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  1. #76
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    cow hampshire
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    8,300
    Vote yes on Question 1 and turn Saddleback into a social weed ski area. That'll create some revenue!

  2. #77
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Vacationland
    Posts
    5,912
    News conference tomorrow in Portland regarding the latest info. Stay tuned

  3. #78
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    3,806

  4. #79
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    In Full Compliance
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    1,933
    From the article:
    A coalition of nonprofits say they have reached verbal agreements with the owners of Saddleback Mountain to buy the ski area near Rangeley and the land around it.

    The Saddleback Mountain Foundation, a new group of Rangeley businesses and Saddleback season-pass holders, told the Portland Press Herald that it has a deal with Irene and Bill Berry to purchase Saddleback’s core ski area – 723 acres – for $2.2 million.

    The Trust for Public Land, along with the New England Forestry Foundation, said it has reached an agreement with the Berrys to buy another 3,249 acres around the ski area to preserve as conservation land. That sale price has yet to be determined, said Wolfe Tone, the Maine state director for the Trust for Public Land.

    Neither Saddleback general manager Chris Farmer nor the Berrys responded to calls seeking comment Wednesday.

    The Saddleback Mountain Foundation and the Trust for Public Land are planning a news conference Thursday morning in Portland to announce the sale agreements and to launch a fundraising campaign for the foundation.

    Saddleback, Maine’s third-largest ski resort, sat idle last winter after the Berrys were unable to come up with financing to purchase a chairlift that they said was needed to keep the resort open. Saddleback drew between 80,000 and 100,000 skiers in its last few seasons of operation, according to the Berrys, and with 350 employees had been the third-largest employer in Franklin County during the winter.

    Peter Stein, chairman of the Saddleback Mountain Foundation, said his group plans to raise $4 million, with $1.8 million to be invested in capital improvements at Saddleback. He said the group has yet to raise any money, but received $5 million in pledges this summer when exploring community interest for buying the resort.

    Stein said there is no deadline to raise the money and it’s uncertain whether the resort would open this winter. He is confident, however, that the group will be able to raise the $4 million soon, now that it has a verbal agreement with the Berrys.

    “This is a big step,” he said. “And this initiative is only possible because of the trust and the New England Forestry Foundation.”

    The Trust for Public Land has a verbal deal to purchase the land next to the ski area and along the Appalachian Trail, which runs over the mountain. Tone said the trust first spoke with the Berrys two years ago about conserving the land they own next to the AT. This summer the trust quickly became a part of the conversation with Saddleback Mountain Foundation, because Tone said he’s seen big conservation deals happen when groups work together.

    “This is about the ecological significance and the recreational opportunity and the health of a working forest and the local economy,” he said. “What we are willing to do as a conservation agency is to get out in front of this and acquire 3,300 acres. This (purchase) only works if we do that.”

    Tone is confident the trust will reach a signed purchase-and-sale agreement and raise the needed funds.

    The Berrys bought Saddleback and 8,000 acres around it in 2003 and invested $40 million in improvements, including a new base lodge, two quad chairlifts, new trails and improved snowmaking equipment.

    In July 2015, the Berrys announced that unless they secured $3 million for a new chairlift they would have to close for the winter. When they did not get financing, they announced two months later that they were in negotiations to sell the ski area. But no sale transpired and the resort did not open last winter.

    The closure upset season-pass holders and hurt the local economy, which depends on snowmobiling and skiing traffic.

    “This past winter, the Rangeley region experienced $17-$20 million in lost revenue because Saddleback was closed,” said Stephen Philbrick, owner of Bald Mountain Camps in Oquossoc and a member of the Saddleback Mountain Foundation.

    “I worked at Saddleback in food services for 17 years. It’s important to Franklin County that Saddleback exists.”

    Philbrick held the first meeting with area business owners this summer to see if there was support for the idea of a community-owned ski area. He said it is the best solution for Saddleback.

    Stein agreed.

    “This is very much about the community,” said Stein, who lives on the mountain in Sandy River Plantation. “This is structured like a cooperative. No one in this will be looking for financial return. The money it makes will stay in the business. The main reason this works is because it’s different from what it’s been.”

    Stein said the fundraising will determine whether the resort operates this winter.

    “It depends how much we are able to raise and how fast,” he said. “We will not jeopardize the long term for one season. But we want to be sensitive to everyone … especially to the economic impact this has had on the region.

  5. #80
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Geopolis
    Posts
    16,084
    Sounds promising, thanks for the copy and paste.
    j'ai des grands instants de lucididididididididi

  6. #81
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    The Wilds of Maine
    Posts
    2,851
    If all else fails, I suppose we can all just go heli skiing up there

    https://www.tetongravity.com/story/sn...i-ski-the-east
    "We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

    Former Managing Editor @ TGR, forever mag.

  7. #82
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    The plan is out in the open now: http://skisaddlebackme.com/index.html

    Some of the financials still seem a bit cloudy having looked at the website.

    Wishing all involved the best of luck with this.
    Last edited by cat in january; 10-28-2016 at 08:05 AM. Reason: confused

  8. #83
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Geopolis
    Posts
    16,084
    What exactly do they intend to do with the resort, spin lifts?
    j'ai des grands instants de lucididididididididi

  9. #84
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    37
    Watching the press conference on Facebook live right now via the Saddleback Mountain Foundation.

    $25 million is a lot of money. All donations will be non-tax deductible and also will not give you any "share-holder" rights.

  10. #85
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    5

    Stoked to see Saddleback back in the Saddle

    Quote Originally Posted by steamboat1 View Post
    Rochester is just about smack dab in the middle. We're closer to K on the western side of the Greens in Pittsford. About 20 minutes to K & an hour to Sugarbush.
    Great community energy! My wife also listened in yesterday to the press conference. We've got a great place in Rangeley! Can't wait to help this project move forward.

  11. #86
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    Its all about the dentists

    Portland Press Herald article here: http://www.pressherald.com/2016/10/2...l-buyer-mixed/

    The Berry family (current owners of Saddleback) continued their bizzare public relations by coming out of hibernation and saying this on Facebook "Saddlebackers, many of you by now have seen the Saddleback Mountain Foundation's announcement of their initiative to raise monies for the purchase of the mountain. We wish them well with their efforts. We continue to work with the Saddleback Mountain Foundation, in addition to the other qualified buyers who are also in the process of pursuing the purchase of the resort. When the trail is clear we will update you."

    Foundation claims they have 5 million dollars in commitments to begin the purchase. Good energy, but that is a real big nut to make. Weird that they set things up so it would not be tax deductible. Not happening this winter and I still think it is a bit of a long shot to ever happen.

  12. #87
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    12,098
    Hey, if Les is in, I'm in...

    “In business, we like to get involved in complex transactions and I’m not sure in this day and age if a simple handshake and a public announcement on what you’re going to do is not more valuable than 3 inches of documents,” Otten said. “It sounds to me like good news for the Rangeley region.”

    @ Cat... Why not involve some public money, tho? Considering the subsidies sports stadiums get, this seems like a bargain and much more beneficial to the immediate population. Maybe make it a loan of sorts, to be paid back as the business increases. Seems a lot easier to justify and much healthier overall.
    Screw the net, Surf the backcountry!

  13. #88
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    I got confused there on what the funding is. Actually all for public money as seed money for this. Sorry, carry on.
    Last edited by cat in january; 10-28-2016 at 08:04 AM.

  14. #89
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    Quote Originally Posted by jackstraw View Post
    Vote yes on Question 1 and turn Saddleback into a social weed ski area. That'll create some revenue!
    This is in Madison, Maine right now. Coincidence? Bet the tomatoes you buy at the grocery are from them.


  15. #90
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    5

    Cool How many dentists Would it take to buy Saddleback?

    I'll ask my professional buddies.. Probably four!

  16. #91
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    There you go

  17. #92
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    5

    Heli

    Quote Originally Posted by cat in january View Post
    Worth a go. The attempt at Maine Heli skiing there flopped and I don't think anyone saw that coming
    Serious wind and not much skiing above tree line. Just flew with Rangeley's local heli pilot Kieth (Arcadian seaplanes) for foliage tour on my wife's Bday. He won't consider flying in that wind.
    But I'm considering a kite for the lake, especially if Saddleback doesn't open 2017. Anyone with a kite to sell along with a lesson?

  18. #93
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    big lakes up there for kites. Crashed too many kites to think about attaching my body to one.

  19. #94
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    12,098
    Dr. smiles, you using some nitrous?
    Screw the net, Surf the backcountry!

  20. #95
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    5
    Helium gets you a better lift off the cliffs! Plus your friends can understand you when you talk.

  21. #96
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    3,806

  22. #97
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    The Wilds of Maine
    Posts
    2,851
    Who bought it?
    "We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

    Former Managing Editor @ TGR, forever mag.

  23. #98
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    3,806
    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Dunfee View Post
    Who bought it?
    http://bangordailynews.com/2017/06/2...leback-resort/

  24. #99
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    3,806

  25. #100
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    Unfortunately just a PR puff piece. There is a purchase agreement, but it has not been consummated. As of now there are no new owners and it has not been sold. Rumors about both sides of the sale have swirled. Saddleback has twisted in the wind before. Everyone is holding their breath, but banking on EB5 money seems a bit late to the party as a strategy.

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