Telemark owners update

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

"Telemark Resort Sale moves one step closer." Membership meeting scheduled for March 6.

I hope they do something, I was talking to someone in Mexico last week that lives less than an hour away for the resort. They had nothing but nice things to say about the place.

[kcirbodmot Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcirbodmot]

Cable Town Board hears developers’ plans for Telemark

From the Sawyer County Record
Sawyer County Record - Hayward, WI > Archives > News > Cable Town Board hears developers? plans for Telemark

Cable Town Board hears developers’ plans for Telemark
by Terrell Boettcher
News Editor
Published: Friday, February 19, 2010 12:09 PM CST
Telemark Partners LLC presented their plans for redeveloping Telemark Resort as a major recreation, Olympic training and education center to the Town of Cable Board on Feb. 10.

Ric Ahern of Lakeville, Minn., the operational principal for Telemark Partners LLC, said they started working last June on “the positive aspects of Telemark” what can we do to revive it economically and make it self-sustaining.

“The Telemark brand name is known world-wide,” he added. “People come here for the recreation.”
Ahern said Telemark Partners has an accepted purchase agreement with the current property owners, the Telemark Interval Owners Association (TIOA). The TIOA membership is scheduled to vote on the sale March 6.

A financial closing is scheduled for March 8. Permits, lodge updates, building and development would begin thereafter. Training programs with CXC and their Olympic Training Center would start the last week of April.

Ahern added that “A March 31, 2010 closure of the Hotel & Lodge by TIOA is scheduled.”

A purchase contingency of the agreement requires that suitable town board and county board comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance/overlay district amendments be put in place to protect key Telemark existing and future entitlements, Ahern said. “These government approvals will form the basis for renewed energy, creativity and the finalizing of the significant long-term investment.”

The town board has scheduled a public hearing at 7 p.m. next Monday to get input on 12 resolutions proposed by Telemark Partners LLC that involve revisions to comprehensive plans and zoning.

Ahern said a “conditional financial commitment has been secured” and “It is the intention of our group to invest over $20 million in the upgrading of facilities and additions.” The plans include:

• The current lodge facilities are in need of $5 million to $6 million in immediate renovations in order to be financially viable and competitive in the upper Midwest resort and convention market. “We will renovate and modernize the current lodge facility. This includes the installation of an alternative energy production facility, renovating the building to a higher energy efficiency standard, and an upgrade of the mechanical systems to the higher energy standards. By renovating the current lodge facility to high energy standards the current energy consumption can be reduced by 50 percent or more, Ahern said.

• A new base lodge will be built at a cost of more than $5 million. The facility will include equipment sales, an International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) ride center, food services, a competition training center, guest and ownership marketing area and offices, with condominium residences above.

The competition center will be patterned after the Center for Excellence in Park City, Utah, and will focus initially on Nordic, mountain biking, snow boarding and adaptive athlete conditioning. The training center will be open to residents, guests and community members to use.

Ahern estimated there are 100 kilometers of trails on the Telemark property. They connect to other trails surrounding the resort, including skiing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, ATV riding and horseback riding. There is also trout fishing opportunity nearby.

• “We will restore a portion of the Alpine downhill ski area back into operation and reposition its focus as a snowboard center,” Ahern said. “Limited downhill skiing will be available. New snow-making equipment, lift equipment and lighting for night skiing will involve a budget exceeding $2,400,000.”

• A paved cross-country trail portion will be added to enable spring/summer/fall roller ski conditioning on some of Telemark’s most challenging Nordic trail topography. The partners will “Master Plan” the property for recreation and future land development which will include the development of lifecycle/senior housing, a variety of resort quarters and residential dwelling types, mixed-use commercial, hospitality, and retail sites. “Green” construction techniques will seek out local material suppliers and tradespeople.

Nonprofits

Ahern said the partners have established strategic partnerships with six non-profit groups to enhance the programming of the resort facility. These groups include Central Cross-Country Ski Association (CXC), which is planning to develop an adaptive sports training center modeled after the Park City Utah program, as well as a school for athletes, including an in-residence team of world class coaches and some Olympic medalists.

“CXC’s programming will bring an estimated 40,000 participants to its camps and training programs annually. CXC has been awarded a “Community Development Training Program” contract with the U.S. Olympic Committee, and will operate as an official “Olympic Training Center” at Telemark Resort,” Ahern said.

• Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association, (CAMBA), which operates the system of off-road bike trails in the Midwest, located in and around the Chequamegon National Forest. The Telemark Ride Center will couple extensive trail networks, masterfully designed for mountain bikers of every skill level and built by professional trail builders, Ahern said.

The center will serve as social and educational hub, where visitors can connect and learn new riding techniques. The center “will provide the full range of mountain biking experiences today’s riders crave, from long single-track journeys to family-friendly loops and areas with expertly designed technical challenges.

• The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) will re-establish an office at Telemark, and will create the Birkebeiner Museum at the Telemark Resort Lodge.

• Telemark Educational Foundation, Inc. (TEFI) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that partners with organizations, businesses, and individuals to bring educational programs to the area.

• Philadelphia Community Farm, a non-profit education and conservation organization with 30 years’ experience, located on the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway near Osceola. They will assist in developing a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) organic farming program for Telemark and the Cable area.

“The above partnerships will provide an expanded base of programming for the Telemark Resort Facility,” Ahern said. “A feasibility plan will be assembled to quantify the expected increase in occupancy and cash flows. These will enable pursuit of supporting grants that have been indicated as being available from meetings with the governor and Wisconsin secretary of commerce, other area community development fund/grant sources, as well as energy companies.”

Training center

Ahern said the overall intent is to position Telemark as an Olympic-level training area for multiple sports in partnership with CXC Skiing and outdoor education. As young people and world class athletes come to the Cable area for training and skills enhancement, they will return with their families to further experience and recreate in the area.

As the above skills programming is developed, the opportunity to build a modern resort facility and recreational housing will also grow. Commercial and residential sites will be developed and built in the spirit of an “Olympic Village.”

Conservation themed/oriented guest quarters and ownership dwellings will be available in Village settings and wooded enclave and retreat locations. Senior retirement residences will be created in order to provide affordable housing for the senior resident whom we expect will supplement the work force needed for the resort, Ahern and Putman added. Work force dwellings will also be present.

The trail systems will be protected with permanent conservation easements, and many professional full- and part-time jobs will be created.

Telemark’s primary marketing partnership with CXC will be supported both financially and with facilities; the “Community Olympic Training Center Program ” and “Adaptive Training Center” of CXC Skiing.

Telemark will support all of its not-for-profit partnerships by means of the “Telemark Foundation,” which will be funded through self-imposed, repeating real estate sales fees and association dues, Ahern added.

The future resort, residential and commercial development will concentrate on hospitality and mixed-use retail sites, in addition to multiple- and single-family residences built to high energy efficiency standards extending to the most strict criteria of the “Passive House Standard.” Central heating and renewable energy sources will supply utilities for dwellings when possible. Community Supported Agriculture will provide organic food for the restaurants, area residents and visitors to the community.

Ahern said the town and county governments’ proactive steps are needed to secure investment values by participating in the creation of the “Telemark Environs District.” This Overlay District can merge updated zoning, master plan approval criteria and procedures for the duration of the long term loans. These will assure quality planning, design and construction, enabling a cared for natural environment, he said.

The “town and county entitlement restorations will be basic to future Cable area Telemark sustainability,” Ahern said. “Citizens concerned with conservation, balanced with future tax base, tax levels, residence values, businesses and jobs, can recall that Telemark was once North Wisconsin’s largest employer.”

If the lodge closes on March 31 as scheduled, “Significant losses will result from canceled reservations, sending CXC program expansions to other venues,” the Telemark Partners said. “This will also lose a 2011 large event booking for a significant international sports event. The owner of Central Cross Country Skiing observed recently that ‘holding such an event could open the way to many more world-class sports events.’

“All of the above can lead the way to a reborn Telemark Resort and Cable area vitality,” Ahern added.

Town Planning Commission representative Susan Benson said the commission at this point is recommending that the town board pass several of the proposed resolutions. They include deleting the prohibition of development on slopes 18 percent or greater; making county and town plans consistent; and having allowable dwelling densities in place for Telemark developments over the next 30 years.

Bayfield County Zoning Administrator Karl Kastrosky said the 18 percent slope requirement already has been deleted. He said the requested rezoning process at the county level would take at last six to 12 months.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Wow there is a lot going on that I had no idea was. I hope that Marge will add to this.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Owners announce Telemark Resort will close May 5. Sale remains pending...

Owners announce Telemark Resort will close May 5. Sale remains pending - JSOnline

This article is a little unclear, but my understanding is that the timeshare owners are only being impacted by the loss of some of the shared amenities (such as the indoor pool and etc).

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Owners announce Telemark Resort will close May 5. Sale remains pending - JSOnline

This article is a little unclear, but my understanding is that the timeshare owners are only being impacted by the loss of some of the shared amenities (such as the indoor pool and etc).

That was what was said in the owners letter. Right now I have a $1400 MF bill due and I am not sure I am going to pay it

[ronandjoan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ronandjoan]

Telemark Lodge has closed but timeshahres are still open

This is our favorite timeshare, so very difficult to see this happen. We are schedueld for a month out at the POinte starting tomorrow (but since my DH is in hospital here in IL , (while we were staying at Fox River Resort, we'll be late!

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Telemark still closed, but new President of the owners assoc. is optimistic!

Telemark official optimistic about resort's future

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I spoke to either the old or the new President about a month ago. I am in the process of ending my ownership there. The MF are to high and with the loss in trading power and the amount of Timeshares I own, I could not justify remaining an owner there.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I spoke to either the old or the new President about a month ago. I am in the process of ending my ownership there. The MF are to high and with the loss in trading power and the amount of Timeshares I own, I could not justify remaining an owner there.

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

Interesting Frank, interesting.

[hofftkmn Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hofftkmn]

I spoke to either the old or the new President about a month ago. I am in the process of ending my ownership there. The MF are to high and with the loss in trading power and the amount of Timeshares I own, I could not justify remaining an owner there.

Actually, it's not a bad deal owning at Telemark. The maintenance fees have dropped each of the last two years. In 2011, you can also get an extra week for a mere $150 which doubles the fun for a very low fee! Can't beat a deal like that!

While the lodge is hopefully only temporarily closed, this should not affect trading power significantly. The condo units are still the same and well-maintained. I may drop ownership in some of my others, but am keeping Telemark.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Actually, it's not a bad deal owning at Telemark. The maintenance fees have dropped each of the last two years. In 2011, you can also get an extra week for a mere $150 which doubles the fun for a very low fee! Can't beat a deal like that!

While the lodge is hopefully only temporarily closed, this should not affect trading power significantly. The condo units are still the same and well-maintained. I may drop ownership in some of my others, but am keeping Telemark.

I am no longer an owner but since I saw my trading power drop I felt it was not worth owning. I had the first and 2nd highest MF units. When it got to about $1900 total I felt I could have gone to any hotel with out have to use RCI. Even now that it has droped to about $1300. I still can not see the value. If it were under $700 then yes but when you are paying what we were paying then just book a hotel some place else