New Projects Across the NEK

Details: Created on Thursday, 27 September 2012 15:43; Written by Catherine Vitale

gov. at jay announcement NORTHEAST KINGDOM- Burke Mountain will be seeing some major changes following today's big announcement.

Bill Stenger, President of Jay Peak announced over one million dollars in snowmaking upgrades for Burke in preparation for the upcoming season. He also announced a plan to put four new hotels on Burke Mountain within the next three years.

Surrounded by Governor Peter Shumlin, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Senator Bernie Sanders, among a large group of people, Jay Peak President Bill Stenger outlined big plans for Burke. The first big plan is over one million dollars in snowmaking upgrades. According to Stenger, "these new snowmaking machines will give Burke Mountain their best ski season yet."

Jay Peak just recently acquired Burke Mountain, and their big plans do not stop at snowmaking. Stenger also announced that a 108 million dollar investment (that figure includes snowmaking upgrades) will be made in Burke Mountain; that investment comes in the form of lodging on the mountain. Four new lodge style accomodations will be built in various areas on the mountain. Stenger said the four buildings will be "rustic, beautiful lodges that hold up to 1,250 people." The buildings will be modeled after the Tram Haus Lodge at Jay Peak, the style of the Tram Haus Lodge has a slopside cabin feel that blends with the atmopshere of the mountain. According to the press release two of these buildings will be located just below the mid-Burke detachable quad, a third will be built at the current site of the Mid-Burke Lodge, and the fourth is planned to sit at the base area near the Tamarack Grill. It is anticipated that the work will start in 2013, with a proposed completion by 2015.

Jay Peak has dealt with some controversy regarding their participation in the state's EB-5 program, a program that sets aside green cards for qualified foreign investors who invest money in approved EB-5 projects. Senator Patrick Leahy spoke up about the EB-5 program at the press conference saying, it's shown it works, "proof is in the pudding". Leahy also said the EB-5 program "hasn't cost the taxpayers a single penny."

Senator Bernie Sanders also spoke on the EB-5 program via his Twitter page, where he tweeted that he was delighted his bill to renew EB-5 reached the President's desk just in time for today's announcements.

A project for Newport, VT was also announced today. The project includes an ANC Bio Center, and a hotel and conference center. Newport Airport will also be getting upgrade, those upgrades will call for the creation of about 200 jobs there.

The total of all of these NEK projects is around 500 million dollars, and the projects are expected to bring a total of about 5,000 jobs to the area.

Senator Sanders spoke about the projects saying, "What you are seeing today is the coming together of private sector, federal, state, and local government to improve Vermont's economy."

Representative Peter Welch was also in attendance. He made a statement about the projects and the future of the state.

"Today is the beginning of more to come," he said.

Those in attendance at the conference will be visiting Newport before making their way to Burke Mountain at 3 p.m.