WHITNEY ROYSTER Star-Tribune environmental reporter | Posted: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 12:00 am
Ever wanted to own a resort on national forest land? Now may be your chance, and it's a highest-bid-takes-all game.
Four resorts in the Big Horn Mountains will be on the auction block at the end of June, and only one has a "reserve" price that must be met in order for it to sell. Deer Haven, Meadowlark and the Big Horn Ski Resort will all be sold to the highest bidder in a sealed auction, and the Wilderness Ranch will have a reserve.
The resorts can be purchased together or individually.
The impending auction was announced this week, the same time Wyoming's Department of Environmental Quality cited owner Big Horn Mountain Resorts for wastewater violations at two of the resorts. Earlier this spring, employees videotaped sewage discharge into Ten Sleep Creek.
According to current owner of the resorts, the sale is being offered because of the need for money for other businesses. The auction-style sale gives a "time definite" when the properties will be sold, Big Horn Mountain Resorts representatives said via e-mail.
But the highest bidder will have to be approved by the U.S. Forest Service in order to take over the businesses.
Bill Bass, supervisor of the Bighorn National Forest, said agency policy dictates a new owner has to operate within forest permit regulations. Under those regulations, a new buyer has to show the Forest Service it has the business and technical capability to operate on Forest Service lands.
If the auction goes through and the highest bidder is not approved by the agency, any activity on the resorts would be considered trespassing, Bass said.
He said the Forest Service would have to approve successful bidders before any closing on the property occurs. Bass also said it would behoove the current owners to meet with the Forest Service with any prospective bidders before the auction.
Big Horn Resorts representatives agreed that the Forest Service approves resort owners on the forest land, but said "all of the Big Horn Mountain Resorts are not actually on national forest."
According to Bighorn National Forest officials, three of the resorts operate on forest lands with a permit, and Wilderness Ranch is private property.
In April, the Deer Haven and Meadowlark resorts were shut down after investigators found raw sewage had leaked from the two operations. DEQ officials say there have been problems at those sites for several years.
Brian Lovett, inspection and compliance officer for DEQ, said penalties for the resorts' violations will include a fine, and the owner will have to clean up the problem.
Lovett said resort owners have complied with several requirements already imposed by DEQ, and they have permission to operate for the summer season, which opens this weekend. Part of the discharge involved problems with freezing equipment, which won't be a problem in summer.
Bass said only Meadowlark will open this weekend, as there is still "too much uncertainty" around the sewer system at Deer Haven. An on-site inspection of Meadowlark is slated Thursday.
The June auction is being administered by Sheldon Good and Co., a Denver-based auction house. Bids are due June 26. The seller is offering financing to the winning bidder or bidders.
Environmental reporter Whitney Royster can be reached at (307) 734-0260 or at royster@tribcsp.com.
* Last we knew: Two resorts in the Bighorn National Forest had problems with sewage discharge into Ten Sleep Creek.
* The latest: The owner of those resorts and two others has decided to put all of them on the auction block in June.
* What's next: Successful bidders may inherit some permit problems, and will have to be approved by the U.S. Forest Service.]]>