FPS staff report
July 27, 2010
The future of Atwood Lodge remained in limbo following a meeting of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District Board of Directors (MWCD) Friday.
By a 3-2 vote, the board turned down two proposals that would have averted a closing date of Oct. 4 for the lodge set earlier this year by the MWCD board.
During the meeting, held at Atwood Resort, the board went into executive session to discuss the possible sale or lease of property. Upon returning to regular session, the board voted not to accept an exclusive agreement for the sale or lease of identified properties at Atwood Lodge (the lodge and land that is located on the south side of SR 542) by the firm that has been working to redevelop and reposition the facility.
At the May meeting, the MWCD board approved a memorandum of understanding with the firm, known as Resorts and Clubs Inc. of Michigan. Jack Meeske is president of the company. Meeske formed a group known as The Resorts Experience Company-Atwood LLC (TREC-Atwood) specifically to redevelop the Atwood property. That group is the one that made the proposal at the Friday meeting.
A second proposal for the MWCD to enter into negotiations for the sale of Atwood Lodge and properties south of SR 542 to TREC-Atwood at a cost of $2.5 million or the amount of the debt on the property was also voted down 3-2.
Board President Harry Horstman of Scio (Harrison County) and David Parham, who is a cottage site leasee and lives in Carroll County, voted yes on both motions. Members William Boyle, a MWCD leasee at Charles Mill Lake (Richland County), Steve Kokovich of Muskingum County and Richard Pryce of Stark County voted “no” on both proposals.
The scheduled another meeting for this Thursday (July 29) at 9 a.m. in New Philadelphia City Council Chambers for further discussions relative to Atwood Lodge.
MWCD Public Affairs Administrator Darrin Lautenschleger noted the agreement signed with Resorts and Clubs in May remains in effect. TREC-Atwood is seeking partners to participate in the development of a multi-facted plan for the operation of the lodge and other businesses and destinations in the Atwood region.
Meeske has led efforts to improve the performance of resorts and clubs, including Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, Quail Hollow Resort in northern Ohio, Shaty Creek Resorts in Michigan and Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Texas, along with many others.
At the time the memorandum of understanding was signed, Meeske said he planned to assemble partners with expertise in many hospitality and tourism fields such as golf course management, hotel and resort management, residential and vacation home development, wellness, motor coach park and air park development and was excited about adding an educational component at the lodge.
When the MWCD board voted earlier this year to close the lodge in October, they cited increasing deficits that reached the $1million mark in 2009 as the reason for their action. Carroll County officials have been working with the MWCD board to find a solution and keep the resort open. |
