Denver drill aimed at responding to "domestic terrorism"

9News.com
Jun. 21, 2008

DENVER – 9Wants to Know is learning more about helicopter terrorism training that's had many downtown residents worried earlier this week.

Park Avenue Uptown, LLC now owns the old Children's Hospital building and has given the U.S. Special Operations Forces permission to use it to train to respond to domestic terrorism.

The property owner did not charge the U.S. Special Operations forces to use the building this week.

"These are the guys who bleed for us and go into burning buildings for us. These are the guys who give us our life and we're not going to say no," said Steve Dinardo of Cherokee Properties. "It's a good thing. Given the fact that we have the facilities, it's a privilege. We're glad to do it. It's the right thing to do."

Cherokee Properties manages the property for Park Avenue Uptown, LLC.

Dinardo says the Special Forces used the hospital building starting Monday. They will vacate it by Thursday.

On Monday, hovering helicopters caused minor damage to a neighbor's yard and property but the homeowner is being compensated for the damage, said Rick Wells, Park Avenue Uptown, LLC president.

The damage consisted of a broken tree limb, a blown out window in a garage door and some knocked over pots and plants.

Special Forces chose the old Children's Hospital building for the training because it had a helicopter pad and plenty of office space for forces to use in training, according to U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman Lt. Steve Ruh.

"The training exercises are designed to improve special operations forces' abilities to work within populated areas," said Ruh on Tuesday.

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