Haystack Mountain Ski Area
[1] The Tage lift, a Skytrac quad, on the north side of the ski area, brings skiers from the Hermitage Inn to the upper mountain.
Members have access to an 80,000-ft2 clubhouse with a bar, restaurant, game room, bowling alley, and movie theatre.
[9] The Stack was, “designed in the jet-set style of the day, with an elaborate ski shop, cafeteria, dining room, cocktail lounge and a wine and cheese shop.” The ski area's president, Herbert Hart, was quoted as saying, “All the brains of the area were pooled to come up with an answer on how they could have a wine shop and bar under the same roof.
The wine is consumed on the premises.”[10] The upper mountain had a 2,700 foot double chairlift which took skiers halfway to the summit.
[11] Jack Manton was the general manager, and Bruce Gavett was in charge of the ski school with Bob McCafferty as his assistant.
[14] In May 1966, E. H. Lord-Wood Associates of Hartford, CT presented the master plan design and rendering for the ski area at a local town meeting.
The Brattleboro Reformer described the plan as, “encompassing the entire Haystack development in a central village, includes a hotel, theater, shops, lodges, motels, clubs and various year round recreational facilities.
Manton returned to his real estate business in New Jersey but continued in his role as vice president and development manager of Haystack[16] Before the 1966 ski season opened, an 1,800 foot transfer lift was added to transport skiers from the lodge to lifts at the base of the upper mountain.
[21] In 1971, Palumbo resigned as Haystack GM to work full time for Mueller Skilift Corp.
[21] In the late 60s, Vermont started paying closer attention to the rapid expansion of land use in the state.
While many lots had been sold, both Haystack and the Chimney Hill developments' sewers and water lines had not yet been completed.
Don Tarinelli was the former president of the Stratton Mountain Ski Area and had retired to nearby Jamaica, VT.
The Haystack Group also started a new condominium community near Chimney Hill called Spyglass Village.
On October 21, 1993, the judge dismissed Haystack's bankruptcy case citing incomplete financial disclosures as evidence that the assets should not continue to be run under current management.
The American Skiing Company (ASC) would soon hit financial troubles, resulting in the scaling back of operations at Haystack.
On June 27, 2005, a group of investors led by Robert Foisie, purchased the Haystack Ski Area from ASC for $5 million.
Foisie planned to develop a private member-only resort that included ski, golf, and other amenities.
[37][38] Foisie planned to invest $450 million into the resort, adding full snowmaking capabilities, new lifts, and ample real estate offerings.
In September 2007, the group applied for an Act 250 master plan permit, which could give potential partners additional detail on the vision.
[44] Barnes expanded the amenities provide by the ski area: The TV show, The Bachelor, filmed four episodes at the Club that were aired during the 2018 Winter Olympics.
In February 2018, Berkshire Bank initiated bankruptcy proceedings as Barnes failed to meet his obligation to make payments on three loans.
[51] Civil lawsuits followed, include one accusing Barnes of fraud and seeking to recoup more than $2 million for townhouses that were never built.
The member group outmatched multiple competing bids including those from a real estate development firm headquartered in California and a Michigan-based ski resort operator.
[54] The member owners formed a non-profit owning entity, Hermitage Members Group (HMG), which describes itself as "a member-owned entity established to own and operate the Hermitage Club as a private, four-season, family-friendly ski resort on Haystack Mountain.
