Haystack Project in More Trouble

[Euler]

Looks like the developers hoping to turn Haystack ski area into a private ski community are going further down the tubes. From an article in the Brattleboro Reformer:
http://www.reformer.com/ci_11754947

Saturday, February 21
WILMINGTON -- The future is uncertain for a mountainous piece of land in Wilmington that is currently owned by the town, leased by Haystack Mountain Resort and dotted with chair lifts.

One Cornell, the company that owns Haystack Mountain Ski Area, told Selectboard members several weeks ago that it cannot make this year's lease obligation to the town of just under $22,000.

At a meeting Feb. 4, Selectboard members agreed to send a letter that said they are sympathetic, but the town needs the money, and a lease agreement cannot be broken. The letter gave One Cornell 30 days to respond.

Last year, One Cornell asked the board for an extension, which the board did not grant. It ended up paying the full amount of money owed to the town.

"A lot of people are having a hard time financially, but not paying leases or taxes puts a burden on everyone else," said Bob Rusten, town manager.

Rusten said he believes One Cornell may be interested in selling the land. Haystack was originally planning on building a resort that included private town houses and a private ski resort but have not been able to fulfill that, Rusten said.

He said Haystack owns a piece of property adjacent to the land owned by the town, but without that land, which has ski lifts allowing access to the top of the mountain, the plot currently owned by One Cornell is worth much less.

"Everybody would like to settle the issue as
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amicably as possible, but I did not think it was inappropriate response (from the board). Right now, they can't say when they can meet the obligation," said Rusten.

One Cornell responded today in the form of a letter stating that it is "trying to find a way to address the lease obligation."

It said it will issue another written response within the next 10 days.

Rusten said the town would have no choice but to declare the lease null and void if One Cornell does not find a solution soon.

 

[billski]

give it back! go public!

 

[drjeff]

I stumbled across this little listing tonight in The Deerfield Valley News as my wife was Facebooking away

"TOWN OF WILMINGTON


NOTICE OF TAX SALE



The resident and non-resident owners, lienholders and mortgagees of property in the Town of Wilmington, in the County of Windham and State of Vermont are hereby notified that the taxes assessed for such town remain either in whole or in part unpaid on the following described lands in such town, to wit:



1. Being a parcel of land known as the Haystack Base Lodge, consisting of 10.2 +/- acres (Wilmington Grand List Parcel number ASELODGE.002), and being a portion of the lands conveyed to 1 Cornell, Inc. (now known as Alt Charities, Inc.) by deed of Mt. Snow, Ltd. dated June 29, 2005 and recorded June 29, 2005 in Book 229, Page 559 of the Wilmington, Vermont Land Records. Being all of the lands conveyed to Mount Snow Ltd. by deed of Stratfield Associates Limited Partnership dated June 21, 1994 and recorded in Book 147, Page 168 of the Wilmington, Vermont Land Records; and
"

I'll omit the 5 other listings, and then

"And pursuant to 32 V.S.A § 5254, such property will be sold at public auction at the Wilmington Town Office, a public place located at 2 East Main Street in Wilmington, Vermont on the 20th day of March, 2009, at 9:00 A.M., to discharge such taxes with costs unless previously paid.



Dated at Wilmington, Vermont this 17th day of February, 2009.


Robert Rusten


Collector of Delinquent Taxes


Town of Wilmington "

 

[billski]

no surprise there. Just part of the negotiating game. The Rutland Herald contacted the town of Wilmington and they are trying to work out something with the leasor so it doesn't go into foreclosure.

 

[BeanoNYC]

One Cornell, the company that owns Haystack Mountain Ski Area, told Selectboard members several weeks ago that it cannot make this year's lease obligation to the town of just under $22,000.

That can't be the yearly lease on the land.

 

[Euler]

That can't be the yearly lease on the land.

I think it is not all of the land, only a small section of it. 10 acres according to the legal notice in the Valley News.

 

[Euler]

no surprise there. Just part of the negotiating game. The Rutland Herald contacted the town of Wilmington and they are trying to work out something with the leasor so it doesn't go into foreclosure.

Where's the Rutland Herald source?

Also I'm wondering why the Deerfield Valley News article indicates a failure to pay on a lease, while the peice Dr Jeff posted indicates a failure to pay taxes owed. I'm not sure where the truth lies. I am sure though that the whole project was pretty I'll conceived from the get go. I only hope the old ski area gets used productively somehow. What a shame to have a bunch of rusted out lifts dotting those trails.