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The $2b conspiracy lurking beneath world famous airport

They say never ascribe to malice what can be explained by stupidity. But with that attitude there'd be almost no conspiracy theories for us to unpack.

One of the world's busiest airports is perhaps the perfect case in point.

It has long been thought there is something more than meets the eye with Denver International Airport, largely stemming from the fact its construction went 16 months over schedule, and cost an extra US$2 billion.

During construction in the 90s, workers claimed there was some rather interesting tunnels underneath the airport, fuelling speculation about what was really going on down there.

Aerial photo of Denver International Airport.
Big questions linger around what's beneath the famous airport. Source: Getty

Start Googling and it doesn't take long before you find nefarious conspiracy theories about secret Illuminati headquarters, lizard people lurking in bunkers beneath baggage claim, escape tunnels for the wealthy, and harbingers of doom "hidden" in airport artwork.

"There are certainly lots of buildings underneath the airport," says futurist Dr Richard Hames.

"Because there was some mismanagement in the construction and they decided instead of demolishing them, they would just build over them," he told Yahoo News as part of its new Conspiracies Unpacked series.

Naturally, there are some wild ideas online suggesting the airport doubles as apocalypse shelter for the country's elite.

"Individually they probably have bunkers, but under one place? Probably not," Dr Hames said.

Airport famous for devil horse statue

The fun doesn't end there though, with the artwork dotted around the building also thought by some to contain clues to the darker side of the building.

Most notably, a giant statue of a blue horse with blood-red eyes sits on the boulevard outside the airport. Known to locals as Blucifer, it has a murderous story behind it.

Blucifer statue in front of Denver airport.
Blucifer is said to be possessed by Lucifer. Source: Denver7

"The artist actually died from a severed artery when part of the horse he was constructing fell on him," Dr Hames said. "It was completed by another artist."

Once you know the statue killed its creator, who wouldn't be suspicious?

"Therefore one must conclude that all the art in the airport, which is very colourful and has a variety of symbols, must be connected as well," Dr Hames joked.

While this all sounds a tad crazy, the airport certainly doesn't shy away from its conspiratorial reputation.

Tunnel at Denver International Airport.
An employee for United Airlines drives a tug full of baggage at Denver International Airport. Source: Getty

A plaque at the airport contains the symbol of the Freemason secret society and claims the building was funded by The New World Airport Commission, a group which turns out never to have existed.

The airport's own website details some of the more outlandish conspiracy theories its famous for and has previously held tours to show-off the underground tunnels and eclectic public artwork that adorns the building.

“We have a CEO who really embraces the conspiracy ideas,” Heath Montgomery, senior public information officer for DIA, told the The Denver Post in 2016.

“We decided a few years ago that rather than fight all of this and try and convince everybody there’s nothing really going on, let’s have some fun with it.”

The wild stories have turned the airport into one of the world's most colourful stop-overs, however sadly we have no evidence to suggest any of it is true.

Nonetheless, "it's brilliant marketing," Dr Hames admits.

Photo of busy terminal at Denver International Airport.
DIA has a colourful history, to say the least. Source: Getty

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