The ballot measure will be voted on as part of the election process on November 5, 2024.

Hyland Hills Park & Recreation District is requesting the ability to increase the District’s debt by up to $90 million without a new tax or increase in existing taxes. Funds would be spent over the course of 20 years at various District facilities to address key projects identified by the recently completed Strategic Plan.

Your current tax levy for Hyland Hills will remain the same regardless of whether the measure passes or not. The measure does not implement any new taxes or tax increases.

Those who support the measure say the debt will enable Hyland Hills to address aging infrastructures and deferred maintenance projects at District facilities. Projects were identified by the recently completed Strategic Plan, which was informed by residents through extensive community engagement. Projects would be spaced out over the course of 20 years to minimize the debt’s impact to District operations.

Those who oppose the measure say the interest on debt service is too great to take on.

Projects were identified by the Strategic Plan and may include the following:

• Park Improvements and Maintenance
• Security and Safety in Parks and Facilities
• Aquatics Improvements
• Recreation Facility Improvements
• Ice Centre Improvements
• Golf Course Improvements
• Water Conservation Initiatives
• Water World Improvements
• Adventure Golf & Raceway Improvements

These projects were identified through a comprehensive strategic planning process. In 2023, Hyland Hills asked the community “Where do we grow from here?” and to share ideas for future parks, facilities, and program offerings. Through more than 6,300 direct community touch-points, Hyland Hills gathered valuable feedback to shape our Strategic Plan. Over the course of a year, a long-range Strategic Plan was created.

On August 6, 2024, the Hyland Hills Board of Directors formally approved the much-anticipated Strategic Plan, a comprehensive blueprint that will guide decision-making for the Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District’s recreational facilities and programs over the next decade.

Three key strategic initiatives emerged as a result of community engagement and visioning sessions. These initiatives serve as the foundation for executing the Strategic Plan over the coming years. These include: Preserve our District’s Valued Assets, Align Services with our District’s Evolving Interests and Provide World-Class Experiences.

Projects identified for this financing measure must meet at least one of these three initiatives identified by the community.

The full Strategic Plan can be found at https://www.hylandhills.org/2023-strategic-planning/

Projects will be completed over the course of 20 years and will be aligned with the Strategic Plan. If the ballot measure is approved, projects may begin as early as 2026.

Revenue-generating facilities (such as Adventure Golf & Raceway, Greg Mastriona Golf Courses, Ice Centre, and Water World) play a critical role in supporting the mission of the Hyland Hills Park & Recreation District. Revenues from these facilities support the maintenance and improvements of community parks and subsidize recreation programs and facilities.

Enhancing these facilities will ensure sound, sustainable financial practices to preserve the community’s parks and recreation facilities and amenities.

Excess revenues from Hyland Hills’ entertainment facilities support the District’s overall mission to serve the community. Entertainment facilities support this mission by providing the means to subsidize recreation programs, recreation and aquatics facilities and providing community parks.

The chart below shows Hyland Hills’ Mill Levy compared to similar parks and recreation districts in the area.

WITHOUT IMPOSING A NEW TAX OR INCREASING EXISTING TAXES, SHALL HYLAND HILLS PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT DEBT BE INCREASED $90 MILLION, WITH A REPAYMENT COST OF UP TO $225 MILLION; SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

SUCH DEBT SHALL BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION OF VARIOUS PARK AND RECREATION IMPROVEMENTS OF THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING:

PARK IMPROVEMENTS/MAINTENANCE;
SECURITY AND SAFETY IN PARKS/FACILITIES;
AQUATICS IMPROVEMENTS;
RECREATION FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS;
ICE CENTRE IMPROVEMENTS;
GOLF COURSE/FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS;
WATER CONSERVATION AT ALL PARKS & FACILITIES;
WATER WORLD IMPROVEMENTS;
ADVENTURE GOLF & RACEWAY IMPROVEMENTS;

OR TO REFUND SUCH DEBT AT A HIGHER OR LOWER INTEREST RATE (OR TO CREATE A RESERVE FOR SUCH PURPOSES);

SUCH DEBT SHALL BE A GENERAL FUND OBLIGATION OF THE DISTRICT, MAY BE EVIDENCED BY BONDS, NOTES, CONTRACTS OR LOAN AGREEMENTS AND SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM ANY AVAILABLE REVENUE OF THE DISTRICT INCLUDING PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS;

SUCH DEBT SHALL BE SOLD IN ONE OR MORE SERIES OVER A PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN 20 YEARS, ON TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND WITH SUCH MATURITIES AS PERMITTED BY LAW AND AS THE DISTRICT MAY DETERMINE, INCLUDING PROVISIONS FOR SALE OF THE BONDS AT A PRICE ABOVE OR BELOW PAR, AND FOR REDEMPTION OR PREPAYMENT PRIOR TO MATURITY, WITH OR WITHOUT PAYMENT OF A PREMIUM NOT TO EXCEED 3.00%;

AND SHALL THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH DEBT BE COLLECTED, RETAINED, AND SPENT AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO LIMITS WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?