A huge new dry ski slope with surface material supplied by British manufacturer Snowflex isd set to open at the former ski area of Sleepy Hollow in Polk County, Iowa.

The 50,000-square-foot (4650 sqm) slope will be, “The world’s largest all-weather tubing hill,” according to its operators. 

There’s also talk of skiing and snowboarding resuming, potentially, after the site has tested the success and logistics of the tubing operation in May. Skiing and snowboarding is expected to  begin in June or July, separate from the tubing dates, and run until the US Labor Day holiday weekend at the start of September.

Sleepy Hollow was privately-operated as a summer golf and winter sports destination for decades. However, the 76-acre site was purchased by the local government in 2021 for $3.5 million and is now undergoing a $3m upgrade, of which the dry slope is a major part.

Local media reports Polk County Conservation director Rich Leopold as saying that the site’s skiing, tubing and snowboarding will likely attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

The 600-foot (183m) long slope also has a waster misting system using about 61,000 gallons of water a week from Fourmile Creek and a park pond that’s been expanded to aid lubrication and a new conveyor lift next to it.  Construction has been underway for a year (below).

The park’s second development phase includes a new lodge and snowmaking equipment to expand skiing options but construction isn’t likely to start until at least 2026.