Special Alert: Mount Sunapee State Park Public Information Session – Wednesday, September 26 (6 pm) at Mount Sunapee State Park (Sunapee Lodge), Route 103, Newbury, N.H.
New Hampshire DNCR Commissioner Sarah Stewart (Department of Natural and Cultural Resources) will announce her decision on the Mount Sunapee ski area lease assignment to Vail Resorts at a public meeting on Wed., Sept. 26, 2018.
We encourage the public to attend this important meeting. There will be an opportunity for public comment and questions.
Per the DNCR release: “The Department has received a request to consent to the assignment of the lease to The Sunapee Difference, LLC, which will be indirectly owned by VR NE Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. (“Vail”). After careful consideration of public comments and working with the Attorney General’s Office, Commissioner Sarah Stewart will release the decision on the proposed transfer and details related to the decision.”
DNCR will post the decision and related documents on its website after announcing its decision on September 26.
NH Parks posted on Monday additional materials about the potential lease assignment. We’ve added these documents to FOMS website:
- Summary and Response to Public Comments, dated Sept. 17, 2018
- Public Comments on Proposed Lease Transfer to Vail, as of Aug. 8, 2018
- DNCR Auditor Report, dated Dec. 12, 2017
- Photos from Vail regarding joint branding signage
Background
In June 2018, Vail Resorts announced that it was seeking to acquire the ski area lease and operations at Mount Sunapee.
The September 26 meeting will be the second information session in two months on the Triple Peaks sale to Vail Resorts. On July 25, Commissioner Stewart and N.H. Attorney General Gordon MacDonald hosted a session that included remarks by Tim and Diane Mueller (current operator/Triple Peaks), a presentation by Vail representatives, and public comment.
View the July 2018 Mount Sunapee State Park information session via Newport Community TV.
FOMS advocates for diligent and transparent management of the state-owned ski area. We seek public policy and process decisions that restore public trust and honor the original intent of leasing a significant portion of our iconic state park to a private operator.
“New Hampshire citizens look to the State to exercise vigorous oversight and defend the public trust, no matter the operator or leaseholder at Mount Sunapee State Park. We also look to lessees at the park for leadership and operational and development plans that reflect local concerns and interests and respect our state park’s public values and the RSAs that protect our parks and natural heritage.” – Friends of Mount Sunapee, at the July 25 Mount Sunapee State Park Information Session.
FOMS Mount Sunapee submitted comments called for:
- A “public hearing” to review the lease transfer request
- Immediate formation of an Oversight and Administration Commission to manage the lease
- An independent financial and operational audit of lessees to ensure lease compliance
- Protection of the 484-acre exemplary forest within the State Park
- Permanent protection of Mount Sunapee’s western slopes from resort development, land conservation that respects the original leasehold area.
- Compliance with signage and advertising requirements to indicate state (public) ownership of the ski area at Mount Sunapee State Park.
See FOMS comments, August 6, 2018.
See Vail’s June 4, 2018, announcement.
Join us on Wed., Sept. 26 at Mount Sunapee State Park
The upcoming public info session will help give insight into the potential changes coming to the ski area and Mount Sunapee State Park and possible future impacts to our local communities and region.