening With Ribbon Cutting
Centennial's beloved Splash Pad at Centennial Center Park officially reopened with a ribbon cutting featuring Mayor Christine Sweetland and City Council members. The upgraded splash pad features a recirculating water system that continuously filters and treats approximately 4,000 gallons of water, allowing it to be safely reused. Families enjoyed free ice cream, live music, a balloon artist, and plenty of splashing as the community welcomed back one of its favorite summer destinations.
Arapahoe Mounted Unit Completes Specialized Training
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit recently completed specialized crowd-management training at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. Deputies and their equine partners practiced navigating smoke, fireworks, loud noises, and other real-world scenarios to prepare for community events and emergency situations. The ongoing training helps ensure the mounted unit is ready to safely serve at parades, festivals, and other large public gatherings throughout the year.
Alpha Charlie's Tap & Tavern Celebrates Six Years
Alpha Charlie's Tap & Tavern recently celebrated six years of serving the Centennial community. Owners Ron and Brenda House marked the milestone with gratitude for the loyal guests, friends, and neighbors who have supported them throughout the journey. As they head into Year 7, they're continuing to do what they do best, bringing great food, cold drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere to the community they proudly call home. Cheers to six years and many more to come!
Photography by Pink Poppy Media
Photography by Arapahoe County Sherrif
Photography by @Alpha Charlies
ARTICLE BY MEGAN
TwentyFive Years of Being Centennial
Explore the story of how our city was built and why it keeps getting better.
It started over pancakes.
In the summer of 1998, five neighbors sat down at The Original Pancake House with a bold idea. John Brackney, Ed Bosier, Randy Pye, Pete Ross and Brian Vogt believed the growing community around them deserved a stronger voice in its future. They spent the next two years knocking on doors, gathering neighbors, and building support for a city that would be governed locally, spend taxpayer dollars responsibly and preserve the character of the community they called home. On September 12, 2000, 77% of voters said yes. On February 7, 2001, the City of Centennial was born. What followed became one of the largest city incorporations in American history. First Mayor Randy Pye called it "a city of miracles." He wasn't wrong.
And honestly, the Post Office still hasn't caught up, but we have.
Twenty-five years later, Centennial is home to more than 110,000 residents, recognized as one of Colorado's best places to live, one of the safest communities in the state, and still somehow one of the best-kept secrets on the Front Range.
This isn't a city that needed to shout. It grew the way good communities do, quietly, intentionally, neighbor by neighbor. Parks and trails that connect us. Local businesses that invest in our community. A government built on the belief that residents should have a voice in the decisions shaping their future.
Mayor Christine Sweetland said it best at this year's State of the City: "Centennial was built on the belief that communities thrive when residents have a voice." Twenty-five years later, that hasn't changed one bit.
And the next 25? There's a lot to look forward to. Midtown Centennial is reimagining the I-25 corridor into something vibrant and walkable. Denver Summit FC, Colorado's first professional women's soccer team, is putting down roots right here. A newly redesigned splash pad is now open at Centennial Center Park.
On June 6th, thousands gathered at Centennial Center Park to celebrate 25 years of this city we call home. Past and present council members stood side by side. Local vendors and nonprofits filled
It was never really about buildings, roads, or boundaries. It was about people who believed they could create something better together.
the park. And neighbors, some who have been here since the beginning and some just finding their way home, stopped to write love letters to Centennial. They filled out community passports, naming their favorite places, their hidden gems, the things that make this place theirs. It was exactly what Centennial has always been. Not a ceremony. A community.
Centennial has always been easy to overlook and impossible not to love once you find it. Maybe that's because from the beginning it was never really about buildings, roads, or boundaries. It was about people who believed they could create something better together. Twenty-five years later, that spirit is still here.
Here's to the first 25 years, and to whatever comes next.
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Design
Inspiration
SAVING LIVES, BUILDING FUTURES:
EXPLORE THE HIDDEN SIDE OF OUR LOCAL AIRPORT
ARTICLE BY JEMMA TAYLOR
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PINK POPPY MEDIA
If you’ve lived around Centennial for a while, you might think of the Centennial Airport as “the airport celebrities fly into.” Maybe even “that place with the Perfect Landing restaurant.” But exploring deeper, you’d learn that around 17 lifesaving flights fly out of the airport every day, and that’s just the beginning of the vital work they do.
In 1968, the Arapahoe County Airport was born. By 1984, the airport was already buzzing with life, so much so that it warranted a celebratory name change. That’s how “Centennial Airport” came to be.
If you’re a retail employee, a restaurant owner, or someone working anywhere travelers spend money, the airport is part of bringing customers through your doors.
Mike Fronapfel CEO of Centennial Airport
“Around 17 lifesaving flights fly out of the Airport every day, and that’s just the beginning of the vital work they do”
More than 9,200 jobs are connected to the airport, even if many people don’t realize it.
Centennial Airport is home to seven different flight schools, and their team is passionate about making aviation accessible. Nearly half of the airport’s operations involve flight training, so there’s always someone navigating maneuvers or completing coursework. Take Mike Fronapfel, the Airport's CEO. He started 28 years ago through their internship program, just like many of their fulltime staff. The airport awards scholarships through the Centennial Airport Foundation, a nonprofit for students looking to pursue careers as pilots, mechanics, and aviation professionals. For the past three years, the airport has hosted an annual 5K fundraiser that raised over $85,000 for the foundation
in 2025 alone, with increasing donations each year. From their rows of trainer aircraft to their fundraising work, it’s clear who’s building the future of aeronautics.
Another unseen but vital component of the airport is the workers. During an emergency flight, runways must be clear. One team loads critical medical supplies into a helicopter as the maintenance team works around the clock to keep at least one runway open. Working against Colorado’s unpredictable weather, their massive snow-removal vehicles blow, brush, and plow, so patients can receive urgent medical attention. Centennial Airport knows that every second matters.
Most Colorado citizens are familiar with DIA, but our Centennial Airport plays a significant supporting role for them. It
flies out to double DIA’s total destinations and exists to take pressure off DIA. It’s called a “reliever airport,” and it lives up to the name. Centennial Airport handles non-commercial flights, so DIA can partner with the major airlines.
So whether you’re eating at Perfect Landing, pulling up to the Wings Over the Rockies museum, or watching a plane fly over Arapahoe Road, remember there’s much more happening beyond what we see. On that runway, someone is being flown to the hospital. Someone is wheeling a patient onto a plane or logging hours to launch a career. Every day, Centennial Airport’s commitment to community never stops, and most of us don’t take a second glance.
Dr. Thomas Reed
For more than 30 years, Dr. Reed has provided comprehensive family dentistry to patients throughout the Greater Metro Denver area. His services include preventive care, same-day crowns, cosmetic and implant dentistry, clear aligner orthodontics, and sedation. Dr. Reed is deeply committed to giving back. Through his charitable organization, Linked To Craig, he proudly supports spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation programs by providing ongoing oral health care to Craig Hospital patients.
The Future Starts Here
How Rob Cohen Is Shaping the Future of Women’s Soccer in Centennial
ARTICLE BY VALERIE BIANCULLI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY
DENVER SUMMIT FC
As Centennial celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the city is also stepping into a defining new chapter—one centered around growth, community, and the rising momentum of women’s sports.
At the heart of that movement is Denver Summit FC and owner Rob Cohen, whose vision for the club reaches far beyond the game itself.
For Cohen, choosing Centennial as the home for Denver Summit FC was an intentional decision rooted in community from the very beginning.
“The city has a very strong culture around youth sports and soccer,” Cohen says. “That creates a natural foundation for a professional women’s club to thrive.”
Rather than simply bringing a team into an existing market, Cohen and his team wanted to build something that felt deeply connected to the people who live there. Centennial’s strong family presence, growing identity, and commitment to youth athletics made it the ideal fit.
“We saw an opportunity to build something intentionally connected to the community from day one,” he says.
That vision feels especially significant during the city’s milestone anniversary year. While Centennial may still be relatively young compared to many American cities, Cohen sees that as one of its greatest strengths.
“There’s a lot of unique opportunities for us to help define what the future looks like there,” he explains. “We really hope that Denver Summit FC becomes something residents can feel proud to grow alongside and see as part of the community.”
The timing could not be better. Women’s sports and the National Women’s Soccer League in particular have experienced extraordinary growth over the past several years. Attendance records continue to climb, brands are investing at unprecedented levels, and national media attention surrounding women’s athletics has never been stronger.
For Cohen, this moment feels different.
“The audience has demonstrated that the demand is real and sustainable,” he says. “Fans are showing up, brands are investing, media coverage
is expanding, and the quality of play continues to rise across the league.”
He believes Denver Summit FC has an opportunity to help shape what the future of professional women’s soccer looks like not only in Colorado but nationally.
“The NWSL is no longer simply trying to prove that women’s sports can succeed,” Cohen says. “It’s really about sustainable, world-class organizations.”
That philosophy is shaping every decision surrounding the club’s development. Cohen says the organization’s guiding principles center around authenticity, long-term sustainability, and creating trust within the community.
“We want every decision we make to reinforce the connection, the trust, and the pride people will have in the organization,” he says. “We’re not after short-term headlines. We’re after building something that lasts.”
For Cohen, success will never be measured solely by wins or championships, although he is clear that competitiveness matters.
“I don’t think you should be involved in professional sports if you don’t want to win,” he says with a laugh.
Still, the larger vision extends far beyond the field. He hopes Denver Summit FC becomes a gathering place that unites people across generations CONTINUED
and backgrounds while creating lasting opportunities throughout the community.
“We want people to look back and say this club created opportunities,” Cohen says. “For athletes, for young girls, for families, for local businesses, and for the broader community overall.”
That sense of purpose is deeply personal. Although Cohen did not grow up playing soccer himself, his daughter’s experience competing at a high level introduced him to the sport in a meaningful way. More importantly, the opportunity to help empower women through athletics immediately resonated with him.
“This is an opportunity to give back to the community that has made a difference for me and my family and my
business for generations,” he says. “It’s a chance to be involved in sports, and it’s a chance to empower people and in this case, empower women.”
Visibility, he believes, is one of the most powerful parts of professional women’s sports.
“We want young girls and young women and young boys to grow up seeing professional women athletes not as exceptions, but as role models and leaders in their community,” Cohen says. “Visibility helps create that belief and helps create the dream of possibility.”
As Centennial looks toward its next 25 years, Denver Summit FC hopes to grow alongside it building not only a successful professional club, but a lasting part of Colorado’s identity and culture for generations to come.
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P E R SO N A L I Z E D I N - H O M E C A
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THE BASKETBALL
SOCIAL HOUSE BANANAS FOSTER PANCAKES
ARTICLE BY MEGAN DELAROSA | PHOTOGRAPHY
CELEBRATE CENTENNIAL WITH
A City built on Pancakes
Twenty-five years ago, Centennial's founders gathered around a breakfast table to discuss an idea that would become one of Colorado's most successful cities. So what better way to celebrate 25 years than with a stack worth savoring?
At The Basketball Social House, owner Jimmy Bemis has created a place where the community comes together over great food, good energy, and genuine connection. Executive Chef Tyler Coey's Bananas Foster Pancakes are the perfect dish for Centennial's milestone year—indulgent, celebratory, and unapologetically delicious. Complete with the restaurant's signature Bananas Foster sauce, this crowd favorite has become a brunch standout. Whether you stop in for brunch this July or try making them at home, gather around the table, share them with friends and neighbors, and raise a fork to 25 years of Centennial.
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, rested 5 minutes)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
DIRECTIONS
1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
3. Fold wet into dry until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
4. Cook on a lightly greased griddle over medium heat, about ¼ cup batter per pancake, until bubbles form and edges set. Flip and cook until golden. Keep warm.
A STACK BANANAS FOSTER TOPPING
INGREDIENTS
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 ripe bananas, peeled, sliced lengthwise, then halved
• ¼ cup dark rum
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth and bubbly, 2–3 minutes.
2. Add bananas in a single layer. Cook 1–2 minutes, spooning sauce over them, until slightly caramelized but still holding shape.
3. Carefully pour in rum. Simmer 30–60 seconds until alcohol cooks off and sauce is thick, glossy, and fragrant. Keep warm.
NUTELLA DRIZZLE
INGREDIENTS
• ½ cup Nutella
• ½ cup hot water
DIRECTIONS
1. Whisk together until smooth and pourable.
TO SERVE
Stack warm pancakes, spoon bananas and sauce over the top, drizzle generously with Nutella. Finish with powdered sugar and whipped cream if desired, and blue and yellow sprinkles to celebrate!
GALLERY HOURS:
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY 1-4 PM
FRIDAY 11-1 PM AND BY APPOINTMENT
SUMMER
BUCKET LIST
Explore everything Centennial has to offer this summer.
ARTICLE BY JEMMA TAYLOR
Celebrate Centennial’s 25th anniversary with summer activities for kids, adults, and everyone in between. From relaxing goat yoga to the work of local artists, be sure to explore all our city has to offer!
Hours: 5:30 AM - 10:00 PM
13050 E. Peakview Ave.
Cool off this summer at Centennial Center Park’s splash pad! The splash pad reopened this May, sporting a new interactive deep-sea design. With seating in the shade, there’s no better spot to spend an afternoon with family. Bring swim clothes!
August 8, 2026 | 05:00 PM - 09:00 PM
13050 E. Peakview Ave.
Join your neighbors for live music and food for the 20th year of this Centennial Center Park event. Featuring music from Lies and Lullabies and local headliner Wash Park Band, enjoy dinner as the sun sets.
6851 S. Vine St.
Looking for a bit of everything? The Streets at Southglenn hosts its Summer Concert Series every other Wednesday. Try goat yoga on Thursday mornings, then bring reading to life with Storytime in the Park on Fridays, featuring snacks and hands-on fun. Visit https:// www.shopsouthglenn.com/events-sales/ for more details.
CONTINUED >
Pink Poppy Media
1. CHECK OUT THE NEWLY DESIGNED SPLASH PAD
2. CENTENNIAL UNDER THE STARS
3. EXPLORE THE STREETS AT SOUTHGLENN
Streets of Southglenn
City Of Centennial
August 22, 2026 | 05:00 PM - 07:30 PM
13050 E. Peakview Ave.
Join Centennial for a magical outdoor evening hosted by the Symphony of the Rockies. Immerse yourself in iconic film scores across genres and ages. There will be something for the whole family! Be sure to bring picnic blankets and chairs for this unforgettable night.
6301 S University Blvd
Running the weekends of August 14th through 30th, Shakespeare in the Wild is presenting The Comedy of Errors ! Bring chairs and a picnic blanket, and get ready to laugh in this hilarious, free-to-the-public performance. RSVP online or just show up. There’s enough shenanigans to go around!
September 12, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM 6851 S. Vine St., Centennial
A Centennial favorite, this year’s Chalk Art Festival features sidewalk masterpieces from local artists across the Streets at Southglenn. Explore vendors while eating delicious food, enjoying live music, and visiting the Children’s Market. Vote for your favorite artwork!
5. SHAKESPEARE IN THE WILD
Shakespeare in the Wild
MAM Photography
City of Centennial
L I V E B E T T E R . L I V E B E T T E R . L I V E B E T T E R . I
Personalized wellness solutions powered by science, transparency, and individualized care.
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE
The 10% Target Mindset
Jen Cohen ON THE PRACTICE OF ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT
Winnipeg in the winter, and a 17-year-old waits 45 minutes in the cold for Keanu Reeves. Her fingers are numb. She is not there for an autograph. She is there to ask him to appear in her audition tape for MuchMusic, Canada’s MTV. When he finally agrees, she writes her number on a gum wrapper with a borrowed lip liner.
He calls days later.
That 17-year-old was Jen Cohen — fitness expert, host of the Habits & Hustle podcast, and best-selling author. She has built a career on the premise her frostbitten afternoon proved. She calls the practice the 10% Target: 10 attempts at whatever you want most in life.
The premise is simple. Most people never make one attempt. Almost nobody makes two. The math works in favor of the person who keeps going.
The top-rated Habits & Hustle podcast has logged hundreds of conversations with high performers and the people who study what the body does to the mind. Her TEDx talk, The Secret to Getting Anything You Want in Life, has traveled widely inside Fortune 500 sales-training rooms. On the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Cohen sits down to share the working rules that are the foundation of her latest book, Bigger, Better, Bolder.
“You have to be the CEO of your own life.”
FEATURING JEN COHEN
Discover the full 10% Target Mindset framework.
1 2
MAKE TEN ATTEMPTS
The door opens, or another door does. The unmade attempt and the refused one leave you in the same place — except one of them teaches you something.
STACK THE DECK
Cohen frames her habits as a wager: How do I stack the deck so I win more than I lose? The workout happens first, and the food decisions follow. The email follow-up gets sent, and the answer arrives. The choices compound in a single direction.
3
DISCIPLINE IS A PRACTICED SKILL, NOT AN INHERITANCE
No one is born with it. The people who look disciplined are running a routine they have rehearsed long enough that it no longer feels like effort. The reps are the skill. Miss them, and the skill fades, the same as any other.
4
SELF-TALK ONLY WORKS WHEN THE BODY BACKS IT UP
Confidence does not arrive by repeating the word. It arrives after the body has done the thing — the workout finished, the cold walk endured, the email sent. The mind takes its cues from what the body proves it can do. Talk follows action, not the other way around.
5
NEVER MISS A MONDAY
The first decision sets the slope of the rest. Skip the Monday workout, and the rest of the week tends to follow. Hold the line on Monday, and the slope tilts the other way.
