The famed Whitney Park property in the Adirondacks and the Cady Hill mansion in Saratoga Springs have been sold to a Dallas, Texas, developer. While the business deal means a windfall for one local town, and potential economic benefit for the region, environmental advocates have concerns.
The Whitney Park property in the Adirondacks is a 36,600-acre tract in Hamilton County that includes more than 22 lakes and ponds and an Adirondack Great Camp. When owner Marylou Whitney died in 2019, her husband, John Hendrickson, inherited the land. He died in August 2024, and his will stipulated that the Town of Long Lake, with 800 residents, would be the sole beneficiary of net proceeds of the sale.
This week, the Adirondack Explorer reported that Todd Interests, a development company based in Texas, will purchase the property with plans to build an exclusive hotel or lodging development, as well as a golf course and restaurant.
The sale price wasn’t disclosed, but the property had been listed for $125 million.
That means the Town of Long Lake stands to collect a sizable sum. The developer and the town’s supervisor didn’t return repeated calls for comment. However, Minerva Town Supervisor Stephen McNally, who is also president of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages, says the deal should be an economic boon for the Adirondack’s Five Towns Coalition, which includes Long Lake, Minerva, Indian lake, Newcomb and North Hudson.
“It really hasn’t been accessible forever, so that hasn’t changed at all. It probably won’t change. Will it spur some economic growth with some buildings or some jobs, or the forest industry may benefit. So we’ll have to wait and see,” McNally said. “But it was a great gift to the Town of Long Lake. You know and I think it’s going to be beneficial to everybody. Long Lake getting the large influx of cash is great. I’m sure they can use it. If they spend that money on tourism, tourism just doesn’t go to Long Lake. It goes to surrounding towns also. It goes to our tax base as well. So we’ll wait and see but I’m glad that somebody has taken an interest in that property.”
Still, the deal gives environmental groups pause. Adirondack Council spokesman John Sheehan calls the sale bad news for wildlife and public recreation.
“Our concerns mainly are for the statements that were made about 40 acre lots being developed for luxury homes and a golf course that would significantly alter the forest character of the property. We are unsure how much of the land the developer wishes to develop and that makes a difference,” Sheehan noted. “But this is one of the premiere parcels in the Park in terms of wildlife connectivity. So our preference would be if they are going to develop portions of the property, and we expected that some buyer would want to do that, that they keep it in a compact area that does the least damage to the forest and the least damage to wildlife habitat.”
Several environmental groups, including the Adirondack Council, had hoped that the state would purchase the property. Sheehan says the state still has options to obtain parts of the property.
“One of them is to offer to purchase a piece of the property from the new owner or to purchase a conservation easement which would allow for the property to remain intact but there would be very little in the way of financial impact on the new owner for giving up those development rights. Those things would help and I think that there are still options for that to happen,” Sheehan said. “Of course, New York also has a recently approved bond act which has a great deal of money in it for open space protection. There’s really an opportunity for the state to play a very productive role.”
Minerva Supervisor McNally notes that 70 percent of his town sits on state land. He says state ownership constrains growth, and he believes that even if there is development on the Whitney lands, the new owner will be a better steward of the property than the state.
“I think that this could be good for the Adirondacks. You know, any economic development we’ll gladly take. If they run a golf course, they’re going to have employees. We need jobs in the Adirondacks. It’s been operating as a camp and retreat for years now. And it’s 36,000 acres and I imagine their plan is to develop very, very little of that property. They’ll be a cluster development I’m sure so it will meet the APA’s criteria. So we’ll see, McNally remarked. “They’re not going to ruin the property by no means. They’ll probably actually be better stewards of the land than the state of New York can do right now with their limited resources.”
Closing on the property is expected this fall.
