Crystal Ridge to Pay $20,000 to Settle Federal Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

Former Rock Snowpark employee was fired after posting Bible verses on personal social media; Franklin ski operation will be subject to two-year EEOC consent decree

FRANKLIN, Wis. — Crystal Ridge Ski Area, formerly known as The Rock Snowpark at Ballpark Commons in Franklin, has agreed to pay $20,000 to settle a federal religious-discrimination lawsuit alleging that an employee was fired after posting Bible verses and other religious messages on his personal social-media account.

By Dr. Richard Busalacchi
Franklin Community News

The settlement, announced September 28 by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), resolves a lawsuit filed by the federal agency in 2025 against Crystal Ridge Ski Area, LLC, formerly Rock Snow Park, LLC.

Under the settlement, the former employee will receive $10,000 in back pay and $10,000 in compensatory damages.

The settlement also places Crystal Ridge under a two-year federal consent decree requiring employment-policy protections, employee training and reporting of future religious-discrimination complaints to the EEOC.

The settlement resolves the litigation without a court finding that Crystal Ridge violated federal law.

EEOC: Employee Fired Following Personal Social-Media Posts

According to the EEOC, the employee identifies as Christian and most recently worked as a lift operations manager at the Franklin ski area.

The federal agency alleged that the employee regularly posted religious messages, scripture and Bible verses on his personal social-media accounts.

According to the EEOC, the posts did not mention his employer or coworkers, and the company had received no complaints from customers, vendors or employees about the posts.

In June 2023, the EEOC alleges, the employee's supervisor expressed concern that some of the social-media posts were discriminatory toward gay people and asked the employee to refrain from posting discriminatory statements.

The employee then asked whether he could continue posting scripture and Bible verses and was told that he could, according to the EEOC.

Several days later, after the employee posted another Bible verse, he was terminated.

The EEOC alleged that the termination violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits covered employers from discriminating against employees because of religion.

“Our country's workplace discrimination laws protect everyone, including people whose religious views an employer may disagree with,” EEOC spokesperson Victor Chen said in announcing the settlement. “An employer cannot fire an employee simply because it finds an employee's religious beliefs objectionable.”

Crystal Ridge Denies Allegations

Crystal Ridge has denied the EEOC's allegations.

In a statement provided to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Crystal Ridge noted that the settlement provides that the court has not made findings regarding the claims or defenses of either party.

“We chose to settle to avoid the cost and distraction of continued litigation,” Crystal Ridge told the Journal Sentinel. “Crystal Ridge respects the religious beliefs of all of its employees and is committed to a workplace where everyone is treated fairly.”

The company declined further comment on the personnel matter, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Who Owns the Crystal Ridge Ski Hill?

The ownership and operating arrangement surrounding the Franklin ski hill involves several separate entities.

The ski hill itself sits on Milwaukee County-owned parkland.

Milwaukee County retained the ski-hill property as part of the transactions associated with development of what became Ballpark Commons. County records describe a long-term lease involving The Rock Sports Complex, LLC, an entity associated with developer Mike Zimmerman and development of The Rock/Ballpark Commons.

The ski operation was subsequently subleased to Rock Snow Park, LLC, the company associated with the Schmitz group that operated The Rock Snowpark and later changed its legal name to Crystal Ridge Ski Area, LLC.

The arrangement therefore separates ownership of the land from operation of the ski business:

Milwaukee County owns the ski-hill property; The Rock Sports Complex holds the underlying County lease; and Crystal Ridge Ski Area operates the ski business under the sublease arrangement.

Public records filed with the City of Franklin further document the distinction. A 2020 filing identified Michael Schmitz as owner of Rock Snow Park, LLC, while Mike Zimmerman/ROC Ventures was identified in connection with the underlying property interest.

The Schmitz family, which also operates Little Switzerland and Nordic Mountain, took over operation of The Rock Snowpark in 2017.

In 2024, the ski operation returned to its original Crystal Ridge name.

Zimmerman, ROC Ventures and Milwaukee County Not Accused in EEOC Case

The distinction between ownership of the property and operation of the ski business is important in understanding the federal lawsuit.

The employer sued by the EEOC was Crystal Ridge Ski Area, LLC, formerly Rock Snow Park, LLC.

Although Mike Zimmerman and entities associated with The Rock and Ballpark Commons have a documented relationship to the property and its development, the EEOC's federal complaint does not identify Zimmerman, ROC Ventures, Ballpark Commons or Milwaukee County as participating in the June 2023 decision to terminate the employee.

Instead, the EEOC's allegations concern actions attributed to the employee's supervisor and management of the ski operation.

Settlement Includes Two Years of Federal Oversight

The settlement involves more than the $20,000 payment.

For the next two years, Crystal Ridge must comply with the federal consent decree and EEOC monitoring.

Among its requirements, Crystal Ridge must:

• maintain employment policies providing equal employment opportunities regardless of religion;

• provide employees with training concerning federal anti-discrimination laws and protections against religious discrimination; and

• report future complaints of religious discrimination to the EEOC.

The consent decree resolves the federal litigation but does not constitute an admission of liability by Crystal Ridge or a judicial determination that the company violated Title VII.

The case is U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Crystal Ridge Ski Area, LLC d/b/a The Rock Snowpark, LLC, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Sources: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin; Milwaukee County records; City of Franklin records; Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Crystal Ridge's response to the lawsuit is attributed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.