Middleton Nordic Center groundbreaking set-Sept. 16

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 11, 2025

MIDDLETON, WI — Embracing every season is the Wisconsin way, and the City of Middleton will soon have one more wintery asset to welcome community members and visitors, alike.

The City of Middleton will celebrate a groundbreaking for Central Cross-Country Skiing’s new trailhead lodge — the Middleton Nordic Center — at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the CXC Outdoor Community Center (4355 Schwartz Road, Middleton). This event is open to the public.

Mayor Emily Kuhn will speak, as well as Bryan Gadow, city administrator; Yuriy Gusev, Central Cross-Country Skiing (CXC) director; and Steve Cohan, the chairman of the CXC Skiing Foundation.

The Middleton Nordic Center is the newest addition to this public-private partnership at the CXC Outdoor Community Center. It will contain a community lounge, restrooms, a physical therapy tenant, cross-country ski rental shop, CXC office space and CXC Athletic Center — a high-performance gym. There will also be an outdoor area available for larger events.

“Middleton has always been a community that values its natural spaces and the opportunities they provide to gather, stay active and connect with one another,” said Mayor Emily Kuhn. “The Middleton Nordic Center is a perfect example of what happens when vision, generosity and partnership come together. This project not only preserves the beauty of the land, but also creates a lifelong legacy of recreation, wellness and community pride.”

Middleton has always welcomed cross-country skiers on designated trails at the Middleton Bike Park, but a land donation to the city by Dan and Natalie Erdman in 2021 started the proverbial snowball rolling for something bigger and better.

“My wife, Natalie, and I are thrilled to see the development of this unique outdoor recreational facility that will become a community asset to be enjoyed by the public for generations to come,” said Dan Erdman. “This is the result of a partnership between the City of Middleton and CXC, along with countless generous private donations without which this could never happen. We look forward to CXC creating a first-class cross-country skiing venue and offering the public year-round access to a trail system for their enjoyment and health, all within a stone’s throw from downtown Middleton.”

The Erdmans’ wish was that this land would never be developed commercially. It will stay open to the public for outdoor recreational use.

“When Dan expressed interest in donating land to build cross-country ski trails with snowmaking capabilities, I knew this could be an invaluable resource for our community,” said Gusev, who had been advocating to build this facility in Middleton for a decade. “The topography, the variety of the trails, and proximity to a large population area all make this site ideal for public use, not only for cross-country skiing but also for hiking or biking in the spring, summer and fall.”

The Middleton Nordic Center is scheduled to be complete and open by summer 2026, but the trails are already in use.

“The CXC Outdoor Community Center grounds already serve as a vibrant four-season hub for Nordic skiing, mountain biking and outdoor recreation,” said Steve Cohan, CXC Foundation president. “Thanks to the vision and contributions of many, the coming year will bring a new trailhead building, expanded snowmaking infrastructure, and targeted enhancements — transforming this site into a true regional destination where families connect, athletes train, and future Olympians take their first strides.”

But nothing happens overnight.

The first trails were designed and built in 2021. Soon, a road was built, connecting Schwartz Road, and a 16-slot parking lot was added. In 2022, the City of Middleton added 48 more parking stalls.

The Middleton Parks and Recreation Department moved the Middleton Bike Park trailhead from Pleasant View Golf Course over to this parking lot and also built a new Pump Track at the location — both assets are managed by the City of Middleton and round out the four-season approach that the founders hoped for this space. 

The CXC Outdoor Community Center grooms about eight miles of cross-country ski trails, including two miles with snowmaking infrastructure to supplement natural snow and ensure reliable snow coverage from December through March. 

Fundraising is ongoing as the project plans expanded. The first lodge renderings were really a trailhead building with an office and ski rentals. But when donors came forward and added their own passion and dreams — the project evolved from a destination to that and more.

“The city has been a great partner for the CXC Foundation and overall center — the timelines have changed because donors stepped forward to add to the project,” Gusev said. “That’s the kind of ‘problem’ you dream about, people who are so invested that they want to make it even better.”

“This site is a unique competition venue for cross-country skiing,” he added. “And we have already hosted a couple high school state-level races, as well as local events. It’s a beautiful place to experience trails and outdoors, and a gift the cross-country skiing and outdoor enthusiasts truly appreciate.”

He went on to add that, with the new facility, he looks forward to hosting larger competitions and more events at the space, year-round.

And that was the type of opportunity that one of its first donors saw. 

“We immediately saw the potential for visitors, from weekend getaways to corporate retreats, or more importantly, hosting large cross-country ski competitions,” said Mari Olson, director of tourism for Visit Middleton, the city’s tourism marketing department and one of the first donors to the project.

Visit Middleton has given tourism grants toward trail-making, trail signage, and finally toward the lodge, which came with naming rights. Olson said that the project has expanded over two directors and several tourism commissioners, and yet all agreed this location could be an amazing asset for tourism, as well as for residents.

“This view, this land, it’s absolutely beautiful from up here,” Olson said. “You know instinctively why Dan and Natalie (Erdman) wanted to preserve it this way; but it’s humbling as well, with how they want to share it with the community. This isn’t a simple gesture and it’s more than just a gift; it’s what legacies are meant to be made of.”

Updates about the Middleton Nordic Center, trails and opening season can be found at www.visitmiddleton.com and https://center.cxcskiing.org/.

DROPBOX: Follow this link to a dropbox with artist renderings for the Middleton Nordic Center; file art of the cross-country ski trails; file B-roll of the trails in use during a previous winter

CONTACTS:

Yuriy Gusev, Central Cross-Country Skiing (CXC) director, cell: (608) 385-8864, yuriy.gusev@cxcskiing.org  (can put you in touch with donors, CXC board)

Brent McHenry, City of Middleton communications manager, phone: 608-821-8347, bmchenry@cityofmiddleton.us (can connect you to anyone with the City of Middleton)