SPECULATOR- Village officials are laying the groundwork to make Oak Mountain Ski Center a year-round tourist attraction, after entering into a three-year lease agreement with the Hamilton County Industrial Development Agency.
This will be the village's fourth season managing the facility. Village officials have hired Matt and Laura O' Brien, a couple from Vermont, to run the ski center and implement plans for the center's future financial success. The O'Brien's have about 19 years of experience in the ski industry.
Two winter attractions will include a progression park for skiers and snowboarders and glade skiing. Costs should be covered by ticket prices, Matt O'Brien said.
Ticket prices range from $8 to $34, according to information from the ski center.
Matt O'Brien said besides the implementation of the progression park and glade skiing, most other plans are tentative.
"We're just focused on getting a quality product out to the families," he said. "We want to have something for everyone."
Village Mayor Collie Smith said he would like to see plans for an outdoor stage for summer concerts, ziplifts and compartments on ski lifts for mountain bikes.
"If Oak mountain is going to be financially stable, we need to do more than winter skiing," Smith said. "We're looking to the O'Brien's to turn Oak Mountain into a year-round destination."
Prior to coming to Oak Mountain, Matt O'Brien worked for three years at Deer Valley Resort in Park?City, Utah.
Laura O'Brien worked for The Canyon's resort, which also is in Park?City, Utah.
Both ski lodges make money through a variety of activities, including mountain biking, chairlift rides and ziplining.
The town lost $45,000 last season on the center due to personnel costs and energy costs for making artificial snow.
"This is a very iffy business to run only in the winter," Smith said. "If we had things going in the summer and fall it would make up for the bad seasons."
The ski centers budget will include financial contributions of $40,000 from Lake Pleasant and $15,000 from Arietta, which will not be available until early 2011.
The village has borrowed $60,000 from the IDA, until Lake Pleasant and Arietta are able to come through with their financial contributions.
Friends of Oak Mountain, a not-for-profit organization, has raised $34,595 in funds to assist the village with the upcoming season.
According to Hamilton?County IDA Economic Development & Tourism Director William Osborne, the objectives for keeping the center open are for employment purposes and its historical value.
"It's an important piece to the economic fiber of the community," he said.
Osborne said despite the lease agreement, the IDA is still trying to find a potential buyer. The price of the facility would depend on the business plan of a potential buyer, he said.
The ski center is set to open Dec. 26. If there is enough snow, the park may open earlier for tubing.
For more information on ticket prices, call 548-3606, 548-7354 or go to oakmountainski.com.
For more information on the Friends of Oak Mountain go to friendsofoakmt.org
Jamie Curtis can be reached at ruralnews@leaderherald.com
