5 Wild Conspiracy Theories About Denver International Airport (2024)

Denver International Airport has some secrets. At least, that's what all the conspiracy theorists on the internet will tell you. Located roughly 20 miles from downtown Denver, the airport has dealt with its fair share of rumors since it was built to replace Stapleton International Airport in 1995. From the beginning, Coloradans have theorized about its secret tunnels, clues regarding secret societies, and horrifying harbingers of doom "hidden" in public artwork around the popular hub.

Through it all, airport officials have been perfectly willing to fuel these wild ideas about secret Illuminati bunkers, underground tunnels, and links to aliens in marketing campaigns. It's all been pretty tongue-in-cheek. At the airport (which is often referred to locally by the abbreviation "DIA" despite its official code of DEN), you may even see signs with giant lizards dressed in construction gear saying, "Apologies for the noise, it takes really big drills to get to the underworld" — but there are plenty of people out there who still take those rumors seriously.

So, why are Denver Airport conspiracy theories so persistent? According to the American Psychological Association, it has more to do with a person's desire to find meaning and security or their personal coping mechanisms than the airport itself. When it comes to DIA, there have always been quite a few questions about its construction, especially as to why the airport cost so much more and took so long to build in the first place. So instead of the usual boring answers, people may find more comfort in indulging in wilder ideas —which are decidedly more exciting than any mundane explanations.

Whether or not you believe the rumors, here's a look at the five most popular Denver Airport conspiracy theories that people still insist on indulging in.

It was built by the New World Order.

Many Denver Airport conspiracy theories revolve around who was originally behind its construction, with one of the most persistent rumors being that it was built by the New World Order, with ties to Nazism. According to Mental Floss, DIA's runways are even said to resemble a swastika when viewed from above. However, if this photograph of their configuration is any indication, that particular symbol doesn't stand out unless you're really looking for it.

It also doesn't help that the airport's dedication marker credits an organization called The New World Airport Commission for building it. And while the name's similarity may seem like an interesting coincidence, as Mental Floss notes, such an organization doesn't actually exist. Well, not anymore anyway. According to the Denver Public Library Special Collections and Archives website, the commission was part of a short-lived campaign to drum up publicity when DIA opened. It turns out its founder, Charles Ansbacher, was a Colorado Springs Symphony conductor and the name was chosen in honor of Dvořák’s "New World Symphony."

The giant blue horse sculpture is a nod to the Four Horsem*n of the Apocalypse.

Known locally as "Blucifer," the blue "Mustang" by artist Luis Jiménez has been rearing menacingly along Peña Boulevard since 2008. Some say the 32-foot fiberglass statue is evil, pointing to the horse's glowing red eyes as a nod to the Four Horsem*n of the Apocalypse. In reality, according to Colorado Public Radio, Jiménez incorporated the effect with red LED floodlights as an homage to his father, who ran a neon sign shop during his formative years as an artist.

Sure, that all sounds pretty reasonable, but what about the idea that "Blucifer" is cursed? Get this: Jiménez died in 2006, two years before the project's end — after a piece of the 9,000-pound sculpture had fallen on him and severed an artery in his leg (it was later completed by his son). Since then, people have concocted all sorts of wild theories about the horse's true purpose —some even believe its eyes didn’t start glowing red until after its creator had died. But as mundane as it sounds, the sculpture is simply a piece of artworkand nothing more.

It contains the Illuminati headquarters.

In addition to rumors that DIA was built by the New World Order, theories abound about the many unmarked buildings and underground areas that have been discovered throughout the premises. According to the Mental Floss article mentioned above, this particular Denver Airport conspiracy theory likely stemmed from a time capsule that was buried on the grounds, set to be reopened in 2094 —it bears symbols related to the Freemasons, which has ties to the Illuminati, a secret society that dates back to 18th-century Europe. According to National Geographic, the group was known for its desire to reshape society by any means necessary, and its founder, Adam Weishaupt, is even thought by some to have brought about the French Revolution.

There are two reasons this rumor has had so much staying power over the years. First, the airport ended up costing a lot more than what was originally projected and second, it took much longer to build than expected. Conspiracy theorists believe Illuminati money was used to finish the job in exchange for secret access to the property. As Mental Floss reported, the first five buildings were not built properly —instead of demolishing them, they were simply buried as more buildings were built on top of them, providing the Illuminati with a secret underground lair.

Remember how we said DIA likes to lean into this whole Denver Airport conspiracy theory thing? According to Colorado country station K99, the talking gargoyles perched above the east and west baggage claim areas (more on that later) have been known to say things like, "Welcome to Illuminati Headquarters ... I mean Denver International Airport."

Its underground tunnels have secret bunkers.

Rumors regarding the end of the world make up some of the biggest Denver Airport conspiracy theories. Yes, there is a large network of underground tunnels, a train that runs between concourses, and a long-defunct automated baggage system, but some people believe their true nature is more nefarious. The hypothesis is the tunnels contain underground bunkers — possibly built by or even hiding lizard people or alien lifeforms — that will serve as a safe place for the world's elite during the apocalypse.

The official Denver tourism website says other theories speculate that the tunnels lead directly to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), located at Peterson Space Force Base about 90 miles south of the airport in Colorado Springs. In reality, it would have taken decades to construct a tunnel of that length, so that seems pretty unlikely.

The artwork provides clues about the end of the world.

There are so many strange pieces of art scattered throughout DIA —did we mention the giant horse statue with glowing red eyes? According to Denver's official tourism website, some of these eerie works of art include two murals by artist Leo Tanguma — "Children of the World Dream of Peace" and "In Peace and Harmony with Nature" —which some believe contain alleged New World Order imagery as proof that the airport is somehow linked to a fascist secret society.

Theories abound regarding the depictions of various macabre doomsday scenarios and allusions to biological warfare. In reality, Tanguma's murals were created to encourage world peace and a healthy relationship with our natural environment, Mental Floss reported. We can admit, though, that the murals are pretty terrifying to look at despite their intended messages of hope. Unfortunately, both murals are being held in storage until construction on the Great Hall is completed in summer 2028, so you'll have to wait a while to check them out in person.

Other conspiracy theorists seem fixated on "Notre Denver," a piece by Terry Allen that features two gargoyle statues watching over the airport's baggage claim area. While they may appear a little suspicious, gargoyles have often been used over the centuries in architecture as a totem to help ward off evil spirits and protect the buildings they stand on. At DIA, the gargoyles emerging out of open suitcases were installed at baggage claim intentionally to protect travelers' luggage, according to the airport's website. They've also been known to banter with passersby so don't be surprised if they start in.