When I first heard about the idea of a mountain biking amenity being added to the Cone Park complex, I must admit I was somewhat skeptical. I recently visited Bentonville, AR, the self-proclaimed mountain biking capital of the world. Due to that trip, I knew that there was an audience for this, but I didn’t know if there was much of a following in the Midwest. Nevertheless, I did my due diligence. I talked with area enthusiasts, analyzed the proposal, and discussed the funding structure. Fast forward to today, I am excited for future growth.
On Friday, June 14, there was a ribbon-cutting for the park, and on the following day, the complex hosted its inaugural event: Trail Fest. The weather was a little overcast with a chance of rain, but I wanted to see the event and the turnout. I got there early and found several different vendors, sponsors, and more people pushing their mountain bikes around or enjoying the pump track than I ever imagined. The event included guided trail rides, pro rider skill lessons, mountain bike rentals and demos, live music, food trucks, and giveaways! As the event went on, the crowd grew and grew. I talked to multiple people about where they were from and what brought them to the event. What stood out to me was the distance people were traveling to check out the park. They all commented on how nice it was and how excited they were to use it going forward. The next morning, I bumped into one of the mountain biking influencers who was an expert at the event, giving lessons and shooting videos. I asked them what they thought, and they said they were “so impressed with how well thought out the park was with so many complementing amenities.” This complex includes 10.5 miles of natural surface trails, a pump track, a bicycle playground, and a progressive jump line. The overall cost was $3.2 million, with $2.5 million coming from grants and donations, and the city’s overall total expense only amounted to 22% of the overall project. Several donors stepped up to make this possible. Most notable were the Chesterman Foundation, Scheels, and the city of Sioux City.
For me, this amenity and that event represented an important lesson. Just because I, as a citizen of Sioux City, might not be a mountain biker or directly profit from it being in our community, that doesn’t mean I don’t indirectly benefit from the people who do. They shop in our stores, eat in our restaurants, stay in our hotels, and maybe decide they would like to call Sioux City home. These things generate tax dollars for our community, keep restaurants open, and keep the people of Sioux City employed. I’m so thankful for our dedicated staff, the community members who had the vision for it, and all of the donors who believed in it.
By Alex Watters
