This page provides information about changes at the state-owned ski area at Mount Sunapee State Park: decisions made by the State, the transfer and sale of the operating lease, and public comment. You will find the most recent changes at the top of the page.
Sale of Mount Sunapee ski area lease and ski area operations to Vail Resorts, Sept. 2018
Vail acquired the lease from Och-Ziff and the ski area operations from Triple Peaks LLC (the parent company of Mount Sunapee Resort and a Mueller family entity).
State Documents
- DNCR Mt. Sunapee Lease Decision 2018Sept26
- DNCR – Vail Side Agreement 2018Sept26
- DNCR Request for Action to Governor and Executive Council: Proposed lease amendments (for Oct. 17, 2018 agenda, pdf 2.1MB)
Registry Filings (including the deed to the privately-held land associated with a West Bowl expansion)
- Lease Assignment Memo CLP MS to TSD Vail 2018Sept27
- MSR Warranty Deed CLP to TSD Vail 2018Sept27
- Deed SLH to TSD Vail Seven Tracts 2018Sept27
Press Release
Triple Peaks Closing via Vail Resorts.com 2018Sept27
DNCR Posted Documents
Sale of Mt. Sunapee ski area lease by CNL Lifestyle Properties to Och-Ziff, 2017
Okemo/Mount Sunapee Resort Revised Master Plan for 2016-2020
NH Parks post the following documents on the State website on March 17, 2016: https://www.nhstateparks.org/final-decision-on-the-mount-sunapee-resort-revised
- Commissioner Rose’s Final Decision on the Mt Sunapee Resort RMDP/EMP (2016-20)
- Commissioner Rose’s Statement to Executive Councilors 3/30/16
- Commissioner Rose’s Mount Sunapee MDP/EMP Decision Summary 3/30/16
Mount Sunapee Five-Year Revised Master Development Plan (RMDP) 2016-2020 and Environmental Management Plan (EMP), December 1, 2015
- Five-Year Revised Master Development Plan 2016-2020 (10.2 MB)
- Appendices (9 MB)
- Environmental Management Plan (3.3 MB)
Final Decision Resources
- Conditions Letter
- Mount Sunapee Lease Amendment
- Lease Amendment West Bowl Lands Exhibit A
- Lease Amendment Conservation Lands Exhibit B
- Public Comment Analysis & Response (PCAR) Update
- PCAR – Appendix A: Original report, April 2015
- PCAR – Appendix B: Public Comment Spreadsheet, March 2016
- PCAR – Appendix C: Petitions, March 2016
Additional information about the West Bowl expansion proposal presented by Okemo/Mount Sunapee Resort, 2014-2016
2014
Okemo/MSR releases the Master Development and Environmental Management Plans (MDP/EMP) for 2015-2019 (dated June 1, 2014). In August 2014, at a public meeting at Mount Sunapee State Park, the resort discuss few details.
In response, FOMS and other organizations address concerns in written comments to the Dept. of Resources and Economic Development (DRED):
- Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission: UVLSRPC Letter to DRED re Mount Sunapee 09.26.14
- Society for the Protection of NH Forests: SPNHF Letter to Commissioner Rose 9 22 14 and SPNHF Comments on Sunapee Development 8.26.2014
- Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition: SRKGC Comments 2014 to DRED on MDP-EDP
- Friends of Mount Sunapee: FOMS Letter to DRED re Mt Sunapee 09.26.14
View the Plan (for 2015-2019) submitted in 2014 to the State:
I. Master Development Plan (pdf 16MB)
II. Environmental Management Plan (pdf 11MB)
III. Appendices Document I and Document II (pdf 11MB and 20MB)
2015
Jan. 26, 2015, NH Natural Heritage Bureausends memo to Commissioner Rose. Subject: Addendum to 2004 report on Mt. Sunapee State Park (pdf)
DRED releases a revised map (dated Dec. 11, 2014) of the lease area at Mount Sunapee State Park (FOMS Feb. 2015 post)
April 17, 2015, DRED Commissioner Rose releases a draft decision and approval of the MDP/EMP (pdf). DRED opens a 50 day public comment period.
May 5, 2015, Citizens rise in strong opposition to resort expansion at Mt. Sunapee
Organizations respond to Commissioner Rose’s draft decision. Read the public comments from:
- Friends of Mount Sunapee re RSA 217-A; Exemplary Natural Communities 2015.06.01 (pdf 558kb)
- Friends of Mount Sunapee (re Summit Trail) 2015.06.05 (pdf 922kb)
- Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) – 2015.06.04 (530kb)
- Conservation Law Foundation – 2015.06.05 (pdf 1.5MB)
- Goshen Conservation Commission – 2015.06.02 (pdf 50kb)
- Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forest – 2015.06.05 (pdf 160kb)
- Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway Coalition – 2015.05.22 (pdf 150kb)
- The Nature Conservancy – 2015.06.05 (pdf 373kb)
- NH Audubon – 2015.06.03 (436kb)
- Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission – 2015.06.05 (pdf 290kb)
DRED releases draft map of West Bowl expansion lands at May 5, 2015, public hearing.
June 4, 2015, Citizens deliver petition with 1,900 signatures opposing the West Bowl development
2016
March 17, 2016, Commissioner Rose releases and announces his approval of a Revised 2016-2020 MDP/EMP (dated Dec. 1, 2015).
See DRED Commissioner releases Sunapee expansion plan – FOMS post with a listing of related docments
The commissioner seeks no public comment on the revised five-year plan and requests a quick vote on a lease amendment by the Executive Council.
March 23, 2016, Executive Counci wants more info on Mt. Sunapee expansion via InDepth NH
April 1, 2016, FOMS sends to State officials an analysis of the proposed Sunapee contracts before the Executive Council. See Sunapee-Contract-Analysis-April-1-2016-F (pdf 185kb)
April 6, 2016, Executive Council votes (3-1-1) to approve the contract amendment that allows the operator Okemo/MSR to expand into the West Bowl and extends the duration of the lease (held by CNL Lifestyle Properties).