The Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District is exploring a potential public-private partnership to build a sculpture garden and mini-golf course, likely on the property of its future Silver Creek facility.
Jennifer Riff, a Park City resident, proposed the joint venture to the district’s board earlier this month. She said she’s in the process of creating a registered nonprofit to formalize an agreement with Basin Recreation if board members ultimately approve the project.
Specifically, Riff suggested building a 14-hole mini-golf course surrounded by a sculpture garden with themes and motifs important to Park City. She listed the area’s mining history and Olympic involvement as examples, adding that the sculptures would be interactive and educational for visitors.
Riff said the mini-golf course would also fill a niche underserved in Summit County: “casual recreation” for all ages.
The project wouldn’t come with a new price tag for taxpayers, though. Basin Recreation is already considering a $150 million bond to build the Silver Creek facility, as well as one in Jeremy Ranch.
Riff said her nonprofit would front construction costs as long as Basin Recreation provides land and bathroom access. The nonprofit would also operate the course, with a portion of the proceeds going to Basin Recreation. The nonprofit’s earnings would go toward operational costs and purchasing more artwork for the sculpture garden.
Tickets would cost between $10 and $15 depending on the customer’s age and whether they’re a Basin Recreation member. There would not be a restaurant on the course, but a food stand would likely sell prepackaged drinks and ice cream.
The board appeared to support the idea, with multiple members praising Riff for wanting to provide amenities to all families without increasing the district’s budget or requiring additional taxpayer funding. Basin Recreation Executive Director Robert Parrish said he thought the project “could be very successful” and help the district in the future.
“If we set this up and we do it right, it would actually set a precedent and attract others,” he said, referring to public-private partnerships. “We’ve had a couple of other people come in and propose some projects, and we could potentially set up those projects under a similar idea. I think it’s good.”
Riff said the nonprofit would need 1.5 to 2 acres of land to accommodate the mini-golf course and sculpture garden, and she suggested a 20-year lease with Basin Recreation to govern the agreement.
Parrish told board members the Cline Dahle property in Jeremy Ranch is too small for the project, meaning it would likely be built on the district’s Silver Creek parcel if it comes to fruition. He also responded to concerns about water use, saying the mini-golf course would have turf instead of grass and be intentionally landscaped to reduce water needs.
Parrish advocated for expanding the sculpture garden in the future, too.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be at the mini-golf course,” he said. “We could make more of the property, as you’re walking through trails, have more installations. We could make this more of a site concept rather than just a small portion of it. There’s room for that there.”
Riff said her team can’t design the mini-golf course until the nonprofit knows which piece of land it’ll potentially be leasing from Basin Recreation, but she estimated the design and construction process would take a year and a half.
The board did not take any action on the project this month. However, board members agreed to continue the conversation with Riff and to delve deeper into the idea at the committee level before bringing a more comprehensive proposal for a vote.