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No White Knights For Laurel Mountain?

By Mountain News Staff
October 16, 2006

Unless a white knight appears suddenly, Pennsylvania's Laurel Mountain won't open this year, marking the second consecutive season that the troubled ski area near Ligionier has not operated.

"We have not ruled out the possibility that we can get someone in there in time for this season," said an optimistic Tyson Cook, relationship manager for Somerset Trust Company. Somerset Trust took over ownership of Laurel in 2004 after foreclosing on a loan by a previous owner.

But who that someone will be is unknown at this time. "We want an experienced team that has the wherewithal to run a ski area," said Cook. "There is the potential for expansion and a lot of positive things there."

According to Cook, the bank has had "some viable prospects" and conversations with parties inside and outside the snow industry. But so far, interest in Laurel has only gone as far as polite inquires.

"All of the people we are talking to now are from Pennsylvania," said Cook. "We've had conversations with (ski area development) entities outside Pennsylvania as well." Cook would not identify the companies the bank had been talking to, but did say some of them have long histories of developing ski areas.

From Cook's perspective, the bank won't take over management of Laurel. "We don't want to run it. We're bankers, what do we know about running a resort?" said Cook.

Because the ski area is in a state park, the land is leased by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to concessionaires. The infrastructure, things like lifts, lodges and snowmaking systems, are owned by the concessionaire.

Seven Springs Resort, in nearby Champion, operated Laurel for Somerset Trust during the 2004/05 season but did not pick up the operational duties last season nor will it this year. When it ran operations at Laurel, Seven Springs dubbed the ski area The Springs at Laurel Mountain.

"We've put Laurel on the back burner," said Robert Duppstadt, Seven Springs spokesman. Seven Springs was purchased by the Nutting family this summer and the new management is getting comfortable with what it bought, said Duppstadt.

"We have no plans to operate Laurel this year," said Duppstadt. "But we are still engaged in talks with Somerset."

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