Carrabasset Valley, Maine — Having your local county behind you is important for ski resorts, especially for ones that have evolved a lot in recent years, like Sugarloaf. So it matters when a county is getting “lawyered up” regarding a project that never happened.
Daniel O’Connor of The Maine Monitor reports that the local officials are unhappy at Sugarloaf Mountain for sending money to a project that was never completed.
In 2020, Franklin County reached an agreement with Sugarloaf Mountain to provide financial support for a planned project. Sugarloaf envisioned using this money to construct a dam that would have created a snowmaking reservoir.
However, by 2023, Franklin County got word that the project had been canceled. The project would have required clearing the woods around a section of the Appalachian Trail, which is obviously problematic. Sugarloaf has used other strategies to increase its efficiency, which has helped grow its open trail count during recent early seasons. However, they were never paid back for a portion of it. Sugarloaf allegedly even added charges back as early as 2018, which was before the agreement.
In 2024, Sugarloaf received an invoice from the county for $222,000. These costs included what was owed for the dam project. They did pay for a portion of it (approximately $69,000), but still owe around $150,000.
Tensions boiled over last March during a county meeting, as local leaders had clearly had it with the failure to pay.
“I’ve asked them too many times [for repayment] for me to feel comfortable saying, ‘we’re just going to sit on this,’” said Amy Bernard, Franklin County Administrator.
Because of this, the county is seeking repayment of around $150,000. In response to the situation, Sugarloaf has reportedly discussed the situation with its lawyers. The county has also been advised to “lawyer up.” There is some hope that a compromise can be reached, as Bob Carlton, Chair of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, stated to The Maine Monitor that Sugarloaf has been “cooperative” with prior payments. Neither Sugarloaf nor Boyne Resorts commented on the matter to the Maine publication.
Ultimately, this will make the situation more challenging for the county of Boyne Resorts, which owns Sugarloaf.
“I wouldn’t recommend having a future project with Sugarloaf after this experience,” said Bernard. “Two years of asking them to pay money back seems excessive to me.”
Image/Video Credits: Sugarloaf Mountain
