07/11/2008
Off-Piste Pizza NOW OPEN FOR DINNER!
07/26/2008
Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival
08/02/2008
Billy Yout Memorial Golf Tournament
3/6: Donation for Danbury's History
2/8: A Resort with a Conscience
5/4: Ragged Mountain Resort Sold
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Fischer
Blakeslee
(435) 647-0910 w
(410) 336-9981 m
mark.fischer@blakesleeadv.com
DATE: March 6, 2008
RELEASE: Immediate
RAGGED MOUNTAIN DONATES FOR DANBURY’S HISTORY
Developer Contributes to Help Preserve Town Records
DANBURY, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Ragged Mountain may be in the ski business, but they also understand the value of preserving history. Yesterday, Ragged Mountain donated $1,500 to help the town of Danbury archive town records and other historical documentation dating back to the 1700’s.
At a meeting last week to prepare for the annual Town Meeting, one of the items proposed for the budget was $1,000 to preserve town records on microfilm. Town Clerk Tammie Coffman was concerned that some of the records that are more than a couple hundred years old might be lost as the quality of the books deteriorates.
When Ragged Mountain partner Gerry Jackson learned that budget restrictions might eliminate the microfilm proposal, he saw an opportunity to help. “A town’s historical records are part of its fabric,” noted Jackson. “This history is an important part of what gives Danbury character, and we value that heritage. It seemed a shame that some of Danbury’s records might be in jeopardy, so we wanted to help the Town save that historical information.”
Jackson conferred with his partners, and they unanimously agreed to make the donation. A check was quickly sent to the Town of Danbury. Douglas Anderson, another partner in Ragged Mountain, remarked, “This donation felt like a nice way of being able to contribute to the community.”
Ragged Mountain changed ownership in May of 2007. Since then, the new owners have invested several million dollars to upgrade the ski resort which had fallen on hard times under the previous ownership. Improvements which have already been completed include a new beginners’ lift, new restaurants, 14,000 feet of new snowmaking pipe, new snow guns, new groomers, and general lodge refurbishment. Because of extensive lift overhauls, ski and snowboard terrain has been opened this year on the mountain that has not been available in recent years.
Ragged Mountain is located in Danbury, New Hampshire on more than 1,650 acres. The ski resort includes approximately 200 acres of terrain for all experience levels. The ski resort will host a “Green Day” event this Saturday, March 8th in conjunction with WBCN-FM from Boston. The season will culminate on March 29, 2008 with a Spring Fling. Both events are open to the public.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Fischer
Blakeslee
(435) 647-0910 w
(410) 336-9981 m
mark.fischer@blakesleeadv.com
DATE: February 3, 2008
RELEASE: Immediate
a resort with a Conscience
By KATE DAVIDSON
Concord Monitor staff
DANBURY, NH - Trails blanketed with packed snow wind down Ragged Mountain, flanked on either side by rows of tall, green evergreen and pine trees. From above, you can barely see the base lodge where skiers gather before and after a day on the slopes. And the tracts of land near the base of the mountain - 18 golf holes - blend into the landscape.
The new owners of Ragged Mountain Resort would like to keep it that way. Despite their plans to spend millions of dollars on revamping the golf course, renovating and expanding the resort buildings and developing hundreds of slopeside homes, they plan to work with some of the top land planners and conservationists in the country to do it in an environmentally responsible way.
They also hope to become the first property in New Hampshire certified by Audubon International's Signature Program, which will guide the resort's land planners through the design and construction phase of the expansion and help them protect the mountain's wildlife, habitat and natural resources.
Gerald Jackson, one of the three principals of the company that bought the resort last year, said participating in the program is "just good business."
"It's totally compatible with our vision, which is to take good care of the land and to promote biodiversity and ecosystem management and to restore whatever damage has been done in the past," Jackson said.
Utah-based RMR Pacific LLC purchased Ragged Mountain in May after the previous owners narrowly avoided bankruptcy and foreclosure. The resort needed a lot of work, but Jackson and his partners had a lot of experience revamping and building ski resorts throughout the Northwest. They brought in a ski industry veteran, Bob Fries, to take over as resort president, and they sank $2 million into long overdue maintenance last summer.
As they prepared to head into the planning of the first major phase of the project - redesigning the 18-hole golf course - they decided to turn to Audubon International for guidance.
The group is not affiliated with the National Audubon Society, which focuses on bird conservation, but rather is a land stewardship program that promotes sustainability. (The group is one of several that has branched off from the original Audubon Society.)
Audubon International works with any type of land conservation group to protect properties of all types and sizes, including backyards, business properties, schools, golf courses and any type of land that is targeted for development.
Ragged applied in November for acceptance into the Silver Signature Sanctuary Program, which will guide planners who are preparing a property for more than one land use. In Ragged's case, the mountain will include a ski area, golf course and hundreds of new condominiums and houses. The program requires applicants to apply during the planning stages, and may reject any project where land clearing or building has already begun.
Ragged was accepted into the program in December and Jackson said he is working with representatives from Audubon International to schedule an initial site visit.
The program coordinators may visit the site five or six times during the planning and construction phases to help the developers make decisions about the expansion.
Audubon's environmental planning department will create a Natural Resource Management Plan for Ragged, which will act as an operations manual for the property. It will include chapters on site characterization, environmental planning, pest management, water conservation and water quality management, waste management, energy conservation, wildlife conservation, outreach and education.
The first phase of the development, which includes a $6 million redesign of the course, may begin within the next few months.
Brad Booth, the architect hired to revamp the course, said Audubon will act as a voice for the natural resources around the course to help enhance the environment, not inhibit it. The group will also look at any foreseeable drainage issues and habitat issues that may arise from restructuring the landscape.
Booth - who founded the golf course design firm Faxon and Booth with PGA golfer Brad Faxon - said the golf course design philosophy has become much more focused on naturalization in recent years. It's a design that golfers find in older courses that have maintained the landscape and habitat around them.
And it is part of a bigger experience that many golfers can't quite put their finger on, but know they enjoy, he said.
"Playing golf is not simply a game of score," Booth said. "It's a physical experience and also a sensual experience, in the sense that there's all this stuff around you. All of that enhances the quality and pleasure of actually playing the game."
It also makes sense from a business perspective, Jackson said.
The PGA Golf Club in Florida, certified as a Signature Sanctuary, has saved 25 percent in overall operating costs by using equipment recommended by the program, according to information provided by Audubon International. They also save 100 million gallons of water each year by collecting the runoff in 80 acres of storage ponds. And Sand Ridge Golf Club in Ohio has saved nearly $30,000 a year on the cost of chemicals, labor and equipment by turning 50 unused acres of the golf course into open fields for wildlife.
The registration fee for the Silver Signature Sanctuary program is $9,500, and Ragged must pay an annual membership fee of $500. It does not include separate charges for the services provided by Audubon's environmental planning department, which are determined on a case-by-case basis and may cost thousands of dollars.
Now that Ragged has been accepted into the program, it may take several years before it achieves certification, Jackson said. Some of the minimum requirements for certification include installing a proper irrigation system, preparing a pest management plan, building a proper maintenance facility, protecting wildlife and water quality after construction and designing and managing the development in a way that minimizes maintenance.
"Once we get there, we have to stay there," Jackson said.
Ragged hopes to rebuild seven holes on the golf course this summer and finish the rest next year. Most of the course will be playable, Jackson said.
The resort has not filed any permit applications with the Danbury planning board, but Jackson said the owners are keeping the town updated on their planning efforts. He said it could be at least another year before the resort breaks ground on any potential real estate.
A booth at the base of the mountain was built earlier this year to provide information to prospective buyers, and Jackson said it has generated a lot of interest.
The entire resort expansion, which may include more ski trails and nature trails, a fitness center, a new day lodge, homes and condos, and other four-season amenities, could cost more than $10 million and take between five and 10 years to build.
When the plans are under way, Jackson hopes the entire development project will generate the interest among other resorts who may look into conservation and resource management plans for themselves.
"Let's hope that we set a good example."
By Kate Davidson
Concord Monitor
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Fischer
Blakeslee
(435) 647-0910 w
(410) 336-9981 m
mark.fischer@blakesleeadv.com
DATE: November 7, 2007
RELEASE: Immediate
RAGGED MOUNTAIN APPLIES FOR AUDUBON CERTIFICATION
Sanctuary Designation for Golf Course Would Be First in New Hampshire
DANBURY, NH – Ragged Mountain Resort announced today that it has begun the process to become designated a Certified Audubon Signature Sanctuary. The designation is bestowed by Audubon International to “communities that integrate an ecosystem approach to construction and management; and provide environmental education for those that live, work and recreate in the community,” according to the governing body’s written materials.
Gerry Jackson, one of the partners in RMR-Pacific which is Ragged Mountain’s new ownership group, provided insight into the significance of Audubon’s involvement in the project, “The first time we saw this property it was quite clear to us that the greatest asset here was the land itself. We take our stewardship of this beautiful place very seriously which is why we have asked for Audubon International’s involvement in the process.”
Ragged Mountain has applied for the Silver Signature level of certification which Audubon only grants when it can be involved before the construction of infrastructure has begun in order to provide critical input in the design phase, and guidance as the design takes the form of construction. Douglas Anderson, another RMR partner, noted the ongoing nature of this designation, “Audubon Environmental will also be preparing our Natural Resources Management Plan which will ensure continuity from the inception of the land plan all the way through to the maturing of the community.”
Jackson explained that Audubon would be involved in the ecological aspects of the golf course as well as the homesites, “One of the reasons we chose Faxon & Booth for the renovation of our golf course is Brad Booth’s involvement on Audubon’s Advisory Committee. We knew he understood what we were trying to accomplish, and we are very proud that they will be overseeing the development of the first Signature Sanctuary in New Hampshire which, by the way, is only the third in all of New England.”
Ragged Mountain Resort was purchased by RMR-Pacific in May of this year. Previous owners had hoped to develop the 1600 acre community surrounding the golf course and ski resort, but had been financially unable to do so. The new ownership group has substantial experience developing real estate in and around a number of ski resorts in the western part of the country as well as golf and country club communities in the East.
Over the course of the summer, the new owners brought in highly regarded ski resort president Bob Fries and invested approximately $2 million in maintenance and improvements at Ragged Mountain Resort. The resort installed over 14,000 feet of new snowmaking pipe and purchased 25 new energy efficient snowmaking guns. With cold enough temperatures, the ski area hopes to open in late November or early December.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Fischer
Blakeslee
(435) 647-0910 w
(410) 336-9981 m
mark.fischer@blakesleeadv.com
DATE: August 24, 2007
RELEASE: Immediate
Ragged Mountain is so excited to be making many much needed improvements to the resort. Some are behind the scenes, but are worth mentioning anyway as they indicate the infrastructure is being improved to ensure more reliable operations during the winter.
Projects underway include:
Lifts:
Servicing Spear Lift to have operational this season.
Servicing Northeast Peak to have operational
New cable for Village Green Lift
New Wonder Carpet Lift for beginnersSnowmaking
14,000 feet of new pipe on the mountain
New energy efficient guns
Strong air compressor fleet (4 units)Grooming
2 new (2004 model) Bombardier GroomersBase Lodge
All new carpeting
Repair of entry steps and brick walkways
Seasonal Lockers for rent
Outdoor fire pitFood and Beverage
Wood –Fired Pizza oven on 2nd floor of Elmwood Lodge
“Raggamuffins” mid-mountain soup/chili/chowder restaurant
We are working hard to get all done by November. Many items, such as 14,000 feet of pipe, 2,000 yards of carpet, etc. have ordering lead times. Many of these items are arriving in September.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Fischer
Blakeslee
(435) 647-0910 w
(410) 336-9981 m
mark.fischer@blakesleeadv.com
DATE: June 25, 2007
RELEASE: Immediate
RAGGED MOUNTAIN NAMES NEW RESORT PRESIDENT
DANBURY, NH - The recently purchased Ragged Mountain Resort took a giant step toward revitalizing itself today by naming Bob Fries as the new resort president. Fries (pronounced "Freeze") will be responsible for the overall operations of the resort including skiing, golf, and real estate.
Fries has accumulated a wealth of ski resort experience over the past 35 years, including the last five years as the owner and president of Bolton Valley Resort in Vermont. He has also served as president of Stratton Resort in Vermont, as president of the Olympic Regional Development Authority in Lake Placid, New York, and as general manager of Breckenridge Resort in Colorado.
Fries' ski industry career began in New Hampshire in 1973 as the controller at Waterville Valley Resort. By 1980, he had been promoted to general manager of Waterville, and he spent the next twelve years guiding the year-round operations and real estate projects there. During that time he also served as the president of the New Hampshire Ski Areas Association.
"We are incredibly fortunate that Bob Fries just completed the sale of his ownership in Bolton Valley and was available to lead our team at Ragged Mountain," noted Douglas Anderson, one of the partners in RMR-Pacific which is the new owner of the resort. "Bob has some of the best experience in the ski business, and I think the Lifetime Achievement Award he received last month from the Vermont Ski Areas Association speaks volumes about his credibility within this industry," concluded Anderson.
Gerald Jackson, another RMR-Pacific partner explained, "We recognize that Ragged Mountain is not up to the standards we would like to see for the resort going forward. Bob understands the type of quality product we would like to put forth, and we couldn't be more pleased about having him onboard."
Fries inherits a resort that has had sparse investment over the past several years. "We will spend a substantial amount of money this summer just on deferred maintenance and infrastructure issues. While we will make more significant changes over the next few years, my primary focus right now is to provide a much improved experience for our guests this winter," Fries reported.
"The new owners and I are very excited about the future of this resort. From a recreational and real estate perspective, we believe this will become one of the most attractive four season resorts in New England, and we're really looking forward to that," stated Fries.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Fischer
Blakeslee
(435) 647-0910 w
(410) 336-9981 m
mark.fischer@blakesleeadv.com
DATE: May 23, 2007
RELEASE: Immediate
$2 MILLION FLOATED TO FIX RESORT SKI UPGRADES MAY
LAST 10 YEARS
By KATE DAVIDSON
Concord Monitor staff
DANBURY, NH - The new owners of Ragged Mountain resort plan to spend $1.5 million to $2 million this year on "massive upgrades" to the resort's snowmaking system and on long overdue golf course maintenance, the project manager told the Danbury planning board last night.
Gerald Jackson, one of three partners who purchased the resort, said its expansion could last at least 10 years and include condominiums, a swimming and tennis club, a fitness center, a children's adventure center, and expansion of the snowmaking and irrigation ponds to allow fishing or canoeing.
"We need to make it as close to a four-season destination as possible," Jackson said, but he was careful to say that no plans have been finalized.
"Right now, we know very little other than we have a lot of work to do," he said.
The company, Utah-based RMR-Pacific, is in the process of hiring employees - previous resort employees will have to reapply - and is conducting a national search for a resort general manager. Some cosmetic improvements to the lodges are already under way to help make the resort look "fresh and clean," Jackson said. The new owners hope to open the golf course by this weekend, but golfers should call ahead.
A major study of the course is planned, and it will probably need at least two years of work "to make it a terrific golf course," Jackson said. Major renovations, including a redesign of some holes, will be put off until at least next year so the new owners can focus on deferred maintenance projects that resulted from winter damage, he said.
"I think there are some challenges right now for getting up and running next winter, mainly snowmaking," consulting engineer Walter Elander told the board. But Jackson assured board members the resort would be open for skiing next season.
Snowmaking engineers are scheduled to visit the ski area today to begin work on a multiphase master plan, Elander said, and lift engineers will visit the slopes next week.
Jackson told the board that RMR-Pacific has some of the best people in the country working on the project, including San Francisco design firm Hart/Howerton, which is working on a project with the company in Park City, Utah.
None of the company's three partners has ever run a ski resort before, but each has decades of experience with ski resort development and real estate, Jackson said.
The company has worked on expansion projects throughout Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, California and Utah, Jackson said. The Ragged Mountain expansion is more of a "boutique project" when compared with its previous endeavors in the Pacific Northwest, he added.
"We don't expect to make Ragged Mountain a Killington, but we think we can do a really superior ski experience to what's been done in the past," Jackson said.
Archaeologists, biologists and other land planners have already done a large amount of investigative work at the site, exploring habitat and cultural issues, Jackson said.
The company has begun a market research study to explore the feasibility of residential units on the mountain.
The study may not be completed for three or four more months, Jackson said.
The owners plan to make much of the resort energy efficient, which they already implemented at many of their projects in the Pacific Northwest, Jackson said. He said the company may seek certification from Audubon International to promote the natural habitat surrounding the resort.
"We need to set a good example, and it's good business," he said. "It's just what we do, and it's what everyone does in the West."
The planning board was in the process of reviewing expansion plans submitted by the previous owners, which would have included a hotel, slopeside condominiums and a water park. The old owners, Al and Walter Endriunas, had borrowed nearly $5 million from a private mortgage lender to begin expansion plans, but they defaulted on the loan and had to sell the resort to pay back their debt.
They narrowly avoided foreclosure and sold the resort to RMR-Pacific on May 4.
Planning Board Chairman Gary Donoghue said the board was waiting for the owners to set up a peer review of the plans before making a decision, but the review never happened.
Jackson said RMR-Pacific plans to pick up where the Endriunases left off and "work within the framework" of the previous plans.
It is in the process of drafting a formal request to begin the peer review and will revisit the board with firmer plans in the coming months, Jackson said.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Fischer
Blakeslee
(435) 647-0910 w
(410) 336-9981 m
mark.fischer@blakesleeadv.com
DATE: May 4, 2007
RELEASE: Immediate
RAGGED MOUNTAIN SOLD TO DEVELOPMENT TEAM
DANBURY, NH - RMR-Pacific, LLC, an affiliate of Utah resort developer Pacific Group, announced today that it had acquired the 1,650 acre Ragged Mountain Resort which includes a 200 acre ski area and an 18-hole golf course. A price was not disclosed by the privately held firm.
Pacific Group has resort development and construction experience throughout the United States and Canada. They have concentrated on upper-end property types ranging from country clubs to condominiums to western ranches, and have extensive mountain and waterfront resort experience.
Gerald Jackson, a partner in RMR-Pacific, noted, "We were drawn to this property as much for its sheer beauty as for its wonderful opportunities. It would be hard to imagine a better place to integrate a well planned resort community into the natural landscape."
The new owners have engaged Hart-Howerton, one of the premier resort land planners in the world, to evaluate the site and begin the master planning process. Dwight DeMay, a principal at Hart-Howerton remarked, "We see the best resort properties from throughout country, and Ragged Mountain is unquestionably a very impressive piece of land. The lots will be largely ski-in, ski-out and many of them will also be on the golf course with tremendous views."
Douglas Anderson, a partner in RMR-Pacific concluded, "We have a great deal of work to do, but we are excited about entering the New Hampshire market and the local community. Our objective is to make this property one of the premier resort destinations in New England."
Even with the picturesque setting, Jonathan Slager, an RMR-Pacific partner, indicated that there was a substantial amount of work that the new owners planned to put into their latest project. He announced that the golf course will receive upgrades and major improvements. "While we very much regret any inconvenience the course improvements may cause patrons here, we hope that they understand that we are very patient. Our focus is on the long-term, and we need to upgrade the golf course and ski area," stated Slager.
Slager also announced that the Proctor Academy high school prom would continue this weekend as originally scheduled. "With the ownership of the resort changing hands, and since the previous owners had taken a deposit for the event, it seemed like the right thing to do would be to put on the dance even though we had less than a week's notice that the event had been scheduled," noted Slager. He continued, "Since there was a little confusion during the brief transition, we thought we would give the kids a graduation present, so the entire prom will be free of charge to Proctor Academy."
Ragged Mountain is approximately a 90 minute drive from Boston and also serves the golf and skiing appetites of central New Hampshire including Concord and Manchester. The ski area has a 1,250 foot vertical drop with nine ski lifts servicing 50 trails.
