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Shandaken, NY – The uncertain future of a popular state-run ski area in the Catskills has weighed on a town, and a region, for years. Now, a new option on the table might be what's needed to stabilize that future. WAMC's Greg Fry reports...
Belleayre Mountain's future has been up in the air. Proposed job cuts at the mountain led supporters to rally at the base of the ski area on New Year's Eve. The call for action brought elected officials on the local, state, and federal level, but things have been relatively quiet over the past weeks. Now, there's word that the mountain, operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, could in the future be operated by the Olympic Regional Development Authority, which manages Whiteface and Gore Mountains in the Adirondacks. Jon Lundin is the spokesperson for ORDA. He says the idea is one possibility explored by the Spending and Government Efficiency, or SAGE, Commission, established by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Lundin says the idea is only a recommendation, and that things haven't progressed beyond that point.
Speaking with WAMC News from Albany, State Senator John Bonacic seemed to believe it was more than just a recommendation. He says in all likelihood, ORDA will run Belleayre this winter. He says they are working out details of legislation that would need to be approved before the end of the legislative session.
The simple fact that there's some movement regarding Belleayre's future is welcome news to supporters of the mountain. Joe Kelly is the long-time Chairman of the Coalition to Save Belleayre Mountain. He calls ORDA a well-run organization, but says there's one main concern. Kelly says it's important that the Catskills have representation on ORDA's board, and that they have a say in their future.
Belleayre plays a significant role in the economy of the town of Shandaken, where Supervisor Rob Stanley has been in the middle of conversations regarding Belleayre's future. One conversation was making the mountain's operations private - an idea that Stanley says was dismissed quickly. He adds that they explored the creation of their own authority, but says the option of joining with ORDA appears to be the most amenable to the Governor's office.
Stanley says the entire process will take time. He says people are preparing for ski season already, and he doesn't see the process being wrapped up by September or October. Stanley says while Belleayre is a premier issue in the region, but he knows there are other battles being fought in the state as well.
While nothing is set in stone, there is some opposition to a possible takeover of Belleayre by ORDA. Late Wednesday, the Catskill Heritage Alliance, a grassroots organization, sent an e-mail saying that the proposal may not make Belleayre financially sound, and could allow developers of a private resort project to leverage the power of the authority for its own benefit.