Spring 2017 Update

Dear Friend of Mount Sunapee State Park,

Thank you for your continuing support of the efforts of Friends of Mount Sunapee. Your letter writing, petition signing, activism, and financial support have allowed us to repeatedly communicate to the decision makers in Concord our strong opposition to ski area expansion at Mount Sunapee State Park.We could not have done it without you!

Despite our efforts, the Executive Council, in April 2016, approved a lease amendment and letter of conditions that enable resort and private real estate development on Mount Sunapee’s western slope.

Yet to be implemented, this plan (for developing a “West Bowl”) failed to detail its scale and scope, impacts and sustainability.

Commercial development, driven by powerful corporate interests, increasingly threatens public lands. At Mount Sunapee State Park, we must strongly resist the exploitation of our parkland for private financial gain. Additionally, leaseholders at our state parks must demonstrate sound financial management and ethical practices that inspire public confidence and trust.

Latest Update: Sunapee lease transfer

FOMS is now asking Commissioner Rose (Dept. of Resources and Economic Development) to deny the lease assignment of the ski area (at Mount Sunapee) from CNL Lifestyle Properties to Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC, a New York hedge fund.

In September 2016, the U.S. Dept. of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sanctioned Och-Ziff under the provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, resulting in civil and criminal fines totaling $412 million. Furthermore, recent news reports question Och-Ziff’s financial stability. A February 2017 Bloomberg article reported: “Och-Ziff Suffered $13 Billion in Withdrawals as Clients Fled.”

See more about Och-Ziff.

[Please check back. FOMS is in process of updating its website. Thank you for your patience.]