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Australian developer to buy Saddleback

6 mins read
The base lodge at Saddleback Maine
The base lodge at Saddleback Maine

RANGELEY – An Australian company will purchase Saddleback Mountain, it was announced today at a press conference held at the resort’s lodge.

The company, Majella Group, is owned by Australian businessman Sebastian Monsour and is headquartered in Brisbane. The company has offices in several countries across the world, including Portland, and is a Maine-registered limited liability corporation. Internationally, Majella Group is involved in a wide range of business interests, including property development, engineering and technology, consulting and capital.

The mountain’s current owners, the Berry family, and the Majella Group have been in negotiations for nearly a year. Majella Group has signed an asset purchase agreement and has an agreement in place to assume control of operations, including hiring and replacing lifts. The sale is expected be completed later this summer and include all of the mountain’s assets: the resort, lodge, lifts and surrounding 6,337 acres of land.

Majella Group has announced that it intends to replace two lifts: the Double Chair and the Cupsuptic T-Bar, and has employed the company Doppelmayr to begin that process.

Saddleback Mountain failed to open for the 2015-16 ski season after owners announced an inability to secure $3 million in financing to purchase a new four-person chairlift. The Berry family has owned the resort since 2004, investing more than $40 million in infrastructure improvements and employing approximately 300 people during the resort’s peak winter season.

The chair lift would be replaced with a TRISTAR Fixed Grip Quad Chair Lift that can transport 1,500 skiers per hour, while the t-bar would be replaced with a wind resistance model capable of transporting 1,200 skiers per hour. Majella says that the new lifts are designed to withstand windy conditions; for example, the new quad would be heavier, positioned lower to the ground and run counterclockwise.

“Replacing the Rangeley Chair and T-Bar are at the top of our list,” Majella Group Chief Executive Officer Sebastian Monsour said in a statement released Wednesday, “and from Mother Nature’s perspective, we are already up against the clock.”

Whether or not the mountain opens this year has yet to be determined, although the company said that it recognized that the upcoming ski season is a top priority for the region.

“Our commitment is not to over promise, but to move expeditiously and communicate transparently. We have much work to do. Please know, as soon as our team believes we can deliver a skiing experience that is consistent with our values and meets the needs of our skiing community, we will announce our plans for re-opening.” Monsour said.

The mountain’s management team would include Jim Quimby, Greg Andrews and Perry Williams along with the CEO of Majella’s Western Region and former Portland Fire Chief Fred LaMontagne, who will serve as the mountain’s CEO. The former Saddleback General Manager, Chris Farmer, will be working with the Berry family on the transition.

“Saddleback is a fantastic place,” Bill Berry said in a prepared statement. “I have skied there since 1971. Hearing that Saddleback was closing in 2003, my family purchased and upgraded the mountain to the best of our ability. We had a vision we pursued for 12 years. For the past two years, the family has been looking to turn the mountain over to a group that we thought could accomplish what we couldn’t. We trust the Majella Group will do that.”

Majella Group intends to develop the mountain as a four-season resort. Long term plans include lodging, dining and guest services.

The region’s Congressional Delegation lauded the move, with representatives attending the press conference conveying their support.

“Saddleback has drawn skiers and other outdoor recreationalists to the Rangeley Lakes region for decades and has long been a catalyst of economic growth in the community,” said Senator Susan Collins, in a prepared statement. “I am thrilled that this deal will allow the resort to resume operations, helping to create jobs for local residents, provide new recreational opportunities for visitors, and ensure a bright future for Western Maine.”

Sen. Angus King and Rep. Bruce Poliquin concurred, with the senator commending the Majella Group for its “vision for Saddleback and commitment to the state.” Poliquin said that he had “no doubt” that the collaboration of the Majella Group, Rangeley and local citizens and business owners would provide “valuable economic growth and rejuvenation for the area.”

The Saddleback Mountain Foundation, a nonprofit organization supported by a number of local stakeholders, had been attempting to buy the mountain through a combination of membership sales and donations. Wolfe Tone, the acting executive director of the SMF, issued a brief statement Wednesday that applauded the effort of the Majella Group and the Berry family.

“We wish them the best for this vibrant mountain and are excited for the lifts to be spinning again,” Tone said.

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5 Comments

  1. This seems like a win-win for Rangeley and all of Franklin County. Also, thank you to the Berry family for your commitment to Saddleback and the region during your years of ownership.

  2. I’m so excited to get back to Saddleback – the best mountain in Maine! I hope they keep prices affordable for locals!!!

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