Killington moves to buy land for event tent
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Killington took a step toward buying the Fireside Lodge property at 1128 Killington Road. The town hopes to use the land for an entertainment venue. Vyto Starinskas / Rutland Herald |
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By Cristina Kumka Staff Writer - Published: October 1, 2009
Killington town officials paid $25,000 to the owner of the Fireside Lodge property at 1128 Killington Road late last month to keep the estate off the market, in hopes of gaining taxpayer approval to purchase the land in March.
If taxpayers at town meeting approve an estimated $1.1 million to $1.3 million municipal bond to buy the 37-plus-acre property, Killington officials say they will use the site to host events generated by the town's Economic Development and Tourism department.
"There's no plan to build brick-and-mortar," said Jim Blackman, head of the town's Select Board, on Sept. 22. "They (the EDT) are looking at a tent environment."
According to town officials, the money to pay off the annual debt service on the bond will come from the department's $644,000 budget, funded almost entirely with local option tax revenues from tourism — an additional 1 percent tax on meals, rooms and entertainment approved by Killington voters last year.
"The town is going to be getting more revenue than anticipated," Select Board member Mike Miller said of local option tax monies in a recent interview.
"(Chris) Nyberg (president of Killington Resort) wants to go back to increasing volume in the ski area," he said. "We don't see it as an incredible risk because we think the EDT funds are there."
According to Miller, "not one cent is going to come out of taxpayers' pockets."
The bond will go toward the $850,000 land purchase and an additional $250,000 to $400,000 in site work and improvements to be invested into the property before a tented structure is put up and events are held, Miller said.
Water, sewer and maintenance costs will become the town's responsibility and the land will come off the tax roll, town officials said.
Taxes paid this year on the Fireside property, owned by Teressa Giguere Perry of Vail Colo., amount to roughly $16,000, according to town records.
Located across the street from the Grist Mill Restaurant, the Fireside property is assessed by the town at more than $1.4 million, including land, the Fireside lodge and three cabins, according to town lister J. Patrick Whelan.
For four months in 2008, the property was listed on the market for $2.95 million, said Bret Williamson, a Realtor with Killington Valley Real Estate.
But according to Blackman, the land won't lay dormant if it becomes municipal property.
"It's not a complete black hole," he said.
Blackman, along with other town officials, said the land will be revenue-producing, allowing the town's events producer Dariece Kirby-Kline to better market it to big-name clients and sponsors seeking to host corporate events or community gatherings, like the anticipated revival of the Stage Race or other outdoor activities.
"Dariece needs a place to attract more visitors … a place to put up tents and bid on events coming to town," Miller said. "We have no control over our destiny."
For more information on the land purchase proposal, go to www.killingtontown.com.
cristina.kumka@rutlandherald.com
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