Polk County staff outline Sleepy Hollow Sports Park finances, fundraising and construction timeline

At a Polk County Board of Supervisors meeting, Rich (presenter, Polk County Conservation) told supervisors the county’s Sleepy Hollow Sports Park operation has entered a fundraising and construction phase after equipment failures and early operational losses, and officials are aiming for full year‑round operations once construction finishes.

The presentation summarized the park’s purchase and early operations, equipment and pond repairs, a business plan and a fundraising feasibility study that recommended a $10 million campaign target with about $4.5 million in likely commitments; staff said they are now aiming for roughly $5 million of new money and expect some state support opportunities. Rich said the operation has spent a little more than $7 million to date and that the enterprise account model anticipates losing money while building and later recouping investment through operations.

Polk County Conservation purchased Sleepy Hollow in 2022 after multi‑year negotiations, staff said, and initially ran events such as state fair camping and a renaissance fair under concession agreements while developing in‑house programming. Staff reported mechanical failures during the first season — notably a broken chairlift and a nonfunctional pond — that forced an early closure and staff reductions. The pond was repaired over the winter using bentonite to seal the bottom and staff said the lift and the Snowflex hill (the synthetic snow surface) are now operating.

Rich and staff described capital and operating numbers. Items presented to supervisors included: total expenditures just over $7 million through the next budget year; operating revenue growth year‑to‑year with an anticipated revenue figure presented for 2025–26; and an adjusted net shortfall the presenter described as roughly $4.2 million (with a potential revision to about $4.4 million once staffing reductions and actuals are applied). Rich cautioned the $7 million figure is a theoretical total that will be reduced in final accounting because a large seasonal workforce was not retained after the early closure.

Staff described a fundraising strategy informed by a feasibility study conducted with 36 interviews and led by a consultant identified as SC Group. The feasibility work suggested a $10 million public/private campaign but indicated some portions (infrastructure, roads) are less attractive to philanthropic funders; interview responses produced an indicated giving reach of about $4.5 million. Rich said the conservation board’s working assumption is to raise about $5 million of new funds, run a quiet phase through next spring, then move into public fundraising with design and “adoptable” naming opportunities once a designer (OPN) is engaged.

A proposed financing approach presented to the board would treat Sleepy Hollow as an enterprise account and use a payback model to Polk County: the presenter described a structure where the first $400,000 of annual net income would go to Polk County, then a split of remaining net revenues (75% to a Sleepy Hollow Capital Fund, 15% to Polk County Conservation expenses and 10% to Polk County). Rich said a conservative baseline for net income after build‑out is $1 million per year, though he said he expects the figure could grow to $2–3 million if the project meets demand.

Staff outlined a construction and fundraising timeline: fundraising, design and engineering through September 2026, procurement and contractor selection beginning fall 2026, and construction through December 2027. Rich identified Christmas 2027 as a target for a full reopening with modernized lifts, snow‑making equipment and multiple ski/tubing hills; he also said the construction period is likely to depress revenue, creating a financially “hard” year during 2027 when site operations will be limited.

Supervisors asked for clarification on fundraising commitments and cash needs. One supervisor asked whether the county was being asked for an additional $4.5 million loan; Rich clarified the $4.5 million reflects money already spent or allocated through the current budget cycle that staff expects to repay to the county under the enterprise terms, not a new loan request. A supervisor requested that Deb Anderson (staff) analyze cash timing and clarify what would be required from the Board of Supervisors at key project milestones; Rich and other conservation board members agreed to follow up.

Staff emphasized regional economic benefits and visitation projections, citing existing connections to the 4 Mile Mountain Bike Park and the 4 Mile Greenway and naming Pleasant Hill and Des Moines as nearby partners. Rich said state officials and the Department of Economic Development, including Destination Iowa, have expressed interest; staff also noted prior county bond funding (2012 and 2022 bond proceeds) contributed to early capital investment.

The presentation closed with conservation board members and supervisors expressing support for the plan and thanking the conservation board and staff for the work to date. Next steps described on the record were advancing fundraising quietly, completing preliminary design with a selected consultant, and having county administrative staff produce a cash‑flow analysis for the board to review before any additional requests for county funds.