Telluride, Colorado — The drama never appears to stop in the remote ski town of Telluride.
A ski patrol strike that lasted into the new year divided the community, and the following months were made worse by below-average snowfall.
Probably this year’s big story in town is a battle over a proposed ski resort sale. Amid the ski patrol strike, local officials traveled to Telluride Ski Resort owner Chuck Horning’s home to propose selling the ski resort to local investors. They signed an agreement to commit to discussions and try to resolve various sticky points between the two sides. Horning then leaked the contract to the public, accusing the officials of wrongdoing, coercion, and quid pro quo.
This situation led to the resignations of Mountain Village Mayor Marti Prohaska, Telluride Mayor Pro Tem Meehan Fee, and Paul Wisor, who was Mountain Village’s town manager.
Jason Blevins of The Colorado Sun reports that a judge dismissed the case against the former local officials with prejudice. With prejudice means he can’t refile against them.
The judge ruled Horning’s lawsuit failed “to state a plausible claim.” The judge also found that the officials’ vow to end the patrol strike was vague and non-binding.
“Mr. Horning had no qualms about stoking a conspiracy, and wasting time and money on an unwinnable case, because it was always about dodging responsibility for the economic damage caused by the ski patrol strike,” wrote Marti Prohaska in an email to The Colorado Sun. “He was presented with an opportunity that could have drastically improved the future of this destination, and he could have taken credit for modeling a new paradigm for the ski industry. Yet instead of simply declining the offer, he chose to distort the intent into a made-up story that served to protect his ego.”
The news follows an independent investigation that analyzed the officials’ conduct. They found no wrongdoing by the officials. Interestingly, it was also discovered that Chuck’s son, Chad Horning, who was GM for years, brought up the idea of selling the ski resort. Chad fell out with his father and left as GM last year. He even helped draft the first purchase offer.
What does this mean for Telluride? It means they still have a stubborn owner who still won’t sell the mountain.
“It’s rewarding, other than dealing with the political powers that have, in some cases, become increasingly ineffective as a result of antiquated processes,” said Horning in an email to The Colorado Sun.
For more information on the lawsuit’s resolution, click here to read The Colorado Sun’s article.
Image/Video Credits: Telluride Ski Resort
