About Auraria Campus Department of Special Events · Denver
The Auraria Campus Department of Special Events, also known as Auraria Campus Event Services (ACES), is the centralized event- and venue-management team for the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) in downtown Denver, Colorado. The department books, coordinates, and supports events across shared campus venues — including the historic Tivoli Turnhalle, the Tivoli Quad, the former St. Cajetan's Catholic Church, and the Historic Ninth Street Park — for students, faculty, staff, and outside community clients. Under Director Amber Cook and a small professional team, ACES handles event scheduling, planning, audiovisual rental and support, on-campus advertising, and fundraising table coordination for the three institutions that share the Auraria Campus: the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the Community College of Denver.
The Auraria Campus Department of Special Events is a service unit of the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC), the administrative organization that provides shared services to the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the Community College of Denver on the 169-acre Auraria Campus in west downtown Denver. Marketed as Auraria Campus Event Services (ACES), the department is the single point of contact for reserving and producing events in the campus's distinctive shared venues, from business meetings and trainings to weddings, banquets, lectures, concerts, and large outdoor festivals. The department's portfolio includes the Tivoli Turnhalle — the iconic 1920s student-union ballroom that anchors the campus — the open-air Tivoli Quad, the Historic Ninth Street Park, the Physical Education/Event Center gymnasium and multi-purpose rooms, multiple Tivoli meeting rooms and classrooms, and St. Cajetan's Center, a Spanish Colonial Revival former church (built 1926) that served Denver's first Hispanic Catholic parish and is now a city and National Register landmark repurposed as a banquet and lecture hall. In 2025, St. Cajetan's was restored to its original blue-and-yellow paint color in honor of the building's 100th anniversary. The team is led by Director of Special Events Amber Cook, who has worked in event and production management at AHEC since 2006 and was elevated to the director role in 2021. She is supported by Assistant Director Cody Phelps, Special Events Manager Savanna McKinney, Special Events Coordinator Donna Haywood, and Event Specialist Kevin Wachtler. ACES coordinates room setup, audiovisual needs, advertising on campus, and the logistics of information and fundraising tables, and reserves the right to review, modify, or require additional information on any event request. The department is a recognized partner of the City and County of Denver's Office of Special Events, with Director Cook participating in the city's 2024 Special Events Forum alongside the Mayor's Office.
- Owner
- Director of Special Events: Amber Cook (since 2021; with AHEC since 2006). Department operates under the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC).
- Serves
- Auraria Campus and greater Denver, Colorado — serving campus students, faculty, and staff as well as community members, external organizations, and event planners booking public venues.
About the Department of Special Events
The Auraria Campus Department of Special Events — branded as Auraria Campus Event Services (ACES) — is the centralized event and venue management team for the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) in Denver, Colorado. The department books, coordinates, and supports events of every scale across the shared campus venues used by the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the Community College of Denver. ACES serves both internal campus clients (students, faculty, staff) and external community members seeking to host weddings, banquets, conferences, meetings, lectures, and concerts in the campus's distinctive historic and contemporary spaces.
- Part of the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC)
- Serves three institutions: CU Denver, MSU Denver, and Community College of Denver
- Also known as Auraria Campus Event Services (ACES)
- Located at 900 Auraria Parkway, Suite 267, Denver, CO 80204
Our Team
The department is led by a small professional staff that handles event logistics, client coordination, audiovisual production, and venue operations. The director has been with AHEC in event and production roles since 2006 and was elevated to the director role in July 2021.
- Amber Cook — Director of Special Events (with AHEC since 2006; Director since 2021; BA in Directing and Theatrical Production, University of Colorado Denver)
- Cody Phelps — Assistant Director of Special Events
- Savanna McKinney — Special Events Manager
- Donna Haywood — Special Events Coordinator
- Kevin Wachtler — Event Specialist
Services Offered
ACES provides a full suite of event services from initial inquiry through day-of execution. The team helps clients select the right venue, formalize room setup and audiovisual requirements, address physical limitations of the space, review efficiency and functionality, and determine any furnishing or historical preservation concerns.
- Event facility scheduling
- Event coordination and planning
- Audiovisual rental, setup, and on-site support
- Coordination of event advertising on campus
- Organization of information and fundraising tables
- Catering coordination through Auraria Campus Authorized Caterers
- Alcohol permit processing
- Indoor, outdoor, classroom, meeting, and large-venue rentals
Venues
The department manages a portfolio of indoor and outdoor venues on the Auraria Campus, ranging from a 1920s ballroom to a National-Register former Hispanic Catholic church, plus open-air quads and parks. Many venues are available for both internal university events and external community bookings.
Tivoli Turnhalle
An iconic multi-level banquet and event hall inside the historic Tivoli Student Union, the Turnhalle seats up to 330 in banquet rounds and 450 in theater style. 360 virtual tours are available on the department's website. 5-hour weekday rates start at $2,145; 10-hour weekend rates run up to $4,510.
- Banquet rounds: 330
- Theater style: 450
- Mon–Thurs 5 hrs: $2,145
- Fri–Sun 5 hrs: $2,365
- Mon–Thurs 10 hrs: $4,042
- Fri–Sun 10 hrs: $4,510
Tivoli Quad
A signature outdoor open-air space used for large campus and community events. The full event space rents for $4,100 on the event day, with $1,200 load-in/out days; the Quad Lawn rents for $1,900 event day and $600 load-in/out. Daily rental window is 6 a.m.–11 p.m. subject to availability.
- Full event space: $4,100 event day / $1,200 load-in/out
- Quad Lawn: $1,900 event day / $600 load-in/out
- Daily rental: 6 a.m.–11 p.m. (if availability permits)
- Pricing reflects attendance under 3,000 people
St. Cajetan's Center
A 17,047-square-foot Spanish Colonial Revival building constructed in 1926 as Denver's first Hispanic Catholic parish church, now operated as an event, lecture, and concert hall. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a Denver Landmark since 1970, the building was restored to its original blue-and-yellow paint in 2025 for the 100th anniversary. It seats 150 in banquet rounds and 250 in theater style.
- Banquet rounds: 150
- Theater style: 250
- Mon–Thurs 5 hrs: $1,210
- Fri–Sun 5 hrs: $1,320
- Mon–Thurs 10 hrs: $2,145
- Fri–Sun 10 hrs: $2,310
- Built 1926; designed by architect Robert Willison
- Denver Landmark and National Register of Historic Places
Historic Ninth Street Park
An outdoor park venue in the heart of the campus's historic district, used for community and campus events. Event day rate is $950; load-in/out days are $300.
- Event Day: $950
- Load-In/Out Day: $300
Other Indoor & Meeting Spaces
ACES also books a wide range of supporting spaces including the PE/Event Center Gymnasium, multi-purpose rooms, Tivoli meeting rooms, classrooms, and lecture halls. Capacities range from 10-person breakout rooms to the 2,700-seat gymnasium.
- Gymnasium (2,700 capacity): $1,800 / $3,400 (5/10 hrs); $125/hour per court
- PE 11G Multi-Purpose Room (200): $250 / $500
- Tivoli 320 ABC – Baerresen Ballroom (260 theater / 130 banquet): $825–$1,320
- Tivoli 440/540 – Adirondacks (150 theater / 80 banquet): $1,210–$2,310
- Tivoli 640 – Zenith (80 theater / 60 banquet): $550 / $850
- Tivoli 444 – LoRaine Good (70 theater / 48 banquet): $425 / $650
- Tivoli 442 – John Good (45 theater / 30 banquet): $190 / $325
- Tivoli 329 – Senate Chambers (40): $225 / $375
- Tivoli 740 – Executive Center (20): $325 / $600
- Small Classrooms (<50): $160 / $320
- Large Classrooms (50–200): $225 / $450
- Lecture Halls (>200): $325 / $650
Schedule an Event
Two reservation pathways are offered: campus-affiliated clients use [email protected], while community members and external clients use [email protected]. After submission, the ACES team reviews the Event Information Sheet, may request additional information or a meeting with the organizer, and reserves the right to modify pricing, request institutional consultation, and contact the client with updates.
- Internal (students/faculty/staff): [email protected]
- Community/external: [email protected]
- Phone: 303-556-2755
- ACES may modify price, request additional info, or convene a review meeting
- Digital Info Packet and 360 virtual tours of Tivoli Turnhalle, Tivoli Quad, and St. Cajetan's available online
Events for Students, Faculty & Staff
Internal campus clients use ACES for business meetings, training sessions, multi-media lectures, conferences, and social gatherings ranging from intimate celebrations to weddings. The department's commitment is to make each event 'memorable' while leveraging the campus's distinct historic and contemporary venues.
- Business meetings and training sessions
- Multi-media lectures and conferences
- Social gatherings and intimate celebrations
- Weddings
- On-campus advertising and fundraising/information tables
St. Cajetan's: A Historic Catholic Landmark on Campus
St. Cajetan's Center carries the deepest Catholic heritage of any space managed by the Department of Special Events. Founded as a parish in 1922 by Bishop Tihen and staffed by Theatine priests, the original congregation of Hispanic Catholics first worshipped in the basement of St. Leo's Church. In 1923, Denver philanthropist John K. Mullen donated his former Auraria home as a church site; ground was broken in October 1924, and the 700-seat Spanish Colonial Revival church — designed by Robert Willison with twin bell towers, rounded arches, and a red-tile roof — was consecrated on March 1, 1926, with much of the cost underwritten by Mullen. St. Cajetan's School and convent, opened in 1935 by the Sisters of St. Benedict from Atchison, Kansas, were dedicated in 1937. The parish also ran a health clinic, a credit union, and an annual summer street fair beginning in 1961. In 1970, St. Cajetan's was designated a Denver Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places — protections that helped spare the building when the Denver Urban Renewal Authority demolished the surrounding Auraria neighborhood to build the 169-acre Auraria Higher Education Center. The parish relocated to southwest Denver in 1973–75, a new St. Cajetan Church was built in 1975 under Theatine Fathers Rev. James Prohens, C.R. and Rev. Tomas Fraile, C.R., and the original building was converted into a multi-purpose auditorium. In 2014, the State Historical Fund financed exterior storm windows and protective glazing; in 2017, the St. Cajetan's Church Window, Door, and ADA Ramp Rehabilitation Project restored the historic windows and door; and in 2025, the building was repainted in its original blue-and-yellow palette in honor of the 100th anniversary. The Archdiocese of Denver's St. Cajetan Parish continues to operate from its southwest Denver location, with current pastor Fr. Israel Perez-Lopez.
- Parish established 1922 by Bishop Tihen; first Theatine pastor Fr. Bartholomew Caldentey
- Church consecrated March 1, 1926 (700 seats); designed by Robert Willison
- Funded largely by John K. Mullen, Colorado flour-milling philanthropist
- School and convent opened 1935 (Sisters of St. Benedict, Atchison, Kansas)
- Denver Landmark and National Register listing 1970
- Parish relocated to southwest Denver 1973–75
- St. Cajetan Parish currently pastored by Fr. Israel Perez-Lopez (Archdiocese of Denver)
- Exterior storm windows added 2014; window/door/ADA restoration 2017
- Original blue-and-yellow paint restored 2025 for 100th anniversary
Contact & Location
The Department of Special Events is on the Auraria Campus in west downtown Denver, easily accessible by major highways, bike paths, RTD bus stops, and two RTD light rail stations, with parking available on campus. The campus is within walking distance of downtown Denver attractions including Meow Wolf, Larimer Square, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Ball Arena, and Empower Field at Mile High.
- Address: 900 Auraria Parkway, Suite 267, Denver, Colorado 80204
- Phone: 303-556-2755 (alt 303-556-3450)
- Email: [email protected] (community) / [email protected] (campus)
- Accessible by RTD light rail and bus, bike paths, and major highways