A project we first mentioned last July as sounding “like the plot of a ‘South Park’ episode” is officially a go.
Officials in Douglas County, Colorado, signed off on the Zebulon Regional Sports Complex following a contentious public meeting.
The project will be built in Sterling Ranch, a Denver suburb. The county is aiming to complete the $100M first phase by 2028.
3 NHL-size hockey rinks, practice rink
8 multi-sport courts for hoops, volleyball, etc,
Sports dome with turf, removable roof
Baseball/softball fields
Fitness center, restaurants
The county said it will tap financing mechanisms for $100M without raising taxes. A developer has received a capped $65M contract for construction. The county said it could unlock up to $34M in private funding, but details “will be defined as part of the design process.”
Project opponents had expressed concerns about the project’s costs and impacts on local infrastructure, bidding to have the proposal put to a ballot referendum.
A county official had previously said the first phase’s economic impact could reach $1B, but that figure does not appear to have been mentioned recently.
The complex will be built on the site of a former dynamite plant. But the state said the land is safe after decades of remediation and testing.
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