Many of Denver's professional, technology, finance and energy jobs still exist and continue supporting the regional economy, he said, but they no longer generate the same weekday foot traffic that downtown businesses once relied on.
In many ways, Denver became a victim of changing work habits.
“changing work habits”
Add that to the list below “changing consumer habits”.
Every city has lower office occupancy rates due to remote work, and there are idiot managers in every city trying to force employees to report in to the office 2 or 3 days a week to satisfy their narcissism. I’m betting employees of downtown Denver companies told their employers they would immediately look for another job. It would be the people you don’t want to lose who tell you that. That’s when an employer backs off.
I have already told my boss multiple times if they try to require on-site I will find another job. The company I work for closed the local office long ago and it would force me to relocate to a city that still has a office. I hate every state they currently have offices in so that's a no-go.
I also have extremely specialized knowledge for a product that makes a LOT of money. The boss has said there are zero intentions to force RTO/Relocation for anyone that is and has been remote and is not near a office and will fight it if they try.