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City Club Missoula – Community: “Keep Lolo Resort Talks Open” & Public Amenity or Private Playground?

Missoulians want a wide-open, free ranging discussion on a broad variety of issued surrounding a proposal to build a world-class ski resort before anything happens to public lands on Lolo Peak.

That message came through loud and clear at a forum hosed by City Club Missoula http://cityclubmissoula.org/ on Friday afternoon.

By Perry Baucus of the Missoulian http://www.missoulian.com

According to former congressman Pat Williams, that’s what Bitterroot Resort CEO Tom Maclay wants, too.

In response to a question about the potential for politicians to sway the U.S. Forest Service, Williams said Maclay turned down help from “up high.”

Williams said someone “up high” came to the developer and asked if he “wanted to slam-dunk this… they’d like to do it for the development.” Maclay said no, “this is a Missoula community decision. Let’s do it fairly and in the open. He should be credited for that,” said Williams.

Maclay, Friends of Lolo Peak representative and economist Steve Seninger and the Forest Service’s Missoula District Ranger Maggie Pittman talked about their respective viewpoints before more than 100 people during the hourlong forum at the Florence Building’s Governor’s Room.

Maclay wants to build a destination ski resort on both his private lands near Lolo and national forest lands on Carlton Ridge and Lolo Peak. The idea has met with stiff opposition from those who want to protect those public lands from development – and who worry about the potential impacts on the community.

The Forest Service turned down an initial proposal for a ski area on the Lolo and Bitterroot national forests last year, saying ski runs, chairlifts and other development didn’t fit with the backcountry, inventoried roadless designation the lands on Lolo Peak and Carlton Ridge are managed under.

Both forests are now updating the land management plans that set those land allocations. The first drafts of those plans should be ready for review by late March.

Pittman sand the agency is leaning toward not making any changes to the allocations of those lands. If that holds, Pittman said Maclay would have to significantly alter his proposal to make it fit.

If the Bitterroot Resort is turned down for a permit to operate on Forest Service lands, Maclay said he has “a lot private options…development will occur. There’s no question about that.”

Maclay said the resort would be a catalyst for economic growth in the area and attract desirable businesses here. The resort could become an important component to the community, similar to the university or the arts community, he said.

The demand for alpine skiing is continuing to grow and the Missoula area is already underserved, he said.

“By 2015, skier demand will be a full 40 percent higher than it was during the last season,” said Maclay.

But Seninger said the development would probably benefit only a few and could have an adverse impact on locals though increased property taxes, increased pressures for affordable housing, and more low-paying jobs without benefits.

“Skiing is a losing proposition,” he said. “The way to make money is through real estate. We’re talking about high end real estate development.

Bill Bevis spoke from the crowd, saying here were a number of skiers at his lunch table who wouldn’t mid taking some runs off Lolo Peak, but before that happens there are a lot of questions that must be answered.

“Does Missoula really want to become another Aspen…where the lifestyle is centered around skiing?” asked Bevis

Bevis said he believes local residents to control their own fate and before developing any position on the resort, there needs to be full disclosure of exactly what’s at stake. It might take a year or two to fully address the potential changes that could occur with the creation of a destination ski area on Lolo Peak, he said.

“I feel like many of those questions aren’t even being addressed yet,” he said.

Reporter Perry Backus can be reached at 523-5259 or at [email protected]

To learn more about how you can join City Club Missoula and support its mission: http://cityclubmissoula.org/

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Bitterroot Resort: Public Amenity or Private Playground?

Tom Maclay took to the podium Friday at the Missoula City Club to tout the benefits of his proposed ski resort at Lolo Peak, and much of the conversation involved the core public policy issue: would the economic and recreational benefits of the resort outweight the loss of some spectacular wildlands? But the forum also shed a little bit of light on two other questions they may be even more relevant as the resort project proceeds: will the Forest Service’s decision on whether to allow Maclay to use public lands around Lolo Peak be a local decision, or one made in Washington? And if the Forest Service says no, what kind of development will Maclay build on his private land?

By Jonathan Weber

Full Story: http://www.newwest.net/index.php/city/article/5464/C8/L8

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Previous Stories:

Bitterroot Resort has potential, report says – But local opposition among plan’s obstacles
http://www.matr.net/article-16903.html

Dam flap leads to resignation from Lolo Peak, Montana Bitterroot Resort ski resort committee – Real Estate sales are the key to profitable ski resorts http://www.matr.net/article-16015.html

Ravalli, Missoula leaders mull future of planned ski resort http://www.matr.net/article-14825.html

Federal Grant Would Fund Study on Bitterroot Resort – Maclay Ski Area Plan – Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation http://www.matr.net/article-14775.html

Proposed resort near Missoula would have 10 lifts http://www.matr.net/article-12853.html

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