Proposed Howelsen Hill Youth Sports Center

The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) is proposing a facility consisting of multi-use indoor recreation space, strength and conditioning space, a ticket office/welcome center, and space for SSWSC and City of Steamboat Springs operational storage at Howelsen Hill that:

• Serves youth sports programs SSWSC has historically run in this location,
• Provides access for other youth sports activities/organizations in Steamboat,
• Improves infrastructure for community events in the ski jump outrun,
• Replaces and improves current three-season restrooms with year-round accessible public bathrooms,
• Replaces existing SSWSC gym and various temporary buildings, and
• Emphasizes a community’s historic commitment to youth sports.

SSWSC currently serves almost 1,200 youth in the Yampa Valley, about 50% of school-aged kids in the community. The goal of the proposed project is to continue to serve and to expand programming for all Steamboat Springs youth through SSWSC programming and by providing access to various other community/youth sports organizations. The proposed project is designed to expand the current gym’s capacity from 15 to 100 athletes/users doing various activities at one time (if not more, considering the use of associated outdoor spaces). The primary goal of the project is to expand and update the existing facilities to meet the needs of current and future generations of Steamboat youth. Howelsen Hill has evolved throughout its history to stay current with the evolution of skiing, snowboarding, and the community, and this project will continue this tradition by providing a facility that serves the needs of these sports both today and into the future, while also providing access and amenities for various other community uses and community/youth sports organizations. In order for Howelsen Hill to continue the important role it has played in the community for decades, facilities improvements and upgrades that match the community’s needs are critical.

It is critically important to be close to on-snow training in the current location of the strength training facility. This location has been home to the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club for over 100 years. This location is also a hub for various community events, and this facility is designed to support and improve other existing uses at Howelsen.

Image Caption (below): This image shows where the proposed building sits at the proposed location in the context of Howelsen Park. The labeled “existing bathrooms” would be replaced with year-round public bathrooms in the new facility (see FAQs) and the location of these removed bathrooms would be used for additional parking and traffic flow.

This project proposal comes as a result of a “Howelsen Park User Group” process that was commissioned by Steamboat Springs City Council in 2023. This project reflects data and feedback gathered from a comprehensive traffic and parking study, and involving the Steamboat Springs Youth Hockey Association, Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series, SSWSC, and all other community uses represented at the Howelsen city park. The user group process included direct involvement with Steamboat Springs City Council members and Steamboat Springs Parks & Recreation staff.

• SSWSC programming along with various youth sport and community uses
• Impact on existing and historic sight lines at Howelsen Hill
• Traffic flow and parking capacity
• Pedestrian ingress and egress at the base of Howelsen Hill

The proposed facility would provide space for various uses and replace existing facilities or buildings, including:

• A large multi-use indoor recreational space (conceptual proposal is no less than 5,000 sq ft)
• A traditional strength and conditioning room that would nearly triple the space in the current strength training building to meet current and future needs (conceptual proposal is no less than 3,000 sq ft)
• A Howelsen Hill ticket office (replacing the existing temporary ticket office building)
• Operational storage spaces for both SSWSC and the City of Steamboat Springs (eliminating various temporary buildings)
• Year-round public accessible bathrooms (replacing current three-season bathrooms)
• An enhanced community event space (walk-out deck on top of the new building and connected to the ski jump outrun)

The existing bathrooms would be removed and incorporated into this project. Conceptual plans for the area where the existing bathrooms will be removed include up to 50 additional parking spaces and an outer drop-off area to Howelsen Hill.

SSWSC would be responsible for funding the construction of the new facility as well as ongoing operations, management, and maintenance. There would be no additional expenses to the City of Steamboat Springs other than potential infrastructure improvements done in partnership with this project.

SSWSC received approval from Steamboat Springs City Council to begin negotiations for a ground lease agreement with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club at the council meeting on July 7, 2026. The next required step is to submit a comprehensive development plan to the City of Steamboat Springs, which would be coupled with a ground lease and usage agreement.

The proposed design includes usable deck space that would extend into the grade of the ski jump outrun/lawn used for summer and fall community events such as free concerts, nonprofit/community events and fundraisers, Town Challenge bike races, as well as other public uses, and SSWSC programming.

This facility would be a joint project between the City of Steamboat Springs and a nonprofit organization – Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. The facility is designed to accommodate other community organizations such as Boys & Girls Club, Routt County Riders, Steamboat Springs Youth Hockey Association, Colorado Mountain College, and other youth sport and community programs, especially for recreational activities.

Winter and Spring: Weekends coordinated with Howelsen Hill events, weekdays late mornings and evenings.
Summer: Weekends and evenings.
Fall: Weekend afternoons and evenings, weekdays late mornings and evenings.

As evidenced by the significant growth of our scholarship funds, and considering how those funds are distributed, SSWSC is always striving to support a long tradition of accessibility. It sets SSWSC apart from many similar organizations around the country. Last year, SSWSC distributed more than $600,000 in scholarship dollars and 90% of our scholarship dollars are distributed based on financial need, making it possible for many athletes to participate who would not be able to without this support. SSWSC and the Steamboat community’s commitment to support, coupled with the accessibility of Howelsen Hill and SSWSC’s partnership with the City of Steamboat Springs, is unique in this country, if not internationally. Howelsen Hill, in particular, is an international gem for keeping programs accessible and introducing as many youth as possible to personal and athletic growth through participation in sports. This proposed facility, coupled with the scholarship information represented below, will continue and significantly enhance accessibility for all Steamboat youth.

Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) provides sports and youth development programming for nearly 1,200 athletes in Steamboat Springs. SSWSC believes in the fundamental value of sport for the individual. Our mission is to create champions on and off the mountain by developing life skills and personal growth through sports. Our vision is to be the nation’s model community youth sports organization, inspiring every individual to achieve their highest level of personal and athletic potential. SSWSC alumni have become Olympians, NCAA champions, collegiate scholars, CEOs, and leaders. Our programs include alpine, cross country, freestyle, freeskiing, Nordic combined, jumping, snowboarding, backcountry education, strength and conditioning, cycling, and skateboarding. Founded in 1914, SSWSC is one of North America’s oldest and most successful winter sports clubs, serving tens of thousands of athletes for over a century, including 108 Olympians with 22 Olympic medals. U.S. Ski & Snowboard named SSWSC Club of the Year five times, more than any other club in the country. For more information, visit www.sswsc.org.