Sleepy Hollow campaign asks Polk County for $4 million commitment to unlock state matching funds

Polk County Conservation and community campaign leaders asked the Board of Supervisors on Monday to consider a $4 million county commitment to help finish an estimated $17–18 million renovation and expansion of Sleepy Hollow park.

Campaign co-chairs and donors outlined a multi-year plan that would convert Sleepy Hollow into a year-round recreation destination, expand the lodge, install snow-making equipment and a chairlift, and build a permanent Snowflex training/run area for four-season operations. Campaign leaders said private donors have raised about $3 million to date.

Reynolds Cramer, CEO of Fairway Stores and an honorary campaign co-chair, said Fairway and his family have given more than $300,000 to the effort and described the site as an east-side economic draw. "We're well on our way to making $6 million," Cramer said, urging county support.

Pat Schneider, a campaign co-chair, said the project will feature universal design so people with mobility or sensory impairments can participate, including adaptive programming such as teaching blind people to ski on a dedicated bunny hill. "We are the first ski resort in the nation that will have universal design," Schneider said.

Cammy Rankin, deputy director of Polk County Conservation, explained the campaign’s fundraising and timing: the private campaign goal is $10 million within a total project budget currently estimated at $17–18 million, and campaign staff said Destination Iowa requires roughly 65% of matching funding for a pre-application. Rankin asked the board to consider a $4 million commitment by the board’s May 15 pre-application deadline so the campaign can meet Destination Iowa’s matching threshold ahead of a July 15 final application.

Board members and staff pressed on mechanics: whether the county commitment would be a grant or an enterprise-fund loan, how matching would be documented, and what portion the Polk County Conservation agency would contribute. Campaign leaders said Polk County Conservation plans to match the requested $4 million through its Water and Land Legacy Bond resources and that the mechanism (loan versus grant) could be worked out later.

County finance staff recommended the enterprise fund option as the fiscally prudent approach if the county provides a large commitment, because Sleepy Hollow is expected to generate revenue. The county finance advisor cautioned that a $4 million county commitment represents about 22% of the project cost and could compete with other priorities.

Campaign staff said critical equipment — snow-making systems and the chairlift — must be ordered by this fall to meet equipment lead times. The campaign’s construction sequencing calls for demolition and earthwork to begin as early as September if funding aligns, with a target opening for the winter season in December 2027.

No formal vote was taken; board members expressed support but asked staff to return with options on how to structure a county commitment (grant versus loan) and to reconcile priorities with other pending county requests.