Denver Mayor Michael Hancock reflects on 12 years in office: "I gave it everything I had"
It is the end of an era in Denver as Mayor Michael Hancock prepares to leave office after 12 years.
The city has seen massive change during his tenure which has spanned three presidencies and two governorships. Hancock led Denver through two recessions, a pandemic, social unrest, an opioid epidemic and a homeless crisis.
As he packed up his awards and memorabilia, he said he is ready to let go: "The city got everything I had. I gave it everything I had and I walk out the door believing I've gone as far as can. My season has come to an end."
Hancock took office during the Great Recession, as the National Western Stock Show and United Airlines were poised to leave the city. He not only convinced them to stay but expand, along with the convention center. He also led the transformation of Union Station and Brighton Boulevard and the restoration of the South Platte.
"Those are things that I look back on and I say yea, I'm proud of those moments," he said.
There are moments he regrets too, including flying to see his daughter during COVID and sending inappropriate texts to a woman on his security detail: "I grew from both of those but still wish... They were regrettable."
He doesn't shy from criticism but hopes he and his administration will be remembered as resilient.
He says they rose to meet historic challenges.
"We didn't realize we were in the midst of historic moments," he said. "We were just doing what we could to protect our city and place we love. As you leave these offices, you worry about, will people forget the things we did."
What he will remember most, he says, are the people whose lives he touched, including a homeless man at a new shelter who thanked him and the family of a shooting victim who he comforted: "Trying to bring hope to senselessness and trying to remind people we're going to be okay but we've got to stay together."
He isn't ruling out continuing in politics in his future but says the first thing he plans to do when he leaves office is take a long vacation and spend time with his grandkids.
"There are a lot of things I look forward to," he said. "One of them is waking up on July 18 and not feeling the weight of the city on me. It's an unbelievable honor and privilege to serve but it is also an awesome, awesome burden to make decisions that affect the lives of over 70,000 people."
After taking some time off, Hancock says, he plans to do consulting nationally and work on voter rights and race relations. He's also been invited to serve on two corporate boards.
His parting message to Denverites?
"Thank you. You gave a grown man his childhood dream. Thank you. It's been an honor and pleasure to serve you and serve with you," he said.
Hancock also had parting advice for Mayor-elect Mike Johnston: always be honest, don't pay attention to social media and know you're not alone. He praised his staff and the city's 11,000 employees.
