Chicagoland developer Dan Powell wants to annex 80 acres of flat farmland in Round Lake, Illinois to build a 200 feet tall ski hill that will operate year round utilizing Snowflex synthetic ground coverings. The plan for the man-made hill includes our magic carpets surface lifts, stormwater retention and a ski lodge.
While some midwest skiers and snowboarders may welcome the idea of slopes so close to Chicago, the plan has been met with opposition from locals who worry the attraction will be a burden to the community and question Powell’s real intentions. CBS reports Powell’s company, CHDS, provides soil, concrete, and other recycled materials to excavators, landscapers, and construction contractors. Much of those materials come from the yard they currently operate on about 1.5 miles from the proposed ski hill site:
“I think what they’re proposing is a ski hill, but what they’re really doing is building an above-ground landfill,” –Local Resident, George Monaco
If approved the ski hill will be constructed in three phases over the course of 12 years using fill dirt material (no mention where the material will come from). Village meeting about the project are ongoing with no clear indication of which way it will go. We will be sure to update as new information becomes available.