Source: The Denver Post
On March 19, 2000,The Denver Post reported on the massive expansion of the Rocky Mountain Shambhala Center, which will develop the center into a "top flight spiritual retreat that will draw faithful Buddhists and business executives alike." The centerpiece of the renovations is a temple called the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya which will be open to the public. It will be the largest and most intricate stupa in the United States. "The structure, which represents the crowned Buddha seated in meditation, now needs its finishing touches. An 18-foot gilded statue of a seated Buddha will be the central feature in the stupa's main hall, and a 13-foot bronze statue of a standing Buddha will be installed on the stupa's third level." Most of the construction has been done over the past ten years by volunteer labor. Renovations will also include an assembly hall that can hold 600 people, so that the center can offer a variety of year round retreats to a broad audience.