Coalition Lauds Comptroller’s Belleayre Decision
Optimistic about future of Belleayre and region
09/18/2011
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly @ 516-510-6941 or djkelly14@gmail.com
Highmount, NY -- September 18, 2011
Belleayre Mountain Ski Center supporters applauded NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s approval of the contract for the purchase of some 1,200 acres in Big Indian by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. This sale is seen by most as a key step in the application and approval process for the preservation and expansion of Belleayre Mountain. It was a cornerstone of the Agreement in Principle negotiated and endorsed by a wide range of local and national environmental groups, the City of New York, the State of New York, and the resort developer Crossroads Ventures, owner of the property. At the time this AIP was hailed by the New York Times as historic and a model of responsible public/private partnerships that protect the environment and provide for needed and sustainable economic growth. The AIP, and its intended preservation and expansion of the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center and development of a resort complex, has been repeatedly and overwhelmingly endorsed by both Delaware County and Ulster County governments and by individuals and groups in the neighboring towns and villages, yet has been stalled for several years.
“This action by the Comptroller is a welcome and timely jolt forward and could not come at a more important moment,” said Joe Kelly, Chair of the Coalition to Save Belleayre. “There is still some distance to go in the review and approval process before it is complete, but this really does provide a shot in the arm,” he added. Kelly reviewed the precarious position of the area as a whole and the ski center in particular noting the devastation caused by Irene as the most recent body blow to an already fragile region.
Speaking of the ski center he concluded: “During the last three weeks we witnessed a graphic example of the importance of the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center in all our lives. We watched our Belleayre employees perform tirelessly and heroically, acting in search and rescue, setting up an emergency medical facility, repairing critical roads, preparing and delivering thousands of meals a day in a multi-county area, and providing care and comfort for the evacuees and homeless. Belleayre was the Command Center for the National Guard, FEMA and all disaster relief agencies. No rational person can say this is just about skiing or sport; Belleayre is a critical asset. It provides not only our best hope for a viable economic future but is the anchor of our cultural, social and community survival. A better, more secure and vibrant Belleayre is vital to us all. We welcome this step as moving us in that direction.”
Belleayre Coalition Endorses ORDA Move
Sees economic benefit for entire region
06/02/2011
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly @ 516-510-6941 or djkelly14@gmail.com
Highmount, NY -- June 2, 2011 -- Officials for the Coalition to Save Belleayre expressed cautious optimism with news from Albany that operation of Belleayre Mt. Ski Center could be shifted to the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).”A turning point,” is what Coalition Chairman Joe Kelly called the news, first reported locally on Wednesday morning. Saying that the DEC is “too busy and to distracted to properly operate a ski facility,” Kelly added that he thinks a move to ORDA would be good for both the Authority and for Belleayre.”
“We bring proximity to a huge metropolitan skier base and tremendous skier loyalty to them,” said Kelly. “They give us an organizational structure that exists for the purpose of running public winter recreation facilities and a track record of success.” Kelly, who has advocated for improvements at Belleayre for more than 30 years pointed to major layoffs at Belleayre announced by the DEC just as the ski center was gearing up for winter operation last year. “That news was devastating and really let us know how precarious the Belleayre situation was.”
At December rallies in support of Belleayre and its employees, elected officials came and urged local supporters to take control of their destiny and come up with a better plan for the operation of Belleayre. “They asked us for options, we reviewed what is done elsewhere, and most of us feel pretty comfortable that ORDA [which operates both Whiteface and Gore Mountain Ski Centers] is probably the best option for Belleayre.”
Though Kelly said he thought most Belleayre supporters would favor an ORDA plan, he did express caution about how and when the transfer might take place. “We are endorsing this because we want a voice in our future,” said Kelly, “a voice we didn’t have with the DEC,” he added. “If Belleayre is going to ORDA, there must be local representation on the ORDA board,” said Kelly. “We would want to know what they have in mind about that before giving our blessing. We are also very, very concerned about the employees on the mountain,” the Chairman added. “They have made huge sacrifices. They have done incredibly great work under the most difficult circumstances possible. They have earned our loyalty and we want to be sure there is labor stability in whatever new entity operates Belleayre Mt.”
All things being equal however, Kelly spoke for many when he said “this move could help put Belleayre front and center again for at least the next 6 months to a year. It could get us the attention we’ve long sought, the investment that will make us great and the stability we need to grow our local economy.” Kelly added that “all of us look forward to continued discussions about the future of Belleayre Mt.
GATHER AT THE BELLEAYRE SIGN ON ROUTE 28
AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE MOUNTAIN
PROTEST RALLY PLANNED FOR BELLEAYRE MT. JOBS
"DON'T MESS WITH BELLEAYRE" IS MESSAGE SUPPORTERS WILL DELIVER.
December 21, 2010 --Highmount, NY --Congressman Maurice Hinchey will join members of the Coalition to Save Belleayre at a "Don't Mess With Belleayre" rally on Monday, December 27. The noon event announced this week by Coalition Chair Joe Kelly will be held at the intersection of Rt. 28 and County Road 47 (also known as the access road to Belleayre) to continue protesting the cut of 48 permanent staff positions at the ski center. Hinchey, who was present at protests to save Belleayre in the 1980s, has long been a champion of the ski center. Organizers, who turned out more than 200 people for November rally, expect attendance at next week's protest to top that number.
While no immediate closure of Belleayre Mt. is currently threatened, Kelly noted that the people whose jobs are being eliminated are experts in ski center operation who have led a successful Renaissance at the New York State owned and operated ski center. "Belleayre more than covers its cost of operation," said Kelly. "It is a revenue generator for the state and that is due in no small measure, to the skills and talents of these staff members." Kelly went on to note that he and other Belleayre Mt. supporters will not sit back quietly and watch Belleayre deteriorate as it did in the 1970s.
State Senator John J. Bonacic, another long-standing Belleayre Mt. supporter decried the job cuts in a November 17th statement posted to his website. "The DEC, by targeting Belleayre as harshly as they have, has shown misplaced economic priorities," said the Senator. "Belleayre makes money for the State and is an asset that is the economic catalyst for our region. The State has made it their economic plan for the Catskills to be a place of outdoor recreation and high quality water." Bonacic, who has garnered millions in funding for the ski center, added "… our region should not take a disproportionate hit in the outdoor tourism industry. To cut jobs at Belleayre will result in job losses for our small businesses throughout the region that depend on Belleayre for their livelihood."
Since the layoffs were announced last month, Coalition members have garnered more than 3,500 names on a petition to the governor, demanding that the jobs be reinstated. The petition notes that Belleayre Mt. the linchpin for the economy of the Rt. 28 corridor in the Central Catskills. The tremendous number of visitors drawn to the region by the ski center support private sector businesses and encourage future capital investments. It points out that drastic staff reductions threaten the short term operations and the long term viability. Requiring Belleayre to absorb more than 34% of the work force reductions for the entire Department of Environmental Conservation suggests that the importance of this facility is not recognized. Kelly said that "while we understand the need for cost reductions in state operations we are certain a more equitable distribution of layoffs could be achieved."
The rally announcement comes in the same week that the Town of Olive joined the Town of Shandaken in passing a resolution opposing the cuts. Board member Bruce LaMonda who helped initiate the effort said, "I feel the Belleayre Ski center is the core of the local economic well being of the Central Catskills. Eliminating jobs at this time is only prolonging the current recession locally and while money is being allotted for political pet projects saving peoples' jobs should take priority."
LaMonda said that the Olive resolution was sent to state and county officials who represent Belleayre Mt. including State Senators John Bonacic and William Larkin, State Assemblyman Kevin Cahill and to Fred Wadnola, Chairman of the Ulster County Legislature and Ulster County Executive Mike Hein.
"There is strength in numbers," said the Coalition Chair, "and we will speak in one voice, with one message. ' Don't Mess With Belleayre!" Kelly said skiers, staffers, local business people and other elected officials are all expected at the rally, which will kick off the next phase of the protest. "We want to get up to 10,000 signatures on our petition," said Kelly, "and we want to let Governor Cuomo and the next Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation know that we just can't afford to let Belleayre Mt. suffer this way. Too many people depend on it for economic survival.
More information on the Coalition to Save Belleayre is available at /.
People wanting to sign the petition can do so by going to http://www.petitiononlhttp://coalitiontosavebelleayre.orgine.com/skijobs/petition.html
More information is available by contacting Joe Kelly at
516-510-6941
Advocating for The People's Mountain
An interview with Joe Kelly on www.FirstTracksOnline.com
Highmount, NY - While the formation of a citizen's group to help save a local ski area in danger of closing isn't unheard-of, the longevity, enthusiasm, and organizational powers of the Coalition To Save Belleayre Mountain are. Formed in the early 1980s when New York State threatened to shutter this government-owned and -operated ski operation in the western Catskills, the Coalition has, over more than a quarter century, served as a vigilant watchdog and public-relations advocate for an unspoiled, but economically struggling region.
In the following interview, I spoke with group's founder and chairman, Joe Kelly, about their role in the past, present, and future of Belleayre Mountain Ski Center.
Belleayre supporters demand unit management plan Decry state's failure to complete and release document
Highmount, NY -- Sept. 21, 2009 -- Supporters of the Belleayre Mt. Ski Center marked the second anniversary of an Agreement in Principle (AIP) by decrying the State's use of this proposal to delay the release of the Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the ski center. The Coalition to Save Belleayre is about to launch a new round of appeals to elected officials seeking to increase pressure on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to finish and release the Unit Management Plan and release Belleayre from the bureaucratic morass surrounding its implementation.
"Watching the DEC dither during this extraordinary economic malaise is about as infuriating as anything we've ever experienced," said Kelly, who has been an advocate of improvements at Belleayre Mt. since the mid-1970s. He decried the fact that the enormous progress Belleayre has made in the past 10 years has been blunted by endless delays and excuses of why the DEC will not release Belleayre's UMP. The State has already operated an intensive use ski-center for nearly 60 years. Like all DEC properties, Belleayre has been managed through a UMP since the mid-1980s. While some plans in a UMP are not funded, they are included so that when funding becomes available, the State can go ahead and move swiftly to implement, even though parts of the plan do not get funded. Without this document, however, nothing gets funded and the DEC seems to be too comfortable with that outcome.
Kelly noted that the failure of the New York State DEC to complete and present a new unit management plan for the ski center at Belleayre is inexcusable and should not be tolerated. "This is counterproductive to its role as a separate economic stimulus to the Central Catskills and its role as a recreational asset to the People of The State of New York. In a letter sent to Governor Patterson this week, Kelly said. "As I am sure you know, Belleayre is an asset authorized built and operated because the People of the State of New York demanded it by amending the State Constitution. It has existed and will continue to do so whether or not the current AIP exercise is brought to fruition or not. Voters demanded an expansion of Belleayre in a second Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1987. So the DEC failure to plan for its future should be considered an abrogation of the duties as outlined in the Constitution."
Beyond Constitutional issues said Kelly, are the simple economic issues. The State, County and local governments are in dire straits financially. Every day Belleayre languishes our region suffers. A Belleayre expansion would have the immediate effects everyone seeks in this dismal economic climate. "No one argues the fact that Belleayre is the only major economic asset in western Ulster County. It is the lynchpin of the entire Rt. 28 corridor and must be expanded to its Constitutional limitations," said Kelly. Economic stimulus money would have an immediate positive effect in an area desperately in need of jobs.
The Coalition leader went on to point out that Belleayre's impact was recognized this year when the ski center was selected as the Tourism Attraction of The Year by the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce and Ulster County Development Corporation. "It seems to us that the DEC is currently sitting on this most important document with no sense of urgency as to its importance to our area. It is unacceptable that they continue to delay its release." Kelly asked the Governor to give the matter his immediate attention to help Belleayre resume its most important role as economic engine of the Route 28 Corridor.
"In a time of most difficult economic challenge to our rural communities a bureaucratic delay for whatever reason, must be overcome. We do not have the luxury of time, we need action now! Our economic situation demands it." Kelly and other Coalition leaders and asked supporters to once again, send e-mails to their elected officials and the group will be seeking in-person meetings not only on the State level, but also on the federal level, to try to move Belleayre Mt. forward.
More information is available by contacting Joe Kelly at
516-510-6941 or by logging onto www.coalitionforbelleayre.org
Contact Your Elected Officials
Unit Management Plan for Belleayre
04/21/2009
Dear friends of Belleayre Mountain,
We have been patiently waiting for the DEC to complete the UMP - Unit Management Plan for Belleayre. This was due approximately 1 year ago and all we have been hearing is that they are working on it. This plan needs to be available for many reasons as well as necessary to apply for the economic stimulus package. There is no excuse for the inability of the DEC to make this plan available. Please let them (Governor Patterson, Pete Graniss - DEC Commissioner and Judith Enck, Deputy Commissioner) know that there is no excuse for not having the UMP available.
Senator Malcolm Smith (D)
Senate Majority Leader
LOB Room 909
Albany, NY 12247
518-455-2701
518-455-2816 fax masmith@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Dean Skelos (R)
Senate Minority Leader
LOB Room 907, Albany, NY 12247
518-455-3171
District Office
55 Front Street, Rockville Center, NY 11570
516-766-8383
Judith Enck
Deputy Secretary for the Environnment
State Capitol, Albany, NY 12224
518-473-5442 judtih.enck@chamber.state.ny.us
Peter Grannis, Commissioner
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-0001
518-402-8545
Senator John Bonacic (R)
LOB Room 508, Albany, NY 12247
518-455-3181
518-426-6948 fax http://senatorbonacic.com
District Office
111 Main St.
Delhi, NY 13753
607-746-6675
Clifford W. Crouch, Assemblymember (R)
LOB 450, Albany, NY 12248
518-455-5741 crouchc@assembly.state.ny.us
District Office
1 Kattelville Road, Suite 1, Binghamton, NY 13901
607-648-6080
Kevin Cahill, Assemblymember (D)
LOB 713, Albany, NY 12248
518-455-4436 CahillK@Assembly.state.ny.us
District Office
Governor Clinton Building Suite 4G
1 Albany Ave., Kingston, NY 12401
845-338-9610
Peter D. Lopez, Assemblymember (R)
LOB 429, Albany, NY 12248
518-455-5363
District Office
45 Five Mile Woods Road Suite 2
Catskill, NY 12414
518-943-1371
Michael Hein (D)
Ulster County Executive
Ulster County Office Building
PO Box 1800
Kingston, NY 12402
845-340-3800
845-334-5724 fax mhei@co.ulster.ny.us
David Donaldson, Chairman (D)
Ulster County Legislature
148 Henry Street
Kingston, NY 12401
845-331-8985 ddon@co.ulster.ny.us
Brian Shapiro (D)
Ulster County Legislature, Dist. 2
110 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY 12498
845-679-6646 shapirob@hvc.rr.com
Don Gregorius (D)
Ulster County Legislature - Dist. 2
PO Box 384, 172 VanDale Road, Woodstock, NY 12498
845-679-8926 lindon7@hvc.rr.com
Susan Zimet, Chair (D)
Arts, Education, Tourism & Community Relations Committee
Ulster County Legislature
PO Box 205, 100 Butterville Road
New Paltz, NY 12561
845-255-2117 zauerbach1@aol.com
Hector Rodriguez, Chair (D)
Economic Developmtne, Housing, Planning & Transit Committee
Ulster County Legislature
PO Box 1124, 69 Main Street, Suite 304
New Paltz, NY 12561
845-255-6221 hectorsrodriguez@yahoo.com
James Eisel, Chairman (R)
Delaware County Board of Supervisor
111 Main St., Delhi, NY 137853
607-746-6691
Len Utter (R)
Supervisor, Town of Middletown
42339 State Hwy 28
Margaretville, NY 12455
845-586-4048
845-586-1775 FAX
Peter DiSclafani (D) Supervisor, Town of Shandaken
PO Box 134, Allaben, NY 12480
845-688-7165, 7169
845-688-2041 FAX supervisor@shandaken.us
Coalition Renews Call for Belleayre Expansion
Jobs and spin off cited as primary factors
04/11/2009
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
Highmount, NY -- April 11, 2009 -- Lauding Ulster County Legislative Chair Dave Donaldson and other county leaders working behind the scenes, the Coalition to Save Belleayre renewed its call on Governor Paterson this week to pump economic stimulus money into an expansion of Belleayre Mt. Ski Center. Following a special meeting last Saturday, The Coalition to Save Belleayre and dozens of supporters of the state-owned ski center in Highmount called on the Governor to provide economic stimulus money to the ski center to bolster the economy and provide much needed jobs to the Central Catskills area. Saying again that Belleayre is the economic lynch pin of the Route 28 corridor, Coalition Chairman Joe Kelly asked that money be used for an expansion project on the state's own property that would create or sustain 1,000 jobs.
It is critically important to contact the Governor and all of our elected representatives to remind them how crucial this ski center is to this region. "We are now more than 20 years past a Constitutional Amendment passed by the voters of this state demanding an expansion," said the long time Belleayre supporter. "When the state signed an agreement in principle in 2007, we thought we were finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. But now we've waited another 18 months and it is time to move forward. This is a picture perfect economic stimulus project with a tremendous spinoff of benefits, The work can move forward in a timely and expeditious manner with a real and immediate positive effect on job creation and economic development. "Noting that the economic slump in region is not new and started long before the global financial crisis, Kelly said that in the Catskills, we're beyond economic stimulus into economic survival. "Let's be clear about this, our area of the Catskills is in a desperate economic situation and has been for more than 2 decades. We need help to survive."
Local businessman Lewis Kolar echoed Kelly's sentiments noting that economic stimulus money should be used for projects that were planned long before the current downturn. In a letter to Governor Patterson, Kolar said "Our region has long suffered from the economic limitations imposed by being the handmaiden region for New York City's water supply. As a result, and under the severe limitations imposed by the DEP and DEC concerning water contamination and clarity, we are unable to provide a home for most industries that could relieve our underserved economy. The region has suffered under this yoke since World War II. The only substantial economic opportunities available are recreation and tourism."
Coalition member Tom White said that Belleayre Mt. supporters were encouraged this spring when funding was restored to Belleayre creating a real and immediate effect on the economy. "The support from all over the downstate area was massive and gratifying. That was a clear recognition of the importance of this ski center to the economic welfare of everyone who lives and works in this region. But now, we need to take the next steps. Everyone says they want to help the upstate region. Well now's the time and this is the project!"
Another great feature of this proposal, according to Kelly, is that the work would be done with green building principals and sustainability in mind. "The DEC is more than qualified to get this done and get it done right," Kelly added. "Expanding Belleayre will be a much needed economic shot in the arm to all of the hotels, motels, restaurants and shops in our area and will stem the tide of the decline we've been watching for decades now."
Kelly went on to say that with the multiplier effect the economists put on lift ticket purchases at Belleayre, the ski center has a massive impact on the rest of the region. "The time for Belleayre's expansion is now. This is about the survival of the Central Catskills as a viable economic entity. The landmark watershed agreement signed years ago stated that for the health of watershed assets the area must have a viable economy. Since then, the economy has seriously deteriorated. This is our opportunity to have a real and lasting impact for change in our region. Let us seize the day now.
Carpe Diem !!!!!
More information on the efforts of the Coalition to Save Belleayre is available on the group's website at www.coalitiontosavebelleayre.org
-30-
A letter to Governor Paterson from the
Coalition Seeks Stimulus Dollars
wants Belleayre Mt. expanded
02/23/2009
A letter to Governor Paterson from Partners for Progress
February 11, 2009
Highmount, NY 12441
Economic Stimulus Spending - Belleayre
Governor David Paterson
The State Capital
Albany, NY 12224
February 11, 2009
RE: Economic Stimulus Spending - Belleayre
Dear Governor Paterson:
With respect, and with honor, we plead with you to consider directing some of the economic resources from the Obama “stimulus package” to the Belleayre expansion project. Our region – Ulster and Delaware Counties - has long suffered from the economic limitations imposed by being the handmaiden region for New York City’s water supply. As a result, and under the severe limitations imposed by the DEP and DEC concerning water contamination and clarity, we are unable to provide a home for most industries that could relieve our underserved economy. The region has suffered under this yoke since World War II. The only substantial economic opportunities available are recreation and tourism.
The one project that would deliver this goal is the expansion of the publically owned Belleayre Ski Center, and with it, the development of the privately owned Belleayre Resort.
• The Belleayre expansion is a $62M project and will require 200 jobs to build it.
• When completed, 150 to 200 permanent and 600 to 800 seasonal jobs will be created.
• The resort is a $400M project - financed by private sector funds - and will require 1800 person/years to build it, translating into $81M of wages.
• When completed 551permanent jobs will have been created and many of the part time employees at the ski center will get summer employment at the resort.
• It is estimated that an additional 3000 jobs will be created outside of Belleayre as a result of the region becoming a major recreational center located only two and half hours from New York City.
• And finally, increased tax proceeds amounting to millions.
Related projects such as Gore and Whiteface (State owned and operated facilities) and similar projects throughout the nation have not only worked but have exceeded their original economic projections. And most fortuitously and consistent with the spirit of the “stimulus package”, the Belleayre expansion is “shovel ready” to proceed.
Partners for Progress is a coalition of individuals, business owners and organizations formed to support the expansion of Belleayre and the approval and construction of the private Belleayre Resort as outlined in the State negotiated “Agreement in Principle”. In excess of 1500 citizens in our region have backed our mission to date with more continuing to sign on.
Very truly yours,
Lewis E. Kolar, Chairman and President
Partners for Progress
845-676-4844
lewandkaren@catskill.net
cc: Secretary of the Environment, Judith Enck
Commissioner of Environmental Conservation, Peter Grannis
U.S. Senators: Charles Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand
U.S. Congressman: Maurice Hinchey
NYS Senator: John Bonacic
NYS Assembly Members: Clifford Crouch, Kevin Cahill, Peter Lopez
Ulster County Legislative Chairman: Dave Donaldson
Delaware County Board of Supervisors Chairman: James Eisel
Ulster County Executive: Michael Hein
Town Supervisors: Martin Donnelly, Len Utter, Peter DiSciafani, Tom Hynes
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
February 23, 2009 - Highmount, NY 12441
Coalition urges withholding tax incentives for Greene County business
The Coalition to Save Belleayre and supporters of the state-owned ski center in Highmount, NY called upon Gov. Patterson this week to commit whatever federal economic stimulus funds were required to complete the build out of the Belleayre Ski Center to the full extent mandated by the NYS Constitution. Coalition Chair Joe Kelly reiterated that Belleayre is the economic linchpin of the Route 28 corridor communities. "This isn't a ski issue, said Kelly, it's an economic issue. "Our communities are already suffering greatly and sinking further into a malaise that started with the ownership of vast tracts of land for the Catskill Forest Preserve and for New York City's water supply system. The aggressive and accelerating acquisition of land by the City compounds our woes. The capping of taxes paid by New York State on land it owns and the renegotiating of assessments and taxes paid by New York City leave no where for our communities to turn for increased revenue or for relief from increasing taxes and declining employment and population. We know the Governor and the State are in a tight situation, trying to balance the budget. With economic stimulus money on the way from Washington, now would be the perfect time and the ideal situation for the Governor to act on this."
According to supporters, the expansion of the Belleayre Ski Center is a project that meets all the criteria for the economic stimulus programs signed into law by President Obama last week. Tom White, another long time ski center booster, added that the number of construction jobs and full time and seasonal, sustainable ski center jobs fall right within federal guidelines. "Expanding Belleayre will be a significant boost to all the hotels, motels, restaurants, shops, and service businesses in our area. Further, expanding the Belleayre Ski Center will underpin and promote the vitality this entire region of New York State as a destination ski area to the benefit of not just Belleayre, but of all the neighboring ski centers too. White pointed out that the construction of Belleayre in the 1950's created the ski industry and thereby the first ever winter tourism in the region. "A decade after Belleayre's opening, Windham, Hunter and Plattekill started. Just as Belleayre served as an economic stimulus then, its expansion would do the same thing now.
"Not only that," added White, "but the voters of the State have already called for this expansion in the constitutional amendment they passed in 1987. So there's really no question of whether or not the state should be investing here." According to supporters, the ski center's Unit Management Plan studying the expansion is all but completed and with the plans drawn, hiring workers and getting the job underway could begin rapidly. This expansion will done meeting a high standard of environmental sustainability. The DEC is more than qualified to get this done and get it done right, a factor that President Obama has emphasized as crucial.
Kelly summarized, "This meets all the criteria set forth by the President. It is green. It is infrastructure. It is shovel-ready. It creates immediate and long term employment. It is in an area that is in great need. It will help stem declining school enrollments, closing churches and businesses, increasing unemployment and the out-migration of our work force."
We urge the Governor, our Senators, Congressional Representatives, State Senators and Assemblymen, County and local legislators and executives to use all the influence at their command to see that this gets done and gets started now."
More information on the efforts of the Coalition to Save Belleayre is available on the Groups website at coalitiontosavebelleayre.org.
-30-
Coalition Calls for Investigation of Greene County Ski Centers
01/25/2009
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
January 25, 2009 - Highmount, NY 12441
Coalition Calls for Investigation of Greene County Ski Centers
Coalition urges withholding tax incentives for Greene County business
In meetings, letters and press releases last week, Coalition to Save Belleayre Chairman Joe Kelly called on the New York State DEC and the New York City DEP to investigate existing and proposed building projects on, and near Windham and Hunter Mountain Ski Centers. Noting that the two facilities, along with Greene County's IDA and Economic Development are continuing attacks on Belleayre Mt. Ski Center, Kelly called on public officials to give the private sector building projects the same level of scrutiny they give the State-owned facilities.
Two stories in local media outlets last week stimulated the Coalition's latest action, according to Kelly. A critical, one-sided article in the Albany Times Union, rehashed old arguments that Belleayre competes unfairly with Greene County resorts. A story in the Kingston Daily Freeman noted that Kingston is considering "a request to shift a liquor distributor that's leaving town into an economic development zone in Greene County."
"This is just unbelievable," said Kelly joined by Lewis Kolar and Tom White, well known community activists and long time supporters of sustainable economic development. "Greene County actively and successfully recruits away a major business away from Ulster County; a business that got tax breaks for being in an economic development zone in our county. At the same time Greene County lobbies to reduce skier visits to Ulster County's biggest winter tourist attraction. What's wrong with this picture? How long are we going to sit still and allow Greene County to undermine our tax base, steal our visitors and attack our citizens' rights to decent paying secure, union represented employment and our rights to reasonably priced public recreation."
Speaking for thousands of Belleayre skiers, workers and community business owners, Kelly went on to say "This attack puts at risk the entire economic well being of a substantial region of New York State for the sole purpose of increasing the already substantial wealth of a few families in Greene County. We wonder if anyone at the state, city, county or local level has taken a look recently at the massive building that is going on over in Greene County. They are building huge hotel complexes, hundreds of condo and townhouse units, scores of multi-million dollar homes, most of which are on very steep slopes and many of which have exactly the ski-in, ski-out provisions we'd like to see at Belleayre," said Kelly. "I'd love to see their storm water run off plans. Where are their retention ponds? Why is it ok for them to build on slopes and grades of 40, 50, 60% or even greater while they bash us over here? Where are the pseudo-environmentalists that attack Belleayre Mountain with abandon but turn a blind eye to all of this activity 20 miles away." Kelly also noted that like Belleayre Mt. Hunter and Windham are both towns in New York City's Watershed and Hunter is also located in the Catskill Park blue line, and both drain into the Schoharie Reservoir which has been in crisis and has created problems for Ulster County. "So both the DEC and the DEP should be looking at them, looking hard at them!"
In meetings this week with new Ulster County Administrator Mike Hein and Kingston Mayor James Sottile, Kelly reminded local officials of Belleayre's importance in the county's economic development plans. "We were gratified when Governor Paterson vetoed legislation forming a blue ribbon commission to study the state's participation in the recreation industry - legislation that Greene County, along with Hunter and Windham, lobbied hard to pass. But we still had to suffer later opening, earlier closing, and loss of important marketing programs in part, because of Greene County lobbying against us. This has hurt our skier visits, revenue and local businesses."
Noting that Ulster County Legislature Chairman Dave Donaldson had reached out to leaders of Greene and Delaware Counties last year, Tom White pointed to efforts to create a regional ski pass that would get all ski centers working together instead of attacking each other. Though Hunter and Windham rejected the proposal outright, Mr. Donaldson's efforts did result in an agreement to ratchet down the rhetoric. "These actions we are seeing now show that not only did Greene County not ratchet it down, but they're intensifying the attack," said Kelly. "As far as we know, Greene County's attack on a neighboring county is as unprecedented as it is arrogant and predatory. And it's financed by and to the benefit of, a few very well-heeled families and Wall Street investors over there. They are transparently duplicitous and greedy. They have no trouble accepting public financing of their out of state sports arena but wish to subvert the will of the people of the State of New York through their high priced lobbyists."
Urging Hein and Sottile to support Belleayre Mt., Kelly noted that Belleayre is the "people's mountain," and was created by two constitutional amendments approved by voters all over the State of New York. He further noted that Belleayre's most important role is actually as an economic catalyst for the Central Catskills Rt. 28 corridor. "Wayne Speenburgh, Chairman of the Greene County Legislature, and his colleagues and supporters are, in fact attacking Ulster County economic assets at the same time as they are asking us to give up some of those assets," said Kelly adding that officials in this county should not stand for it and should take strong action to prevent it.
"Greene County says it's unfair for the state to invest in Belleayre, but they think it's ok for the state to invest in their county in the form of Empire Zones. In fact Hunter and Windham get yearly subsidies from the Greene County IDA and utilize that agency to finance the attack on Belleayre. They think Belleayre should have intensive scrutiny while they have none. Well we don't have an Empire Zone in Western Ulster County, we have Belleayre. And we need them to stop trying to destroy it."
"Private interests in Greene County are looking for a competitive advantage by attacking Belleayre," said Lew Kolar. "The DEC is successful because they turn out a better product than Hunter or Windham. Hunter's problem is its own reputation, not Belleayre. The State is mandated by the Constitution to operate Belleayre in a manner that benefits its citizens and provides an economic catalyst for the local community. It is succeeding enormously in both."
Kelly, who had to battle in 1984 to keep Belleayre from being mothballed, sees this fight as a bigger threat than closure. "Real estate interests in Greene County are spending an incredible amount of money on this issue. They attack a valued public resource and cry poverty while at the same time, selling millions in real estate. They have taken advantage of the DEC's reluctance to defend Bellearye Mt.. They have abused the Freedom of Information Law by demanding to see and analyze all of Belleayre Mt budgets, expenditures, income and statistics, at the same time as they get government assistance in this state and in other states, without ever opening their books for public scrutiny.
In a time when the whole ski industry throughout the United States is going to regionalism Hunter and Windham and Greene County for that matter, have thus far rejected all attempts at regional cooperation and promotion. They should not trump the will of the people of the State of New York and the economic interests of Ulster County. In 1987, voters all across the state reaffirmed the state's position in the ski industry by passing a constitutional amendment calling for Belleayre, Whiteface and Gore to be expanded. We're still waiting," said Kelly.
More information on the efforts of the Coalition to Save Belleayre is available on the group's website at coalitiontosavebelleayre.org.
-30-
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
October 3, 2008 - Highmount, NY 12441
Belleayre Supporters Cautiously Optimistic
Supporters of Belleayre Mt. Ski Center, including both the skiers who ski it and the communities who rely on it for their economic survival, reacted with cautious optimism this week when the DEC announced that the venerable and highly successful resort would re-open in November with most programs and facilities in tact. We express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Governor Patterson, the elected officials and the citizens and taxpayers who championed Belleayre’s cause. “We understand times are difficult and hard decisions have to be made and praise the positive result,” said Joe Kelly, Chairman of the Coalition to Save Belleayre.
The leaders of the Coalition also noted, however, the damage this delay has caused to the economic vitality of the area. “Belleayre is not a cost to the state. It is an income producer and an economic engine that fuels the economies of both Ulster and Delaware Counties,” Kelly added. “The later opening and earlier closing will come as a cost. No one should forget that the rural towns and villages of these counties contain huge public holdings of forest preserve and watershed lands that present an economic challenge to reasonable growth. We applaud the reasons for these properties but also remind the state of the obligations that their land holdings entail.”
“The good news is that most trails, most lifts and most programs skiers have come to expect will be there when the season kicks in,” said Kelly, Chairman of the Coalition of supporters that got its start in 1984 when then Governor Mario Cuomo threatened to mothball the facility. “We have to agree with Senator John Bonacic, one of Belleayre’s biggest boosters for many years now, who pointed out that Belleayre was still ‘short of the cash needed to operate in the manner it should be.’ Like our Senator, we must urge Governor Paterson and Commissioner Grannis to rethink the decision to impair this highly successful state run enterprise in any way that limits its potential to energize the economy in our economically challenged rural area.”
Belleayre is completing a ten-year run of success in serving both the community and the people of the State of New York. “Those of us who love this facility and those who rely on it for our economic survival just cannot let the facility slip backwards. The ski center must have the ability to succeed as it has,” added Kelly. The winter economy of Western Ulster and Eastern Delaware counties depend on the seven times multiplier that says for every dollar the ski center takes in, seven more are spent in the nearby communities. “So as grateful as we are, we will continue to advocate for a bigger, better Belleayre, fully funded and fully functioning for the benefit of all of us.”
SCHUMER CALLS ON NYS DEC TO COMMIT TO A FULL SKI SEASON AT BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN - SAFEGUARD ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF ULSTER COUNTY TOURIST ATTRACTION
09/16/2008
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
Sep. 16, 2008 - Highmount, NY 12441
SCHUMER CALLS ON NYS DEC TO COMMIT TO A FULL SKI SEASON AT BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN - SAFEGUARD ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF ULSTER COUNTY TOURIST ATTRACTION
Ski Center in Ulster County Has Provided Skiing in the Catskills for Over 60 Years, Attracting Over 175,000 Visitors/Year - Providing Jobs, Revenue
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation May Be Planning To Sharply Reduce Its Operating Budget for Belleayre Mountain Ski Center
Schumer: We Cannot Lose This Economic Engine for Ulster County
Belleayre Mountain following reports that the agency was planning to sharply reduce its operating budget. The ski center has long served as an economic catalyst during the winter months for Ulster County with over 175,000 visitors per year who dine, lodge and shop in the region, providing jobs and revenue.
In an effort to safeguard the economic benefits of the region, Senator Schumer wrote a letter to the NYS DEC requesting they commit to a full ski season at Belleayre Mountain.
"Belleayre Mountain Ski Center is bursting with economic benefits for Ulster County and we cannot let it fall to the wayside," Schumer said. "I hope that the DEC will heed the community's call and commit to a full ski season at Belleayre so that we can keep the jobs and revenue generated by the ski mountain."
Belleayre Ski Center in Ulster County, run be the state DEC, was established by constitutional amendment over 60 years ago. The center reaps enormous economic benefits for the region, providing revenue for the local and county government and supporting hundreds of local jobs.
Recent reports show that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation may sharply reduce or eliminate altogether the operating budget for Belleayre Mountain.
In an effort to save jobs and revenue, Schumer wrote a letter to the DEC urging them to find the necessary savings to continue operating the ski mountain for the entire season.
"It would be a severe blow to the region should the ski center not operate for a complete season," Schumer wrote. "While I recognize New York State is facing a difficult economic climate, and I applaud efforts to find savings, the benefits that would be achieved by cutting operating costs at Belleayre Mountain would pale in comparison to the economic turmoil it would create in the region. I cannot overstate the significance that Belleayre Mountain Ski Center has on the local economy."
September 16, 2008
I write to request that the Department of Environmental Conservation ensure a full ski season at the Belleayre Ski Center in Ulster County. As you are well aware, the Ski Center was established through a constitutional amendment process over 60 years ago. Ever since, the people of New York have enjoyed access to skiing in this part of the Catskills.
The economic impact the ski center has on Ulster County and the region, and in particular the towns of Shandaken and Hardenburgh, cannot be underestimated. The ski center attracts over 175,000 visitors a year to the mountain, who lodge, shop, and dine in Ulster County, providing revenue for the local and county government and supporting hundreds of local jobs. It would be a severe blow to the region should the ski center not operate for a complete season.
While I recognize New York State is facing a difficult economic climate, and I applaud efforts to find savings, the benefits that would be achieved by cutting operating costs at Belleayre Mountain would pale in comparison to the economic turmoil it would create in the region. In a region that is dependent upon a vibrant year-round tourism trade, the significance that Belleayre Mountain Ski Center has on the local economy is profound.
Again, I urge the Department of Environmental Conservation to commit to a full ski season at Belleayre Mountain and ensure that Ulster County and the region continue to experience the economic impacts that the ski center provide.
Belleayre Supporters Decry
Cancellation of October Festival 09/08/2008
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
September 8, 2008 - Highmount, NY 12441
Supporters of Belleayre Mountain Ski Center reacted with outrage this week when they learned the extent of cutbacks to the ski center's operating budget for the coming season. Saying that these cuts "will destroy what's left of the Central Catskills' economy," Joe Kelly, chairman of the Coalition to Save Belleayre, called for a summit meeting of elected and appointed officials who represent the area and business leaders whose constituents will suffer if the budget cuts are allowed to stand as planned. Kelly said, "the Coalition has argued for more than 25 years that New York State has a special economic obligation to this area because of the extensive holding of forest preserve and watershed lands by the State and City of New York. We are here to see that this obligation is met."
According to Kelly, the ski center's October Festival, which has been a money-maker for the facility for most of its 20 plus years of operation, is the first casualty of potentially draconian cuts that would cripple the ski center. "This event brings as many as 16,000 people to our community in one single weekend," said Kelly. "It has made Columbus Day the biggest weekend of the year and filled hotel rooms from Kingston to Oneonta. Cutting this out will make our hotels and restaurants bleed profusely, to say nothing of the stores, gas stations and others who benefit."
Kelly went on to add that he - and all Belleayre Mt. supporters - understand the need for cuts and the fact that everyone in the state has to share in the pain of the current economy. "But this is going to be way more than our fair share," said an angry Kelly. "The state is already nearly halfway through its fiscal year so agencies that already spent money, like New York State camp grounds preparing to close for the year, get no budget cut impact. In the meantime, we're facing a huge budget cut, the extent of which is only now becoming apparent," Kelly added. "In fact, these are 'in-and-out' revenues that don't actually save anything, and actually cost the state lost ticket and sales tax revenue."
"Sources tell us that in addition to the cutting of the festival, that the ski season could be a month or more shorter than it was last year, that the ski center could operate at less than its full capacity even during the height of the season and that staff people will lose their jobs," said Kelly. "We will never be able to recoup this loss - even if they bring us back to full operation next year. We've worked too hard for the last three decades to sit back silently and watch this happen."
Kelly went on to point out that not only do all of the local businesses who depend on Belleayre Mt. suffer - many of them may be forced out of business permanently - but so too do the counties who depend on the sales tax and bed tax generated by these visitors. "The economic blow to Ulster and Delaware counties cannot be over estimated," said Kelly. "These counties are already suffering from severe economic setbacks and these cutbacks at Belleayre will just push us over the edge." Kelly cited a survey done of businesses in the region in 2000 and noted that since that time nearly 20% of the respondent businesses were closed because of a lingering depression in the area. "Adding this to that is just a blow we can not and will not accept."
Noting that the cancellation of the annual October Festival came in the same week that Governor Patterson vetoed a blue ribbon commission to study the fairness of Belleayre's operation, Kelly said that some people in his organization believe the budget cuts are related to the lobbying Greene County has done to curtail Belleayre's operation. "We certainly hope that this is not the case. But it makes no sense to cancel one of your biggest money-making events in a single year," said Kelly. "And once you are open and operating, it makes absolutely no sense to only operate part of your capital investment," he added. "I don't know if people in state government are caving to pressure from Greene County to hold Belleayre Mt. back, but we certainly intend to look at that possibility."
Kelly said his group, the Coalition to Save Belleayre, has called an emergency meeting to review the budget issues and develop a strategy for addressing them. "We had busses in Albany in March and we might need to get them up there again in October," said Kelly. At this point, we need to talk with others in the region and figure out a plan of attack. "But this I can say for sure. We've been fighting for this ski center for more than a quarter of a century and except in 1984 when Mario Cuomo tried to close it, this is as bad as it gets. We will not sit back quietly and let the State and the DEC make up their budget crisis on our backs."
Coalition calls for veto of recreation commission legislation
Urges Ulster County to be more supportive of Belleayre Mt. Ski Center 06/24/2008
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
June 24, 2008 - Highmount, NY 12441
Coalition to Save Belleayre Chairman Joe Kelly reacted with increased frustration to the news this week that legislation forming a blue ribbon commission to study the state’s participation in the recreation industry was passed by the New York State Legislature. “This legislation was pushed through by Greene County real estate interests in protectionist efforts to grab an ever greater share of the skier visits to the Catskill Region,” said Kelly. “We call on Governor Paterson to veto this legislation and urge all Belleayre Mt. supporters to call and e-mail the governor on this matter.”
“The Ulster County Legislature has been totally AWOL on this issue,” said Kelly, who started his call for action with Dave Donaldson, Chairman of that body. “The inattention of this county administration to this issue is mind-boggling to me,” Kelly said yesterday, less than a week after union members were at the County Legislature begging for stronger support of the ski resort. “These governmental officials say tourism is important to the county,” said Kelly. “But they sit back silently while Greene County relentlessly attacks the biggest attraction in western Ulster County. If they aren’t willing to fight for a property that pulls 200,000 visitors a year across the county from Kingston to Highmount, what will they fight for?”
Urging Donaldson and his colleagues in county government to get moving, Kelly urged them to take swift action to try to have the legislation vetoed. Kelly called for a strong public statement supporting Belleayre and its role as an economic catalyst for the Central Catskills and urged the legislature to condemn, in the strongest language possible, the unprecedented attack on Belleayre Mt. by Greene County and its allies Hunter and Windham. “Wayne Speenburgh, Chairman of the Greene County Legislature, is in fact attacking Ulster County economic assets,” said Kelly adding that this county should not stand for it and should take strong action to prevent it.
“Private interests in Greene County are looking for a competitive advantage by attacking Belleayre,” said the long time ski center booster. The DEC is successful because they turn out a better product than Hunter or Windham. Hunter’s problem is its own reputation, not Belleayre. The State is mandated by the Constitution to operate Belleayre in a manner that benefits its citizens and provides an economic catalyst for the local community. It is succeeding enormously in both.”
Kelly, who had to battle in 1984 to keep Belleayre from being mothballed, sees this fight as a bigger threat than closure. “Real estate interests in Greene County are spending an incredible amount of money on this issue. They should not trump the will of the people of the State of New York and the economic interests of Ulster County. In 1987, voters all across the state reaffirmed the state’s position in the ski industry by passing a constitutional amendment calling for Belleayre, Whiteface and Gore to be expanded. We’re still waiting,” said Kelly.
Calling on Governor Paterson to avoid signing the commission legislation, Kelly also demanded stronger action from the ski center’s elected representatives. “We need a bill to protect the right of the State of New York to provide public recreation at a reasonable price for all its citizens, not just the rich,” said Kelly, “and I’ll fight as long as I have to, to make this happen.”
Kelly, who with colleagues in the Partners for Progress group supporting Belleayre expansion, took two buses of protestors to Albany in March, said it might be time to board the buses again. “We will try to do this by mail, e-mail and phone,” said Kelly.
“But if we have to take the buses to the Ulster County Legislature to get them off the dime, maybe that’s what we’ll do. It is baffling to us that in an election year, when tourism is being pursued all over the state as an answer to economic hard times, that Ulster County, can absorb an unprecedented attack by a neighboring county on one of its major economic engines, without reacting in any way.”
People who want to contact the Governor may write to Governor Paterson at the State Capital, Albany, NY 12224, or call his office at 518-474-8390. They should ask for a veto of Senate Bill 6835b establishing a state commission to examine unfair competition in the outdoor recreation industry. To e-mail the governor, they can go the his link on the Partners for Progress website at www.supportthecompromise.com. More information on the efforts of the Coalition to Save Belleayre is available on the group’s website at coalitiontosavebelleayre.org.
Belleayre Supporters Decry Audit Calls Vow continued
support for
New York State Ski Center Operation
04/30/2008
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
April 30, 22008 - Highmount, NY 12441 -- Belleayre Mt. Ski Center supporters reacted swiftly today to calls from Greene County for another audit of the New York State owned and operated ski center. "This is an attack on all New York State recreation facilities and on the concept of the state acting for the public good - an attack being made for the benefit of a few very wealthy families in a single county," said Coalition to Save Belleayre leader, Joe Kelly. "We will not let this attack stand. Our members will be calling on Comptroller DiNapoli to stand fast in his decision to ignore the demand for yet another audit. We are also urging leaders in other counties and supporters of other state recreation facilities to step up and respond about the importance of state owned and operated recreation facilities in their regions."
Kelly went on to say that "this is another selfish and self-centered attack on the skiers of the State of New York State by Wayne Speenburgh, acting as proxy for the wealthy ski owners of Hunter and Windham. This is not in the interest of the skiers of the State of New York and certainly not in the interest of Ulster or Delaware County." Kelly pointed out that Belleayre Mountain's operation is mandated by the state constitution, reaffirmed by a vote of the citizens of the state in 1987, to provide a service for the people of the State of New York and to provide an economic stimulus for the central Catskills. "The constitution did not mandate Belleayre to be a for-profit operation," said Kelly. He added "the Constitution did not mandate Belleayre to benefit a few wealthy ski owners nor did it mandate Belleayre to provide a second class experience to its citizens."
Kelly, who has been fighting to save Belleayre Mt. since before Governor Cuomo wanted to close it in 1984, went on to note that in those days, the private sector ski centers actually came out to support Belleayre's operation. "It might be time for New York State skiers to send a message to Greene County, Hunter, and Windham that higher lift ticket prices and emphasis on real estate sales are not in their interest. Mr. Speenburgh seems to feel that the profits to a few, from higher lift ticket prices and real estate sales, are more important than state recreational facilities are for all citizens.
Joan Lawrence-Bauer, a former employee at Belleayre Mt., noted that Greene County's arguments just don't hold water. "The comment that Belleayre operates without any financial accountability is ludicrous and totally without merit. Belleayre is the most scrutinized, audited and accountable facility the state operates. The fact is, the state of New York runs a better ski mountain and that's why skiers are going there."
Bob Linge, owner of Cold Spring Lodge in Oliverea and a member of the Belleayre Region Lodging and Tourism Association, said Belleayre Mt. does compete on an even track. "If they didn't have to compete fairly, they'd be charging $25 every day." Linge noted that Belleayre Mt. is an economic catalyst in a poverty stricken region. "Most of the discounts they offer are offered through local lodges and other tourism businesses and they are designed to get skiers staying overnight and spending money in the community.
Hunter and Windham serve a different function. There has always been room for the state and the private ski centers to co-exist and that should continue to be the case."
Kelly called on members of his coalition to remind their legislators that Belleayre offers opportunities for average, working class families to ski, opportunities that would not otherwise be available. "It offers jobs, at good wages and with bright futures, to residents of the region, economic stimulus to every Mom and Pop business in the region, and an outdoor recreation experience that is, at this point, unparalleled in the region. We need Belleayre expanded, not audited, and we will not stop in our efforts until those goals are realized," Kelly said. He encouraged supporters to sign on-line petitions at www.supportthecompromise.com, and to keep in touch by visiting the Coalition to Save Belleayre website at www.coalitionforbelleayre.com , and to call and write their own elected officials.
Resorts & Golf Courses Approved at Gore
Study of Belleayre Proposal Drags On
04/29/2008
A Public/Private Partnership with New York State owned Gore Mountain was approved in just two years time while the Belleayre Resort proposal nears a 10 year milestone in its review process.
The projects are nearly identical forest preserve efforts though the approved project at Gore has 5 hotels to Belleayre's two. Read all about it:
Coalition Strikes Back - Changes Name to Reflect Mission
02/04/2008
THE COALITION TO SAVE
BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN
PO Box 247, HIGHMOUNT, NY 12441
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Joe Kelly - 516-510-6941 or
Tom White - 845-254-6222 or 917-865-8299
Coalition Strikes Back - Changes Name to Reflect Mission
Belleayre supporters vow to kill legislation to stop ski center's growth
Facility expansion seen as critical to region's renaissance
Highmount, NY -- February 4, 2008 -- The Coalition for Belleayre, a twenty-five-year-old organization of Belleayre Mt. skiers, business people and other supporters, announced today that it will take steps to change its name back to the name under which it was originally founded - the Coalition to Save Belleayre. Responding to the introduction of legislation (NY Senate Bill # 6835) questioning the state's place in the recreation industry, Coalition Chairman Joe Kelly vowed to work to kill the legislation and push for expansion of the ski center as outlined by Governor Eliot Spitzer in an agreement announced September 5 in Kingston, NY.
Born of crisis in 1984 when then Governor Cuomo threatened to mothball Belleayre Mt. Ski Center, the Coalition to Save Belleayre has served as a voice for the state-owned and operated facilities for nearly a quarter of a century. The upstate/downstate coalition thought it had accomplished its goal by keeping the first-in-the-Catskills ski center open way back then. After all, Cuomo's decision was reversed when he was presented with petitions bearing 13,000 signatures three weeks after his announcement.
In the decade after Belleayre was spared, the Pine Hill Lake was added for major snowmaking expansion and addition of a summer swimming program. Voters of the State of New York passed a constitutional amendment calling for the expansion of Belleayre and new management introduced modern operational and marketing techniques that moved the state-owned ski center to center stage in winter recreation in the northeast.
With Belleayre saved, the group changed its name to the Coalition for Belleayre. Its leaders continued lobbying for frequent improvements and helped to launch a separate organization that functions independently today as a public/private partnership for the performing arts that stages more than 20 events a year during the off season. But much to the chagrin of Coalition founder Joe Kelly, Greene County ski centers Hunter and Windham, through Senator James Seward, have introduced legislation that could seriously curtail Belleayre's operation and expansion and once again, the Coalition feels a need to save Belleayre Mt.
"We thought we were finished with this sort of nonsense years ago," said Kelly announcing the organization's return to its original name. "This is a full frontal assault," added the indefatigable Irishman of legislation introduced to slow or even halt the state's investment in Belleayre Mt. "The Me-First parochialism of Hunter and Windham has hurt the entire tourism industry in this part of the state. We are going to stand up to this bullying because the stakes are too high to let them get away with it. Hunter's problems are with its own image, not with Belleayre Mt."
Pointing to massive public/private investments at Whiteface in the late 1970's Kelly noted the precedent for using state investments to stimulate adjacent private sector investment "The money spent to prepare Whiteface to host the 1980 Olympics nearly killed Belleayre at the time," said Kelly. "Today we can see that the public/private partnerships in the Adirondack Forest Preserve stimulated resurgence in the Lake Placid region's economy and now they actually serve as a model for what could happen in the Catskill Forest Preserve region."
Kelly said "Greene County is on record as wanting to halt investment in Belleayre so their private ski centers can grab all the skier visits to the region. That's like demanding Jones Beach be closed so that private beaches can get more visitors. It makes absolutely no sense to the rest of the state or the rest of the region," said Kelly. "One county doesn't get to set the agenda for the entire state. When the voters pass a constitutional amendment demanding the expansion of a ski center, they deserve to have that directive honored."
The Chairman went on to say that in addition to taking pot shots at the state-owned ski resorts, the Senate Bill also drags state-owned golf courses and campsites into the fray. "There is clearly a public interest served by having the State of New York own and operate public recreation facilities and the notion that such facilities hurt the private sector is ludicrous. We all know that Belleayre came first. It was the state's investment in a public ski center in the 1950s that led to the development of the private ski resorts in the 1960s. They owe their very existence to the state's investment and they've coexisted very nicely with Belleayre for more than 40 years."
The irony, according to Kelly, is that when Belleayre was threatened with closing, everyone, including the private ski centers, demanded that it be kept open and "made competitive. They wanted the state to operate Belleayre like a private sector resort would operate instead of operating like a state park. So Belleayre became competitive and now the private operators don't like it."
But Kelly went on to add that from his perspective, it is lackluster marketing efforts and attention to real estate over skiing that have caused pain for the private areas in recent years. In comments at a recent Snowball event at Belleayre, Kelly said "if I had some advice for Greene County it would be... 'Stop blaming diminishing skier visits on Belleayre and look at your own business plans.' Skiers respond to good grooming, quality experience and just plan fun," Kelly added.
He noted that at one time, Hunter Mountain was number one in name recognition because of its consistent use of the marketing tag line, "Snowmaking Capital of the World," and Windham made its name with heavy use of an ad campaign trumpeting "World Class Snow." "When was the last time you heard either of these ski centers pushing the niche's that made them famous," asked Kelly.
Avid Belleayre skiers in four different decades, Kelly and his cohorts have made themselves experts on ski industry budget, operations and marketing practices as they have advocated for Belleayre Mountain. Kelly noted that the Governor's compromise and the expansion of Belleayre Mountain would actually increase skier visits to the entire region and in the end, would help both Hunter and Windham who continually top the market share grab of skier visits in the region. "When you can promote an entire region as a ski destination, everyone benefits," said Kelly. "Anyone who looks at Vermont, Utah or Colorado knows that. We even see it in the north country of New York State. The Catskill region does have the best skiing and is closest to the New York metro market. If they could just maximize their assets and work together, all would benefit."
First Volleys
The recent battle between the Catskill region's top three attractions started last summer when the Greene County ski resorts convinced their legislature to pass a resolution opposing future development of Belleayre Mt. Ski Center. But Ulster and Delaware Counties both fired back with resolutions of their own supporting Belleayre Mt. and in September, Governor Spitzer visited Kingston to announce an Agreement in Principle for a public/private partnership that would not only increase the state-owned facility, but which paved the way for a $400 million private sector investment adjacent to the resort.
The Agreement in Principle, currently undergoing review required by New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), would move permit the construction of a private sector hotel, golf, spa and fractional housing complex and link it to a state reinvestment in the adjacent state-owned ski center on Belleayre Mt. Among the features of the agreement is a plan to re-open the trails of the now defunct Highmount Ski Center to create a "ski in-ski out" lodging presence for Belleayre Mt.
Kelly's Coalition, run by a group of skiers who has remained loyal to each other and to Belleayre throughout the last quarter century, has joined other local organizations in Partners for Progress, a new organization seeking to push Spitzer's Agreement in Principle to a positive conclusion.
"We took no position for or against the Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park while it went through more than 8 years of study by every environmental organization and public agency known to man," said Kelly. "We sat quietly and let the process run its course until an agreement was reached that demonstrated to us that we could have expansion of Belleayre, with a nearby hotel, golf course, spa and other housing units, all without threatening the environment."
Kelly went on to add that "when we saw the City of New York, who spent more than $600,000 trying to stop this project, had agreed there was no major environmental threat to its water, we felt pretty safe in accepting the project. When we saw that the Natural Resource Defense Council, NYPIRG, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, the Riverkeeper, Trout Unlimited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers and the Zen Environmental Studies Center had all signed on to the agreement, we decided to endorse it and work to make the plans a reality."
But on January 10, calling themselves the "Greene County Coalition for Economic Equality" Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain wrote a nine-page paper accusing Belleayre Mountain of "unfair competition." In the paper which noted that Hunter and Windham tallied 700,000 skier visits per year as compared to just 175,000 for Belleayre Mountain it was difficult to see the harm the Greene County areas claimed.
"They admit they are much bigger areas than Belleayre Mountain yet they try to make a case that tickets at the smaller mountain should cost as much as they do at the bigger areas," said Kelly. "Any skier knows that just does not make sense."
Kelly, who said that until now he has always enjoyed a good working relationship with Greene County ski area operators, noted that contrary to what the Greene County resorts said, Belleayre Mountain does pay property taxes and does collect sales taxes, just as the private areas do. "While it is true that Belleayre doesn't pay the same sorts of insurance premiums that the private areas pay," Kelly added, "the fact is they pay far more in wages than the private areas because they must pay union wages. In reality, the pros and cons of private operation and public operation wash and the economic impact of the state's investment at Belleayre Mt. is just as important to Ulster and Delaware Counties as the economic impact of Windham and Hunter to Greene County."
"We're taking off the gloves on this one," said Kelly. "Belleayre Mt. is not allowed to defend itself against these scurrilous attacks so those of us who know the real story, must.
The fact that with 700,000 skiers between them, these ski centers are whining about 175,000 skiers at Belleayre shows just how greedy they are. I'm sure they'd like to roll back the clock to when Belleayre just had 80,000 skier visits but that won't happen on our watch. That sort of thinking will have us right back where we were in 1984 and none of us wants to go there."
Kelly said the Coalition to Save Belleayre will work alone on behalf of the mountain but will also work in concert with other supporting organizations including Partners for Progress, the Delaware and Ulster County Chambers of Commerce, the legislative bodies for both Ulster and Delaware Counties, and the other pro-economic development organizations and individuals involved. More information on efforts and activities to support Belleayre Mt. Ski Center is available by logging on to www.supportthecompromise.org or www.coalitionforbelleayre.org.
THE COALITION TO SAVE
BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN
PO Box 247, HIGHMOUNT, NY 12441
Snowball Comments of Judith Enck, Deputy Secretary for the Environment
01/31/2008
On behalf of Governor Spitzer, it is my pleasure to be with you tonight and to accept this award for the Governor. He sends his regards and regrets that he cannot be here tonight but very much appreciates this wonderful gesture.
Before I talk about the details of the �Agreement in Principle�, which I like to call the compromise agreement, I want to acknowledge a few people in the audience.
Congressmember Maurice Hinchey. I got to know the Congressman over 20 years ago when he chaired the Environmental Conservation Committee in the State Assembly. During his time in the Assembly and now in Washington, Maurice has been an extraordinary voice for environmental sustainability. His leadership has resulted in protection of public lands, cleaning up the Hudson River, historic preservation and responsive government. He is always working in the public interest and is a leader of unmatched integrity. It is always a pleasure to be in his company.
We are also joined by my colleague Michael Balboni and his wife Stephanie Balboni. Michael serves as the Governor�s Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security. He is a former accomplished state legislator. It is a pleasure to work side by side with Michael and we are so fortunate to have him as an essential part of the Spitzer Administration.
Since taking office in January of 2007, and during his prior 8 years as Attorney General, Governor Spitzer has been a leader in protecting our shared environment. As Governor, he has articulated a clear vision:
We can have environmental protection and sustainable economic growth.
We can have clean water and good jobs.
We can protect open space while growing the innovation economy.
We can revitalize Upstate; providing economic security for our families while also vigorously protecting our natural resources.
These are not either or propositions. These goals are the cornerstone of the Spitzer Administration and they are reflected in the Governor�s recent State of the State Address and his proposed executive budget.
Smart business leaders get it. Financial lenders get it. The environmental community has been articulating it for decades. And for the most part � the general public embraces it.
We can have economic stability and environmental protection, at the same time. In part, in this changing economy, economic development and environmental sustainability are mutually reinforcing goals that will enhance the state�s competitiveness.
For instance, we know that global warming is a major issue. Businesses, especially those in the energy and transportation sectors, that do not make global warming part of their equations, will imperil their ability to succeed in the future.
The same goes for the ski industry. According to NASA, last year was the second hottest year on record. If the ski industry doesn�t recognize the impacts of global warming, it too will not be prepared for future challenges and risks.
The Agreement in Principle on the proposed Crossroads Resort Project illustrates that we can, and indeed must, balance economic growth with environmental protection. It certainly is not easy, but it can be done.
It was just about a year ago, that all the parties approached the Governor and asked him to mediate this dispute about whether or not the resort should be built. The developer, the environmental groups � all came to us separately and asked the Governor to take on this issue.
At first, both the Governor and I resisted the request. We knew it was an important project for the region, situated in the very important New York City watershed. And we knew that the community was divided. It�s just that we were brand new in the Capitol, learning the ropes and we knew that this was a next to impossible assignment.
But, because Eliot Spitzer is a true leader...
And because, my parents named me after St. Jude � the patron saint of lost causes � the Governor decided that we would give this a try.
The environmental community, local citizen activists, the developers and the City of New York all had extremely valid viewpoints, perspectives and concerns. The parties asked the Governor�s Office to roll up our sleeves to try to facilitate a common ground. Every single person that was part of the negotiations was smart, savvy, tenacious and did their homework. Every inch of real estate was examined with microscopic precision. We simply asked people to come to the table with an open mind. And they did.
We met for countless hours in the ornate Blue Room of the Capitol. The room used to be the Court of Appeals Chambers. It is historic. But it has terrible lighting and even worse acoustics. But, when you meet in that room � you know that the stakes are high and that you must come to the table with integrity and purpose.
********
Allow me to briefly outline the major terms of the agreement in principle:
This is a $400 million dollar project that will create:
450 permanent jobs
150 part-time jobs and
1,800 construction jobs
The State will purchase the closed Highmount Ski Center and add those ski facilities to the state-owned ski center. This is a good opportunity to re-use an existing but long-closed facility.
The state will acquire over 1,200 acres of forest land on the Big Indian Plateau, to be added to the Catskills Forest Preserve. This public land will provide essential habitat, water quality protection and be a tremendous legacy for our children.
When you compare the land that will be part of the project, to the land that would have been part of the original proposal, the land area is reduced by 66%. Instead of 572 acres to be developed, 273 acres will be developed.
Most notably, of the land that will be part of the project, the foot print , such as the buildings, the parking lots, etc. will cover only 1 � of the land.
The total road length will be 3.2 miles, rather than 8.2 miles.
The total lodging structures are reduced from 121 to 77.
This is all very important because it directly impacts water quality.
Remember, I said that 1 � percent of the property will have an impervious surface, meaning buildings or pavement. The environmental rule of thumb is that you should strive for no more than 8% impervious surface. This project is well within the margin of safety at 1 �.%.
As we all know, this area of the Catskills is part of the New York City watershed. The upstate reservoirs provide clean reliable drinking water to over 8 million New Yorkers. I know that this is sometimes a source of tension, but the people of the Catskills should be proud of providing this amazing resource to their downstate neighbors. We know the drinking water reservoirs, need to be protected. But, ensuring water quality also means protecting the streams that feed into the reservoirs, wetlands and the groundwater that recharges the surface water.
All wastewater from the resort site will go to the Pine Hill Water District. It will receive the highest level of treatment that exists in the state of New York. Just to put you in the mood for dessert, the waste water will receive tertiary treatment with micro filtration and phosphorus removal. It will be carefully monitored and the developer will pay fees to the Pine Hill water district. The plant was built by the City of New York and we appreciate their cooperation in making this element of the agreement work so well.
Additional parts of the agreement will protect trout streams.
Water withdrawl on Birch Creek will be more restricted than it is today. Because of legitimate concerns about how the project may affect other growth in the region, the state is providing half a million dollars for smart growth projects along the Route 28 corridor.
The one remaining golf course will be organic. It�s important that we don�t have toxic pesticides and fertilizers running off the land and into streams and wetlands. The major buildings will be certified green buildings � saving energy and natural resources.
I am proud of this agreement and more proud of the people who have signed on to the agreement.
I want to take a moment to recognize each of the signatories.
The City of New York, particularly Dept of Environmental Protection Commissioner Emily Lloyd and her very capable staff.
Crossroad Ventures �lead by Dean Gitter and his partners.
I want to recognize the work of Dan Ruzow, the attorney for Dean Gitter who was a phenomenal voice of reason.
The non-profit organizations that stuck their necks out and have signed:
Riverkeeper
Theodore Gordon Flyfishers
Trout Unlimited
The New York Public Interest Research Group
The Zen Environmental Studies Institute.
The Natural Resources Defense Council
The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development.
If there are representatives of these groups here, please stand up and allow us to applaud your leadership.
I just want to say a few words about the bumpy reception this agreement is receiving in some quarters. I want to emphasize that every detail will be analyzed in a new Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. All decisions will be subject to the State Environmental Quality Review Act. All state and local laws and regulations still apply.
I understand that some local citizens disagree with this compromise. They think the project is still too large, will impact the scenic beauty of the region or will in some way damage the environment.
While I personally do not agree with that assessment, I honor their role in the process. I respect their right to speak out and voice their opinions. This community is anything but apathetic. The people of the Catskills care about their communities. I think it�s a wonderful thing when people show up at town board meetings, pack DEC public hearings and debate the merits or demerits of the proposal with their neighbors.
I know situations get heated at times � and I wish they weren�t. I know people sometimes engage in personal attacks � and I wish they didn�t. But, if we all agreed all the time, what a boring world we would live in. As a representative of state government, I urge everyone to voice their opinions on this project. More information and more perspectives result in better decision making. I think the compromise sets the bar very high for future development projects. It shows that people of different perspectives can come together in the spirit of compromise.
We have found some common ground here. I am proud to have been part of this agreement that holds the promise to do wonderful things for the local economy, the families of the Catskills and our precious shared environment.
On behalf of Governor Spitzer, he thanks you for this very kind award.
Supporters of Governor Eliot Spitzer�s Agreement in Principle for the Belleayre Mt. Ski Center and the Belleayre Resort warmly welcomed Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Judith Enck at the Coalition for Belleayre�s 22nd annual Snowball on Saturday night. Enck, who was in town to accept the Spirit of the Catskills award for Governor Eliot Spitzer, has been lauded for her work on the Agreement in Principle announced in September.
Belleayre Coalition Chairman Joe Kelly, noted that the state-owned ski center has certainly been in the limelight recently. �Hardly a day goes by without some reference to Belleayre in the media. We are having a record year and the weather has cooperated magnificently. As the old adage goes, there is no such thing as bad publicity,� Kelly said as he opened his remarks.
�We are listed in Newsday�s Top 10 eastern ski areas and Bill Pennington of the New York Times remarks on the �dramatic revival of Belleayre� and the upbeat tempo of the Mountain in a two-page article in the Escapes Section. It doesn�t get any better than that,� Kelly added.
But Kelly, the fighting Irishman, credited with saving Belleayre Mt. from closing in 1984, added that for all its glory, Belleayre is also �under attack.� Our ski brothers in Greene County view Belleayre�s success as a threat and are attacking us in the media on a regular basis. They think this is hunting season on Belleayre,� the Chairman added. Chiding the opposing ski areas, Kelly said �The real story about why Belleayre is the buzz, is good, consistent, enthusiastic product, and the skiers have responded. So, if I had some advice for Greene County it would be this: stop blaming diminishing skier visits on Belleayre and look at your own business plan. The �Me First� parochialism that has characterized the Catskill Ski industry doesn�t work and higher and higher lift ticket prices push skiers away.
It�s time for cooperation not name calling or scape-goating others for underperformance. We need regional advertising, regional ski pass, quality lodging and a new marketing strategy to jump start our skier visits. Tag team whining by Hunter and Windham are counterproductive and the numbers show it,� Kelly continued. �We can have a new future for the Catskills�.reminiscent of the days when we were a destination resort for thousands of visitors and our hotels and villages were vibrant and full.�
Kelly went on to honor Governor Spitzer with the Spirit of the Catskills award, given annually to someone who embodies the innovative forward thinking, courageous and historic traditions of the Catskills. It embodies all the rich heritage of the frontier, through the Hudson River School of artists and the incredible hotels and thriving towns and villages of the nineteenth century.
Saying, �We have come to accept a culture of decay as the norm,� Kelly lauded Spitzer for accepting the �challenge of reversing that economic decline.� The Chairman noted that Spitzer �has presented us with a blueprint for success. He has accepted the task of solving an almost decade long, divisive dispute to address our region�s future and has come up with what the New York Times describes as a �Watershed Agreement that will mark a milestone for conservation, for watershed protection, and for smart growth in the Catskills.� The editorial, according to Kelly, went on to say �in the end everybody gave up something, but the result was a victory for the environment, for the local economy and most of all for common sense.� Kelly added of Spitzer, that �through his leadership, he brought disparate groups of passionate advocates together, created an atmosphere where dialogue could occur and let those groups craft a compromise with which everyone could agree.�
Kelly took the opportunity to remind the audience how many environmental groups had endorsed the agreement including the New York State DEC, New York City DEP, Natural Resource Defense Council, NYPIRG, Riverkeeper, Trout Unlmited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers and the Zen Environmental Studies Institute as well as the Catskill Center for Conservation & Development.
When introducing Enck, who accepted the honor for Spitzer, Kelly said that �Ms. Enck�s accomplishments in the field of environmental protection have been recognized with professional awards from such organizations as the Sierra Club, the Center for Women in Government and Citizen Action.
In accepting the award, Enck introduced the vision of Governor Spitzer that led to the Agreement in Principle saying �As Governor, he has articulated a clear vision:
We can have environmental protection and sustainable economic growth.
We can have clean water and good jobs.
We can protect open space while growing the innovation economy.
We can revitalize Upstate; providing economic security for our families while also vigorously protecting our natural resources.
These are not either or propositions. These goals are the cornerstone of the Spitzer Administration and they are reflected in the Governor�s recent State of the State Address and his proposed executive budget.�
Enck went on to note that a year ago, when Spitzer was just coming into office, people on both sides of the Crossroads debate had asked the Governor to intervene. �At first, both the Governor and I resisted the request,� said Enck. �We knew it was an important project for the region, situated in the very important New York City watershed. And we knew that the community was divided. It�s just that we were brand new in the Capitol, learning the ropes and we knew that this was a next to impossible assignment.� Enck added �But, because Eliot Spitzer is a true leader...
And because, my parents named me after St. Jude � the patron saint of lost causes � the Governor decided that we would give this a try.�
In speaking directly about the agreement, Enck said, �When you compare the land that will be part of the project, to the land that would have been part of the original proposal, the land area is reduced by 66%.� She said, �The total road length will be 3.2 miles, rather than 8.2 miles. The total lodging structures are reduced from 121 to 77.� She made it a point to recognize that 1 � percent of the property will have an impervious surface, meaning buildings or pavement. The environmental rule of thumb is that you should strive for no more than 8% impervious surface. This project is well within the margin of safety at 1 �.�
�I am proud of this agreement and more proud of the people who have signed on to the agreement,� Enck continued and like Kelly earlier, listed every organization that had signed on.
She then recognized people who are not happy with the agreement. �I understand that some local citizens disagree with this compromise,� she said. �While I personally do not agree with that assessment, I honor their role in the process. I respect their right to speak out and voice their opinions.
This community is anything but apathetic. The people of the Catskills care about their communities. I think it�s a wonderful thing when people show up at town board meetings, pack DEC public hearings and debate the merits or demerits of the proposal with their neighbors.
I know situations get heated at times � and I wish they weren�t. I know people sometimes engage in personal attacks � and I wish they didn�t. But, if we all agreed all the time, what a boring world we would live in.
After accepting the award, Enck was joined on stage by Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Homeland Security Director Michael Balboni and Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Cliff Crouch, Kathleen Mami Moore.
More information on the dinner and the organizations involved is available by contacting Joe Kelly at 516-536-3538 or 516-510-6941 or djkelly2@optonline.com.
The full transcripts of remarks by Kelly and Enck are attached to this document..
A letter to Governor Paterson from Partners for Progress