Douglas County approves land swap with Sterling Ranch to advance Zebulon sports complex, preserves 185 acres of open space

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a First Amendment to a contract Tuesday to exchange real property with Sterling Ranch entities, a key step the county said will allow development of the proposed Zebulon regional sports complex while protecting adjacent open space and elk migration corridors.

Dan Avery, Director of County Administration, reviewed the exchange and financing options. He said the amendment would give the county 46.5 acres suitable for a sports complex, an additional 34.2 acres above the county’s prior receipt under an earlier agreement, and would preserve about 185 acres of open space that create a continuous wildlife migration corridor. In exchange, the county would convey about 23.8 acres on Moore Road and Sterling Ranch would retain certain operating rights for gym components and limited access to future ice sheets.

Staff told the board the county would budget an initial $5,000,000 toward the sports complex and that the project could be financed through a combination of the Parks, Trails, Historic Resources and Open Space sales tax funds, partner investments and local financing mechanisms such as certificates of participation or tax‑increment approaches. Avery said the sports complex parcel the county is receiving is in an unrestricted use area per Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) materials and that CDPHE issued a conditional closure and termination of its prior compliance order for lands in the broader area after remediation.

Sterling Ranch’s head of commercial real estate, Sam Herman, described the project as a regional economic and recreational amenity and said the 45 acres Sterling Ranch is donating were chosen to avoid restricted areas and had a Phase I environmental site assessment confirming no recognized environmental conditions on those acres. Herman said the complex is designed to include ice rinks, multiuse courts, indoor turf, and multiple outdoor fields; he also characterized national youth‑sports tourism as a major economic driver and cited estimated economic impact figures provided by Metro Denver.

Public testimony at the hearing included dozens of residents, recreation providers and community organizations who voiced support for increased field capacity in northwest Douglas County and for the Zebulon plan. Several speakers cited citizen surveys and county public engagement that identified sports amenities as a community priority. The Douglas County Economic Development Corporation presented an economic analysis projecting substantial economic activity and job support from the project over its first decade (figures provided by Metro Denver were cited in public testimony). Speakers such as State Representative Bob Marshall and others raised fiscal and environmental concerns, including requests for indemnification, bond protections, independent appraisals, and clearer cost protections for taxpayers; county staff and Sterling Ranch representatives responded that pollution liability insurance exists, CDPHE supported recreational reuse in unrestricted areas, and the county had undertaken independent environmental review for the 45‑acre parcel.

After discussion the board voted and approved the amendment unanimously. The approval authorizes staff to continue the partnership process, proceed with the public‑process steps to define scope and financing, and advance environmental and entitlement work. The board did not adopt a final project design or a complete financing plan Tuesday; staff said further public process and partner negotiations will define the project’s scope, funding and timeline.

Speakers included Dan Avery (County Administration), Sam Herman (Sterling Ranch), multiple Sterling Ranch and metro‑district representatives, EDC and HRCA representatives, numerous residents and recreation providers, and State Representative Bob Marshall, among others.