Douglas County put a number on the Zebulon Regional Sports Complex for the first time at a Nov. 10 open house in Sterling Ranch: up to $100 million. County officials also gave a more specific opening target — January 1, 2029 — and fielded both support and pointed questions from the residents who showed up.
The New Numbers
| Cost | Up to $100 million — construction, site development, utilities and earthwork |
| Opening target | January 1, 2029 |
| Operator | KT Development, under contract with the County |
| Financial goal | Self-sustaining within a few years of opening |
The $100 million figure and the January 2029 date are both new since the County's own project page, which had described the complex only as "expected to open in late 2028" without a cost estimate (see our Nov. 10 open-house preview).
What Officials Said
Steve Shoultz, Douglas County's Director of Parks and Recreation, framed the project as a turning point for the department: "This is step one to a historic investment here in Douglas County, in parks and rec amenities."
Luke Taylor of KT Development, the firm contracted to program, design, build, operate and maintain the complex, addressed the money question directly: "It'll be a profit center for Douglas County. It will not be an ongoing taxpayer burden."
What Residents Said
Reaction at the open house was mixed.
Todd Weaver spoke up in favor of the project's reach beyond Sterling Ranch: "The entire Denver metro area, and quite frankly, the state of Colorado, will receive benefits."
Marla Gifford, who lives in nearby Louviers, raised two concerns: how long construction will disrupt the area, and what it means for wildlife that passes through. "The thing that bothers me the most about it is that it's going to be two years minimum of construction," she said, and asked County staff about effects on elk and deer migration through the site.
Background
Zebulon is planned for about 46 acres in northern Douglas County, near Sterling Ranch, with ice rinks, indoor sports courts, a fitness center, outdoor athletic fields, a four-field baseball complex, and the county's first 50-meter competition pool. Site work is already underway.
Commissioners first took up contracts and financing for the project at a March 2026 special business meeting. They return to the financing question at their Nov. 24, 2026 business meeting, where they'll consider Certificates of Participation to fund the project; that meeting includes a public comment period.
Related coverage:
- Douglas County Hosts a Zebulon Sports Complex Open House Nov. 10: our preview of the open house and what the county planned to present
- Douglas County Commissioners to Consider Zebulon Sports Complex Contracts: the March 2026 vote that started the project's contracts and financing
- What's Being Built in Douglas County: every major development project we're tracking countywide
Sources: Denver7, "Douglas County shares details regarding Zebulon Regional Sports Complex, drawing both excitement and concern," published Nov. 10, 2026, checked Nov. 11, 2026; Douglas County, "What's planned for Zebulon? Explore the sports complex at a Nov. 10 open house".