In his proposal for the 2012 - 2013 New York State budget, released today, Governor Andrew Cuomo made it clear that he would like to transfer the management of Belleayre Mountain Ski Center to the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) at the close of the current ski season.
This is a preliminary budget proposal, so the transfer will not happen until the budget is finalized. But it's a big indication that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's days in the ski business may be numbered.
For a rundown of the pros and cons of a Belleayre DEC-to-ORDA transfer, see our story from last June.
Here's the news, announced on pages 14 and 32 of the budget briefing book issued today:
p. 14: • Transfer the management of Belleayre Ski Center from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). Given ORDA’s expertise managing other ski centers (Gore and Whiteface) Belleayre will see improved operations.
p: 32 • Belleayre Mountain Ski Center Joining with ORDA. The Budget authorizes the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) to enter into an agreement to transfer the operations of the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center to ORDA at the close of the 2011-12 ski season. ORDA will allow for more efficient management of Belleayre operations utilizing their expertise in the ski industry.
You can read the entire Budget Briefing Book below:
