"The River Mile" project may have been a front for the Mouse! DENVER, CO -- Elitch Gardens (just "Elitch's" to the locals) was a beloved theme park in west Denver with roots going back to the late 1800's. Eventually, in 1995, the name (but not the "beloved") moved downtown, becoming a generic cookie-cutter amusement park monstrosity with great views of the mountains. (Then again, just about any place in Denver has great views of the mountains. It's not like they're hard to see. ... Read more