The Telemark Lodge and Resort in Cable, the starting point of the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race, was sold today to a Colorado company at a sheriff’s foreclosure auction.
Details about the new owner are few but some of the major players are very optimistic about Telemark’s future.
This we do know: The lodge was sold for $926,000 to Newco, LLC. What we don’t know is what Newco will do with the 1,000-acre-resort that’s been closed since March.
Cable Chamber of Commerce director Jim Bolen is a bit nervous, saying there’s a lot riding on this 1970’s vintage resort.
“The lodge has 215 rooms, which represents a significant potential impact to our economy,” says Bolen. “If those rooms are open and available for guests to stay in, there's a lot more people in the area driving the economy. If they're not, then that's a bad thing.”
He says meetings are set with the new ownership this week. Out of that, an announcement may come about re-opening the lodge in time for the American Birkebeiner ski race in February and resuming plans to establish a U.S. Olympic snowboarding training facility.
Mortgage holder Dick Short believes the new owner has deep pockets that would restore Telemark to its past glory.
“I think that Telemark is going to be in very, very good hands,” says Short. “There are just too many people saying good things about everything.”
Short also believes Telemark will be re-opened by February. The Bayfield County judge overseeing the case still must approve the sale this week.
