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December 26, 2014 VOLU M E 1 3 | I SS UE 8
ParkerChronicle.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Equine activity to continue at park Group signs contract to buy 148-acre horse venue south of Parker By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com The Colorado Horse Park announced that a group has signed a contract to acquire the venue and will continue equestrian operations into the future. A partnership led by Mark and Katherine Bellissimo has agreed in principle to buy the 148-acre horse park for an undisclosed amount, according to a statement released Dec. 19. When it was put up for sale in August, Colorado Horse Park founder Helen Krieble said she was concerned that a developer would
scrape the venue and build more homes. She expressed hope that the buyer would build on the horse park’s strong foundation and continue its legacy as a top-tier equestrian center. It appears her wish has come true. Mark Bellissimo, whose partnership is called Colorado Equestrian Partners, was quoted in a news release saying his group is “honored to continue Helen’s legacy.” A prepared statement Krieble from Krieble didn’t mask her enthusiasm. “The contract includes the purchase of an additional 47 acres that abuts the horse park,” she said. “I believe this will ensure CHP has the ability to operate effectively and preserves the area from future residential development.” Horses continues on Page 7
Local riders, like Hillary Jean of Castle Rock, and international riders will continue to participate in equestrian events at the Colorado Horse Park. Photo by AnLi Kelly-Durham
New group aims to help charters start Ben Franklin Academy founder says launching a school isn’t easy By Jane Reuter
jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Grant Podhojski, 13, of Parker, bounces off a wall at Sky Zone Parker during Community Appreciation Night Dec. 11. Photos by Chris Michlewicz
Trampoline park bounces into town Sky Zone Parker offers indoor jumping for joy By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com An industry that’s growing by leaps has bounded into Parker. Sky Zone Parker, a massive indoor trampoline park for kids and adults, opened Dec. 13 in a long-vacant, 33,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Target on the northwest corner of South Parker Road and Lincoln Avenue. News of the business coming to town was made public when Sky Zone mounted its Park continues on Page 7
SkyZone owners Jeffery and Jan McClure, third and fourth from left, respectively, pose for photos with their staff.
The founder of Highlands Ranch’s Ben Franklin Academy has formed an organization to help parents get charter schools off the ground. Patriot Schools is currently working with supporters of the proposed John Adams High School and K-12 Parker Performing Arts School, which aim for fall 2015 openings. Attorney Jason Sanders and real estate broker Travis Cottle together founded Patriot Schools as a limited liability company in September 2012. Sanders said he was besieged with calls after Ben Franklin Academy opened in September 2011. “I had over 20 people reach out to me and ask for help starting charter schools from as far away as Chicago and Hawaii,” Sanders said. “Starting a school is not easy. You have to know something about education, some legal stuff, finance and business. I could sense there was a need.” While a Douglas County charter school is a tuition-free public school that typically operates under a contract with the Douglas County School District, it has its own board and is largely autonomous. Often, a charter school is proposed by parents who may have solid ideas about curriculum but limited experience in other critical areas. When the demand for his expertise on charter schools threatened to overwhelm his other responsibilities, Sanders said he pondered a formula to provide compensation for his time. Some charter schools get that expertise and management from for-profit educational management organizations, which often charge a percentage of a school’s annual revenue as their fee. “As we thought about how to be involved in education in Colorado, and specifically Douglas County, we did not like that model,” Sanders said. “We did not want to bleed schools of money.” Instead, Sanders and Cottle’s Patriot Schools charges a one-time, upfront fee that is rolled into the school’s financing package. Cottle, a longtime friend of Sanders, said School continues on Page 7