Douglas County Approves $150,000 Grant to Advance Proposed Timber~Lands Theme Park Near Winston

Plans for the proposed Timber~Lands Theme Park in Winston are moving forward with financial support from Douglas County.

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners approved a grant agreement Wednesday providing up to $150,000 to Timberlands Partners LLC. The money will come from the county’s Industrial Development Fund and will be used for planning and other startup work associated with the project.

Timber~Lands Theme Park is proposed as a major new attraction in the Winston area. While the project is still in its early development stages, organizers envision a destination that draws on Douglas County’s timber history and identity.

Grant Will Fund Early Development Work

The county grant is not for park construction. Instead, documents included with the commissioners’ July 8 meeting agenda show that the funding will pay for several steps needed to prepare the project for financing and further development.

The proposed spending includes:

• $58,000 for Kadenwood Group to create the financial structure, or capital stack, needed to fund construction
• $67,000 for the park’s operating model, referred to as “Design Day”
• $23,000 to complete the master plan
• $2,000 to secure the Timber~Lands trademark

Under the agreement, the county may contribute no more than $150,000. Timberlands Partners LLC must use the grant exclusively for the work described in its funding request and provide records or reports requested by the county.

Project representatives Mark Thomas and David Loveall told the county that completing the operating model, master plan, financing structure and trademark work is necessary before the project can advance.

Their letter also states that developers are considering refurbished attractions that could be purchased and redesigned to fit Timber~Lands Theme Park. However, no specific rides or attractions were identified in the county documents.

Partnership Discussions With Cow Creek Tribe

Commissioner Chris Boice said the project team has approached the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians about a potential partnership and that the tribe has invested money in the proposal.

Boice described the project as a potential economic opportunity for Douglas County if it ultimately comes together.

The grant agreement is between Douglas County and Timberlands Partners LLC. The documents do not establish the county as an owner, operator or partner in the theme park.

Developers Project Thousands of Jobs

Thomas and Loveall presented substantial economic projections in their request to the county.

They estimate construction of Timber~Lands Theme Park could support more than 2,000 jobs. Once operating, the park is projected to employ approximately 800 full-time workers, along with another 1,200 part-time employees during the summer and other peak attendance periods.

The developers also project that the park could generate approximately $250 million in economic activity across the greater Douglas County area during its first year of operation.

Those estimates were submitted by the project’s representatives and remain projections. The agenda materials do not include an independent economic analysis confirming the employment or financial figures.

Project Remains in Planning Stage

Approval of the grant does not mean construction of Timber~Lands Theme Park has been authorized or is ready to begin.

The money is intended to help organizers complete the business, design and financial planning needed to determine how the park could be built and operated. Additional financing, property arrangements, regulatory approvals and development work would likely be necessary before construction could move forward.

The project’s representatives included a general timeline with their request but cautioned that it should be viewed as a sequence of steps rather than a schedule containing firm dates.

No construction date or projected opening date for Timber~Lands Theme Park has been announced.

The Agenda can be found here: https://www.douglascountyor.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07082026-795