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Polk County details Sleepy Hollow Sports Park progress and $13 million fundraising push
Summary
County staff told supervisors Sleepy Hollow has seen major deferred-maintenance work since Polk County bought the park in 2022 and outlined a $13 million fundraising plan, a 2026–27 construction window and technical fixes for a pond and snowmaking equipment.
Jeff Condon, leisure services manager for Polk County Conservation, told the Board of Supervisors that Sleepy Hollow Sports Park has completed an initial year of operations since Polk County’s 2022 purchase and is moving into a multi‑season revitalization phase.
“We are building on our successes and addressing the challenges head on,” Condon said, describing upgrades to plumbing and electrical systems, removal of obsolete structures and the hiring of core leadership and more than 30 on‑call staff. He said staff launched a rebranding and marketing campaign and expanded on‑site attractions, including what he described as a larger pond and a notably long Snowflakes tubing hill.
The presentation also acknowledged operational setbacks. Condon and Rich Leopold of Polk County Conservation said the park’s conveyor lift failed during the season, shortening operations before a local company repaired the Italian‑made lift. Staff also reported the expanded pond “doesn’t retain water yet” and that engineers, staff and contractors are executing a remediation plan that includes using bentonite to seal the bottom.
“Until we successfully fundraise to upgrade these systems, we will not be able to offer a winter season,” Condon said, adding that a separate snowmaking system will be required before full winter operations can resume.
Staff proposed a $13,000,000 fundraising goal to support infrastructure upgrades and a new ADA‑accessible lodge intended to enable four‑season operations. Condon gave a timeline that would carry fundraising through 2025, with design, engineering and construction targeted for 2026–27 and an anticipated reopening in 2027 under the expanded plan.
County supervisors pressed staff on near‑term details, including whether the lodge has bookings (staff said none are yet booked), the scope and cost of pond repairs and how the county used acquisition and operating funds. Leopold said the earthwork contract that included pond work totaled about $1,300,000 and that plan B — adding several truckloads of bentonite — is en route to seal the pond’s bottom.
Staff also described revenue and partnership activity: the county used an RFP process to select local concessionaires for events such as the Renaissance Fair and took operations of state fair camping in‑house this year, which produced revenue noted in the packet. New Musco lighting and audio features will extend operating hours and seek to improve visitor experience on the long conveyor ride.
What’s next: staff will continue fundraising and technical remediation; supervisors asked for follow‑up budget papers and noted the timeline for design and construction. The presentation closed with staff’s invitation for questions and an offer to return with additional details requested by the board.
