The Mount Baldy Ski Resort is looking to ramp up for a new season under a new name and ownership.
G. Powroznik Group Inc., of G-Force Group, the Supreme Court appointed receiver-manager of the ski area announced Monday, June 27, that the resort has been sold and will do business as “Baldy Mountain Resort, to reflect the four-season nature of its new operations,” G-Force Group said in a press release.
The managing director taking over is Joe O’Brien, former CEO at Fortress Mountain in Alberta from 2008 to 2014 who also owned Ski Mattock in Nova Scotia for 24 years until 2003.
G-Force said they have been working with the purchaser since early January this year and teamed up with O’Brien, one of the first to respond to the public call for buyers in July 2014.
The purchaser completed a benefits agreement with the Osooyoos Indian Band in May and was awaiting the last major condition to be met prior to the court hearing the application for approval of sale, the approval from British Columbia Mountain Resorts Branch to assign the development agreement to the purchaser. The approval was received June 23.
G-Force said in the press release they have received most of Mt. Baldy’s assets from the former operators, the Baldy Capital Corporation and resort operator in the 2014-15 season Fred Johnston, save for one computer containing the prior years’ season pass holder information, which is still being sought.
“We are very pleased to have found a purchaser with the financial and operation capability to restart the ski operation and lay a solid foundation for a sustainable resort for the community,” said Gary Powroznik, managing director of G-Force Group, in a press release. “A lot of hard work and support has been received in preserving the potential going-concern gem in Mount Baldy and attracting the purchaser including from the OIB, Resorts Branch, local residents and organizations, Mount Baldy skiers and former owners and employees, particularly the former manager Matt Koenig.”
The purchase is planned to be completed “as quickly as possible” to get pre-season activities underway before the 2016-17 ski season.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of this project and can’t wait to help Baldy Mountain Resort achieve its potential,” O’Brien said.
The resort is located in the South Okanagan, just north of the Canada/U.S. border and east of Osoyoos and Oliver.