DougCo Drop – October 15th – A land swap, Bad Moms, and a log cabin

Oh, the crisp air, the leaves, the perfect fall weather — what could possibly ruin this beautiful season? Oh right… ballots are being mailed out.

Keep an eye out for yours and double-check that everything looks right. I’ve seen a few reports of folks getting Arapahoe County ballots after receiving Douglas County ones for 20+ years.

But enough about the topic that must not be named — let’s have some fun.

Saddle Up

🎤 Music & Concerts

🎤 JC Jonathan Cernan
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 15
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Experience the musical mastery of Jonathan Cernan as he blends classical training with rock and alternative soul.

🎤 Atom’s Open Mic Night
📅 Date: Thursday, October 16
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🎤 Detail: Step up to the mic or enjoy local talent in Parker. A fun night of music, creativity, and community!

🎤 Red Mountain Highway
📅 Date: Thursday, October 16
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM - 11:30 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Based in Colorado Springs and made up of active duty and retired military members, they bring heartfelt originals and boot-stomping covers to every show.

🎤 Live Music! Josh Blackburn
📅 Date: Friday, October 17
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Honnibrook Craft Meadery, Castle Rock
🎤 Detail: Catch the electrifying Josh Blackburn as he brings his signature blend of rock, soul, and acoustic magic to the stage.

🎤 The Grind 5280
📅 Date: Friday, October 17 & Saturday, October 18
⏰ Time: 8:30 PM - 12:30 AM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Known for their gritty sound and high-octane performances, they blend classic rock roots with modern edge to ignite every stage they play.

🎤 Sisters of Rock
📅 Date: Saturday, October 18
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🎤 Detail: Sisters of Rock featuring the Ladies of the 80's honoring the female legends and 80's rock. Missing Blonde is a high-voltage tribute to Missing Persons and Blondie.

🎤 Steve Thomas Solo
📅 Date: Sunday, October 19
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Enjoy a free afternoon of music with Steve, whose crystal-clear vocals and heartfelt renditions bring your favorite songs to life.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

👻 Top Hogs of the Wild West
📅 Date: Saturday, October 18
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM
📍 Location: The Gardens, Highlands Ranch
👻 Detail: As seen on America’s Got Talent, these exceptionally smart animals begin with raising the American flag, followed by a slam dunk contest, and more!

🎃 Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 15 - Sunday, November 2
⏰ Time: 6:15 PM
📍 Location: The Hudson Gardens, Littleton
🎃 Detail: The Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns delights all ages on a glowing trail of thousands of magnificent, hand-carved pumpkins.

🌽 Corn Maze
📅 Date: Friday, October 17 - Sunday, October 19
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
📍 Location: Chatfield Farms, Littleton
🌽 Detail: Take flight in this year’s birds-of-prey-themed corn maze, where eagles, falcons, and vultures guide your path through thrilling twists and turns!

🎃 Boo Hollow - Our First Village!
📅 Date: Friday, October 17 - Sunday, October 19
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Tagawa Gardens, Centennial
🎃 Detail: This isn’t just a place to trick-or-treat or shop — it’s a place to slow down, play, and experience the magic of a handcrafted town made just for kids.

🎨 Arts & Culture

🎥 Mountainfilm on Tour  
📅 Date: Thursday, October 16
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Southridge Auditorium, Highlands Ranch
🎥 Detail: Experience a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed, and inspiring documentary films handpicked from the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride.

📔 Stones & Stories: The Geology Behind the Castle 
📅 Date: Saturday, October 18
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM
📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch & Castle, Sedalia
📔 Detail: Discover the geological wonders, ancient fossils, and masterful craftsmanship that define this Colorado treasure.

🍹 Nightlife & Entertainment

🎤 Avery Kyle Entertainment
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 15
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM - 11:30 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill - Parker
🎤 Detail: Join Avery Kyle Entertainment for a high-energy karaoke night, complete with dance sets and an unforgettable crowd vibe. Free show!

🗓️ On the Horizon

🎥 Spirits with the Spirits Mansion Tours
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 22
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Highlands Ranch Mansion
🎥 Detail: Guests sample boozy spirits, wander through dimly lit rooms, and hear spine-tingling tales from the mansion’s past. Tickets include one drink: cash bar available.

🎶 AC/BC Social – Littleton Mead Cottage
📅 Date: Thursday, October 23
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Honnibrook Craft Meadery, Littleton
🎶 Detail: Join us for an evening of connection, conversation, and cozy vibes in one of Littleton’s most charming settings. Whether you're AC, BC, or just curious, come mingle and make memories.

🃏 The Pub & Grub Comedy Tour: Starring Kelechi Jaavaid (KJay)
📅 Date: Thursday, October 23
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🃏 Detail: The night of laughter is coming back this October! We are kicking things off with Kelechi Jaavaid (KJay) who's been seen on BET, FOX-TV, TMZ, The WB, and CBS.

🍷 Roots Run Deep: An Evening of Wine & Story
📅 Date: Friday, October 24
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch & Castle, Sedalia
🍷 Detail: For the first time, a single vineyard takes center stage, offering guests a deeper connection to its varietals and stories.

🍂 Fall Festival
📅 Date: Saturday, October 25
⏰ Time: 10:00 Am - 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Village Square Business District, Castle Pines
🍂 Detail: This community favorite is the perfect way to celebrate the season with family, friends, and neighbors.

🚗 Worth the Drive

🌟 Glow at the Gardens
📅 Date: Tuesday, October 21 - Sunday, October 26
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: York Street, Denver
🌟 Detail: Step into a glowing world of enchantment as you wander a dazzling path lined with hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns and towering pumpkin sculptures all made from real, locally grown pumpkins.

Wanted, Help

Local jobs and opportunities across Douglas County.

• Content Creator - Douglas County Media Brand - Douglas County

• Fitness Instructor II - Highlands Ranch Metro District - Highlands Ranch

• Communications and Events Coordinator - STEM School - Lone Tree

If you’re hiring, reach out at [email protected] for a free posting.

Land and Lore

Facts on the Field: Inside the Zebulon Vote

Commissioners approved the Zebulon deal Tuesday — but with limited opposition allowed to speak and few financial details disclosed, residents are still asking the hard questions.

What was approved

According to the county’s own presentation (Douglas County Commissioners Business Meeting – Oct. 14 2025, YouTube):

• Land swap: The county receives 46.5 acres (34.2 more than previously agreed) to build the complex; Sterling Ranch receives 23.8 acres on Moore Road and “recreational use rights” for the Sterling Ranch Community Authority Board.

• Budget trigger: Requires a $5 million allocation within 60 days (slide “Other Terms and Conditions”).

• Contract language: Includes a Public Improvement Fee Covenant, Post-Occupancy Agreement, Restrictive Covenant and Right of First Refusal, and options on County Storage and Sports Complex property (slide “Other Terms and Conditions”).

• Release of liability: The agreement also releases Sterling Ranch from any future environmental liability on the parcel it transferred to the County — meaning if contamination is later discovered at the Zebulon site, taxpayers would be responsible for remediation costs.

• Open space: County must preserve 185 acres as an elk-migration corridor and buffer around Louviers (slide “Key Provisions”).

Funding and finance

The presentation confirmed Zebulon will draw from the 0.17% Parks, Trails, Historic Resources & Open Space Fund, renewed by voters in 2022 with 87% support (slide “Parks, Trails…”).
Financing mechanisms may include Certificates of Participation (COPs) and/or Tax Increment Financing (slide “Finance Options”), but no total cost or timeline was disclosed.
Outside developer materials estimate Phase 1 at $65 – $85 million, combining county and private investment (Mile High CRE, Oct 14).

Other recent allocations from the same fund — $7.5 million each for new parks in Lone Tree, Parker, and Castle Rock — were cited by staff to show “countywide investment,” but Zebulon’s scale dwarfs those projects.

Environmental assurances

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) issued a Conditional Closure and Termination of Compliance Order in 2022, determining that remediation of the former DuPont dynamite plant site was sufficient under current use conditions.
Sterling Ranch also completed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment — the standard lender-required report that reviews records but rarely includes new sampling.

Both documents conclude the land is suitable for redevelopment, but given the site’s history with lead, PETN (explosive residue), and other industrial materials, it’s hard to know what might still remain underground. These reviews often serve as regulatory checkboxes rather than fresh investigations.

A representative of Sterling Ranch Development mentioned a pollution-liability insurance policy “around $10 million”, though the amount was not confirmed publicly and it’s unclear whether it protects the county, the developer, or both.

How it was framed

Developer Brock Smethills described Sterling Ranch as “donating land to the county” (at approximately the 56-minute mark), though the agreement is a two-way exchange that grants Sterling Ranch commercial acreage, recreation rights, and future purchase options.
County staff characterized the move as “responsible development” that preserves open space near Louviers after the previous Wildcat Park location in Highlands Ranch was dropped in 2024 following public opposition.

What actually happened in the room

Public comment leaned heavily in favor of the project. Several youth-sports advocates (including an ex-NHL player) and members of the Douglas County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) spoke about the shortage of ice and field space.

The only person to speak in opposition was State Rep. Bob Marshall (HD-43), who questioned the speed of the process, the release of liability, and the absence of a clear funding plan. Commissioner George Teal pushed back, saying Sterling Ranch was “the only party willing to make this work.”

The meeting had its moments of tension, even outside the Teal–Marshall exchange, with Chair Abe Laydon calling for order several times as audience members clapped, shouted, or interjected.

Watching the exchange unfold, it was hard not to wonder: if one-third of survey respondents opposed Zebulon, why was only one opposing voice allowed to speak?

(According to the county’s 2024 Parks and Open Space survey, about one-third of respondents listed a mega-sports complex as their most-appealing project option, while another third listed it as their least appealing (Douglas County Parks, Trails, Open Space & Historic Resources Survey, p. 50–51).

The commissioners then voted 3–0 to approve the amendment.
(Full recording: Douglas County BOCC Business Meeting – Oct 14 2025)

The open questions

Where are the numbers?
County slides showed funding sources but no total cost or operating budget. Yet, somehow they know enough to make economic-impact claims of $1.3 billion and 1,700 jobs.

Liability and oversight
If the developer is released from future cleanup responsibility, does the $10 million insurance (if confirmed) adequately protect taxpayers — and who verifies that the “conditional closure” still holds once the site is disturbed?

Location and access
The site sits in western Douglas County, near Louviers and Sterling Ranch — accessible for some, distant for others. If the goal is more youth-sports capacity, could smaller, distributed complexes across Parker, Castle Rock, and Highlands Ranch serve more residents?

Private vs. public risk
If Zebulon is projected to bring major jobs and tourism revenue, why isn’t it privately financed?

If you’re opposed, take heart — the plan notes that the basketball courts can be converted into 30+ pickleball courts, so everyone’s bound to argue over court time eventually.

What’s the one safeguard you’d like to see in writing before groundbreaking — funding transparency, environmental monitoring, or access equity?

Sources

-Douglas County Commissioners Business Meeting presentation (YouTube, Oct 14 2025 — slides “Proposed Exchange,” “Finance Options,” “Other Terms and Conditions,” “Applicable Environmental Documents”).
-First Amendment to Contract to Exchange Real Property (Douglas County Legistar, Oct 14 2025, Section 6).
-Douglas County Zebulon Project Page (2025).
-Mile High CRE, “Sterling Ranch Deeds 46.5 Acres…” (Oct 14 2025).
Douglas County Parks, Trails, Open Space & Historic Resources 2024 Survey (pp. 50–51)

Hometown Headlines

Parker’s Colorado Golf Club to Host 2030 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship
TLDR: The USGA announced that Colorado Golf Club in Parker will host the 2030 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship from July 22-27. This marks the second USGA championship at the course, following the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur. Past winners of this prestigious tournament include Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, and David Duval. The event will feature 264 of the world's best junior golfers (19 and under), competing through stroke play rounds before advancing to match play. Director of Golf Graham Cliff called it "a strategic and demanding championship venue" and emphasized the honor of hosting future professional golf stars.

Bad Moms of Parker Holds Inaugural 5K for Domestic Violence Awareness
TLDR: On October 5, the Bad Moms of Parker Community Outreach nonprofit held its first StepUp, Speak Out 5K at Tallman Meadow Park, drawing over 70 participants to raise awareness for domestic violence in Douglas County. What started as a Facebook group of local moms has grown to nearly 13,000 members and evolved into a full nonprofit providing resources, community support, and advocacy for families. Parker Mayor Joshua Rivero attended the event, which featured booths from TESSA (which recently opened a Douglas County domestic violence safehouse) and YANA. Vice President Selina Seargeant emphasized the message: "You're not alone and there's no judgment about what you're going through — we can get through this together."

Castle Rock’s Pastor’s Prayer for Pizza Driver Raises over $60k and Counting
TLDR: When a pizza delivery driver brought the wrong order to Pastor Neal Seiwert's Castle Rock home, he responded not with frustration but with prayer — and the moment went viral. After praying for the delivery woman, Seiwert's congregation and community rallied to raise over $41,000 to bless her. The story has been featured on national news outlets, but it happened right here in Castle Rock, showcasing the compassion and generosity of our local community. The delivery driver was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from complete strangers.

Tried & True

🔥 Tried & True: The Bistro on 2nd — Monument

Was down in Monument this past week and finally stopped by Bistro on 2nd after hearing the rec more times than I can count. It’s right on the main drag, and the chilly night made me long for winter in the mountains. The restaurant itself is an unassuming old two-story home — I think we were technically sitting in what used to be a dining room, so I’ll take it.

We weren’t messing around: bacon-wrapped dates (ooooh, so good), massive truffle fries (yeah baby), and Brussels sprouts for “health” reasons — though, of course, they came with bacon.

For the main, I went with the elk — incredible base of mashed potatoes, local harvest mushrooms, sautéed kale, acorn squash, and Diane sauce. Absolute hit. The chicken saltimbocca made its way to the table too, and I can confirm it looked every bit as good as it tasted (according to the person guarding it).

Dessert was a must: a trio of pumpkin cheesecake (my favorite), pecan pie with vanilla ice cream, and a gluten-free raspberry chocolate mousse. Let’s just say — zero regrets.

Menu

The Getaway

🔥 Woodland Park

About an hour and a half from Douglas County, Woodland Park is one of those easy mountain escapes that still feels like you’ve gone somewhere.
Most stays run around $300 a night — cozy cabins and chalets tucked among the pines with big-sky views of Pikes Peak.

Start your morning with a slow walk around Memorial Park and a coffee from one of the local cafés, then wrap up the day at Boards & Barrels Bistro & Whiskey House — a mountain-town gem with whiskey flights, sharable boards, and a menu that rivals spots down in the Springs. And if the weather’s clear, take the drive up Rampart Range Road for a proper breath of mountain air.

Check out your options here.

Yes, I could see myself posted up in this cozy living room in a log cabin on 48 acres…

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