Belleayre Coalition Endorses ORDA

Move
Sees economic benefit for entire region
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.