Saddleback cites ‘progress’ in efforts to raise $3M to replace chairlift
Owners of the Saddleback ski resort in Rangeley announced on Friday that they are making progress in their efforts to secure the $3 million in financing to purchase a new chairlift that’s needed in order to remain open for this winter’s ski season.
“The economic impact on our staff and the community is not lost on us,” said co-owner Mark Berry in Friday’s update on the ski resort’s effort to keep the mountain operational this winter. “We've worked very hard and had several meetings with financial institutions and potential buyers. While I am not able to announce a decision today, I believe we will have a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ answer by mid [this] week — and that’s progress from where we were two weeks ago. A final decision is needed in the next few business days to ensure the lift can be purchased and installed in time,"
Saddleback, the third largest ski mountain in Maine and the third largest employer in Franklin County, had announced on July 20 that its 51-year-old double-chair lift to the top of the mountain is at the end of its useful life and needed to be replaced with a new four-person chairlift.
In Friday’s press release, Berry noted that since that announcement was made, his family and mountain managers have been working “every possible angle to secure the financing needed to build the lift and to develop a long-term plan that will safeguard the winter operations for the future.”
“We are humbled and grateful for the amazing show of support for this beautiful Rangeley mountain resort,” said Berry.
In 2003, Bill and Irene Berry of Farmington purchased Saddleback in 2003 and have invested millions since then to create a new base lodge, install two new quad chairlifts, add new trails and expand snowmaking at the 4,120-foot ski mountain.
The Berry family has confirmed that all weddings and summer/autumn events will continue as planned regardless of the final outcome on the winter operations. The family has guaranteed that all season pass holders will be reimbursed and all vendors will be paid in full if the mountain does not open for the ski season.
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