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Garrett County officials detailing takeover of flailing whitewater course in western Md.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: March 27, 2012 – 3:16 am
Last Updated: March 27, 2012 – 3:16 am

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Garrett County officials are publicly revealing details of their planned takeover of a manmade whitewater course in western Maryland near McHenry.

The county commissioners have scheduled a news conference Tuesday morning in Oakland.

The county said last week it will take over the recreational and training site from Adventure Sports Center International.

The nonprofit group opened the publicly funded course in 2007. It has defaulted on more than $3 million in bank loans to cover construction cost overruns.

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Garrett County to take over manmade whitewater course

Deal will not affect 2014 ICF championship

Associated Press

HAGERSTOWN — Garrett County will assume ownership of a manmade whitewater course near McHenry after the nonprofit developer of the Western Maryland tourism and training site defaulted on more than $3 million in bank loans, county officials and the development group said Wednesday.

The deal won’t affect the International Canoe Federation’s plans to hold its 2014 world whitewater paddling championships at the 5-year-old mountaintop course, said Duane Yoder, board chairman of Adventure Sports Center International, the nonprofit developer.

Yoder and Garrett County Administrator G. Lamont Pagenhardt said the county won’t be liable for the center’s bank debt.

County officials will announce details of the transaction Tuesday, Pagenhardt said.

Yoder said the deal will sustain the publicly-funded enterprise.

“I think it’s a pretty successful outcome in terms of keeping what we have out here, keeping the whole outdoor-recreation brand alive in the county,” Yoder said.

The center’s executive director, two-time Olympian Matt Taylor, said he’s leaving to become executive director of the Westwind Stewardship Group in Otis, Ore. Westwind owns 529 acres of mostly undeveloped coastal land used for outdoor education activities.

Yoder said Taylor’s departure wasn’t due to Adventure Sports’ financial problems.

Taylor said the Adventure Sports complex, which also includes 550 wooded acres, remains a relevant and exciting part of the Deep Creek Lake resort area.

“The ultimate long-term sustainability of any nonprofit or public entity can be a challenge because of the economy,” Taylor said.

The $17.7 million project was built with $6.1 million from the county, $5.8 million from the state and $2.6 million in federal funds. The 1,700-foot, recirculating whitewater course is used by both raft-riding tourists and world-class athletes.

Unexpected construction costs led the center to borrow $3.2 million from Susquehanna Bank and First United Bank & Trust. The center defaulted on the loans after D.C. Development LLC, the struggling owner of the nearby Wisp ski resort, stopped making $180,000 annual payments to the center for marketing services.

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Garrett officials to address Adventure Sports Center takeover

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Operations and management of the Adventure Sports Center International will be addressed by the Garrett County Board of Commissioners next week when a press conference is held Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the commission’s public meeting room.

The commissioners and Wendy Yoder, director of the county’s department of financial services, and Scott Weeks, assistant director, held a discussion about ASCI on Monday and then went into executive session to discuss economic development and financial and personnel matters pertaining to the sports center.

The commissioners previously discussed ASCI’s $3 million debt obligation at a February meeting. In January, the sports center’s board of directors proposed to convey all of the center’s facilities, assets and operations to the county. The offer was contingent upon the county assuming ASCI’s liabilities, according to a previous statement released by the commissioners.

During the February meeting, the commissioners made it clear that they would not consider the conveyance if the debt obligations remain.

Also at Monday’s administrative meeting, the commissioners:

• Approved an appropriation of $500 to the town of Kitzmiller for the 2012 Annual Homecoming Festival.

• Discussed the funding of an events coordinator. The commissioners had previously approved in August 2011 the funding of $20,000 to serve as a cost share with the Chamber of Commerce. Commissioners and members of the chamber agreed to place the employment of an independent contractor on hold with the final decision to be made as part of the Fiscal Year 2013 budget.

• Reappointed Donald Stemple to the Garrett County Civil Service Commission.

During the public meeting, the commissioners:

• Approved a bid award to Winters General Contractor Inc. for $46,950 for an airport parking area expansion.

• Provided an update on legislative matters relative to the 2012 session of the Maryland General Assembly.

• Heard an update from Richard MacLennan, president of Garrett College, on the Garrett County Scholarship Program.

• Executed a proclamation celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouts in the United States.

• Recognized Austin Shaffer of Southern Garrett High School as the 2012 State Wrestling Champion.

The next public meeting will be held April 3 at 9 a.m.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com

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They’re treating symptoms — not problems

After attending the Garrett County commissioners meeting to discuss possible school closings and aiding or taking over the Adventure Sports Center International, (ASCI) I am afraid we may be asking the wrong questions.

School closings are not in and of themselves the real problem at hand. They are a symptom of a larger problem; lack of enrollment and a dwindling local population in Garrett County.

Treating only the school closings would be like taking Advil for a headache when in fact you have a brain tumor.

The big question is why are people born and raised in Garrett County leaving? Why are more families not making the county their primary residence?

Improvements are being made, though I assume lack of jobs that offer a real salary is one problem. High property taxes present another.

Cost of living is nearly on par with the nicer areas of large cities or other recreational destinations. Complete lack of anything that caters only to locals and doesn’t have a large price tag attached could be another part of the equation.

When I was a student at Garrett College in 2002 the GEIC incubation center for small business had just opened. I, along with 15 others was part of an internship with a software firm from Frederick.

We were paid minimum wage and offered health insurance with promises of good salaried jobs right at home in Garrett County when we graduated and potential for some of our education to be paid for.

One year later they dumped all of us with the exception of two and made good on none of their promises. What was dressed up and masqueraded as opportunity for locals was nothing more than cheap labor for a small software firm full of bloated promises that ended up being lies.

We need real economic growth and opportunity for all Garrett County citizens; $7.50 per hour, no health insurance and often sub-par working conditions don’t cut it and certainly does not encourage local people to stick around.

Closing schools will just make the area less and less attractive for potential new residents. The college is overpopulated with students from out of the area and this has created a tough learning environment for local children.

In, “Field of Dreams” Kevin Costner’s character learned, “If you build it they will come.” Perhaps our elected representatives and private business people need to realize if you offer real opportunity people will come.

If you stop allowing local citizens to feel like second class, more people will come and more people will stay.

Jeremy Gosnell

Oakland

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GC Officials Still Reviewing ASCI Issue, Stress County Will Not Take On Its Debt

Feb. 9, 2012

The Garrett County commissioners announced this week that they are still reviewing the Adventure Sports International Center (ASCI) debt issue. They met in executive session last month with the ASCI board members to discuss the legal implications of the not-for-profit organization’s decision to default on $3 million of capital debt.

“We are continuing to work on this matter,” Commissioner Jim Raley told a group of about 50 residents who attended the public meeting on Tuesday morning. “We will be meeting with legal counsel to continue a dialogue and a discussion with this matter.”

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Located on Marsh Mountain, ASCI facilities include a self-contained man-made whitewater course and 550 acres in the Fork Run Recreational Area. ASCI became operational in 2006 through public (federal/state/county) and private sector funds amounting to about $24 million. During the construction phase, however, the organization borrowed millions of dollars from Susquehanna and First United banks to address unanticipated costs.

The ASCI board discussed the issue with the commissioners in January and presented them with a resolution.

“The offer by ASCI, as reflected in the resolution, included an offer to convey all of ASCI’s facilities, assets, and operations to the county,” Raley read from a prepared statement. “The county has taken this matter under advisement, and the transfer of proprietary ownership would not be considered or undertaken if the existing debt obligations remained.”

Raley stressed, however, that the assumption that the county will appropriate the amount of $3 million toward the debt is unfounded and is not being considered.

“The county believes that ASCI is an asset to Garrett County and is part of the overall and comprehensive tourism objective that will enhance and grow the Garrett County economy for many years,” Raley read from the commissioners’ statement.

He noted that ASCI had been paying on its debt until September 2010. The commissioner indicated that part of the reason for the payment stoppage involved Wisp Resort, which is now in Chapter 11.

“Some of it was probably the complexity of the relationship that they (ASCI board members) have with a fee that was collected from the Wisp in the amount of $180,000 per year,” Raley said. “And once that fee was not able to be collected, it caused some problems for ASCI to be able to meet its financial obligations to the debt service.”

County administrator Monty Pagenhardt noted that ASCI is sustainable and shows a profit, except for the capital debt.

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Md. county won't bail out whitewater course

Posted: Feb 07, 2012 12:19 PM EST Updated: Feb 07, 2012 12:19 PM EST

OAKLAND, Md. (AP) – The Garrett County Commissioners say they won’t bail out a manmade whitewater course near Deep Creek Lake.

The nonprofit Adventure Sports Center International asked the county last month to consider taking over the mountaintop complex, including payments on about $3 million in bank loans.

The commissioners said Tuesday they won’t consider a takeover that would include the debt obligations.

The center’s operators defaulted on the bank loans after the group that owns the nearby Wisp ski resort stopped paying them for marketing services. The Wisp owners filed for bankruptcy protection in October due to a slowdown in sales of vacation home sites.

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Garrett commissioners to detail ASCI debt, reveal county’s position

Chairman says nonprofit group may consider transferring ownership

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — The Garrett County Commission will provide a more detailed review today of Adventure Sports Center International’s debt situation and will make known the county’s position, according to Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator.

The commissioners made a public statement at the Jan. 17 meeting that they met in executive session earlier that day to discuss legal, financial and personnel implications for ASCI in regard to the default of $3 million of capital debt obligations.

ASCI is a nonprofit entity and not under the authority of the county commissioners, according to Pagenhardt. The financial institutions involved with the debt collection are Susquehanna Bank and First United Bank & Trust.

Adventure Sports Chairman Duane Yoder told The Associated Press that the group may consider transferring ownership to Garrett County or Garrett College.

The $3 million debt was incurred during cost overruns in construction of the actual whitewater course and pond, Matt Taylor, executive director of ASCI explained to the Times-News in a previous interview. ASCI broke ground on the whitewater facility in 2004 and opened in the spring of 2007.

“The ASCI whitewater course is a one-of-a-kind facility and a combination of unique building challenges and high cost of materials. Most of the facility was built in the years following Hurricane Katrina, which greatly inflated certain material and transportation costs (that) led to the overruns,” said Taylor in a previous interview with the Times-News.

Today’s 9 a.m. public meeting agenda will also include a briefing in regard to the county public school system’s fiscal 2013 budget.

The school system is $2.6 million in debt because of enrollment and wealth loss, according to the five-year plan proposal outline. The school system hopes to reduce the budget by $3 million by:

• Eliminating the high school driver’s education program, $200,000.

• Eliminating full-time school enrichment teaching positions, $165,000.

• Closing Dennett Road, Kitzmiller and Friendsville elementary schools, $2.16 million.

• Providing a retirement incentive.

• Reducing the transportation budget by $128,000.

• Reducing the maintenance budget by $100,000.

The five-year plan, developed by Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools, also calls for:

• Reduction of six instructional assistant positions, $150,000.

• Reduction of academic intervention, $50,00.

• Reduction of three high school positions, $165,000.

• Reconfiguration of grade levels, making middle school fifth through eighth grades.

On Jan. 17, the board of education decided against moving fifth-grade students into middle school and instead considered a grade school alternative that will be based on next school year’s kindergarten enrollment numbers.

A decision on the proposed school closings will not be made until the March 13 board meeting.

“We are $3 million short. There is no way around the closings,” said Waggoner during the January public meeting.

The county commission will also discuss the Good Will Volunteer Fire Department boundary dispute. The fire department, which is located in Lonaconing, wants to provide service in Garrett County and receive fire tax revenue. The commission has no authority in this matter and the fire department has received a letter from the Public Safety Department explaining that there is a process, according to Pagenhardt.

The land-use management work session that was supposed to be discussed today was rescheduled to Feb. 14 at 1:30 p.m. to allow sufficient time for review and discussion.

Also on the agenda:

• County roads department will provide an update on the status of Westernport and Lower New Germany roads and an update on federally mandated radio equipment.

• An update will be provided on the Garrett County Airport and its 50th anniversary plans.

• A 2012 legislative update will be provided.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com

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Garrett County, Md., officials consider aiding financially strapped whitewater course

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: January 30, 2012 – 1:16 am
Last Updated: January 30, 2012 – 1:16 am

OAKLAND, Md. — Elected officials in far western Maryland are considering whether Garrett County should take an active role in helping a financially strapped, man-made whitewater course.

The Garrett County Commissioners were set to meet in a closed session Monday to discuss the problems of the nonprofit Adventure Sports Center International near McHenry. They say they’ll make a public announcement Feb. 7.

The center’s operators acknowledged earlier this month that they have defaulted on bank loans, partly due to the financial problems of the group that owns the nearby Wisp ski resort.

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On eliminating ASCI’s $3M debt: Exec. speaks out

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — Despite dealing with multiple challenges like construction cost overruns, a faltering economy and the Wisp Resort filing for bankruptcy in October, the Adventure Sports Center International remains a focal point in promoting tourism, according to Matt Taylor, executive director of ASCI.

Garrett County commissioners made a public statement Tuesday that they met in executive session to discuss legal, financial and personnel implications of the $3 million debt obligations ASCI incurred because of unanticipated construction costs.

“ASCI has become the nexus it was intended to be, despite the aforementioned challenges,” said Taylor in an email to the Times-News. “The bottom line is that the facility was never intended to operate with debt, and Tuesday’s statements by the commissioners mark an important step in a long process to restructure and eliminate that debt so that ASCI can continue its core missions of promoting adventure tourism and healthy, active outdoor lifestyles.”

The debt was incurred during cost overruns in construction of the actual whitewater course and pond, according to Taylor. ASCI broke ground on the whitewater facility in 2004 and opened in the spring of 2007.

ASCI is a nonprofit entity and not under the authority of the board of county commissioners, according to Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator. The financial institutions involved with the debt collection are Susquehanna Bank and First United Bank & Trust.

Adventure Sports Chairman Duane Yoder said the group may consider transferring ownership to Garrett County or Garrett College.

The venture has received $4.1 million from the state, $2.9 million in federal funds, $1.3 million from Garrett County and $2 million from the sales of land donated by DC Development LLC, owner of the Wisp at Deep Creek Mountain Resort.

“ASCI has carried this debt from its opening in 2007 and we have operated for five successful seasons and intend to open in 2012 for our best season yet,” said Taylor.

The debt will not affect operations or the 2014 World Championship Canoe and Kayak Slalom Races, according to Taylor.

“The world championship is a real successful event for us. All along it has been part of our business plan to get corporate sponsors for this event, and this debt makes it hard to have corporate sponsors,” said Taylor.

“We have been in negotiation with the banks for years, and ASCI’s default is part of a structured process to eliminate the debt and allow us to focus on preparation and promotion for Deep Creek 2014. ASCI continues to work with state, local and banking leaders to find a long-term solution.”

In addition to successfully guiding more than 55,000 people down the whitewater course, welcoming more than 200,000 visitors, and hosting eight national and international competitions, ASCI has also developed widely recognized environmental education programs with Garrett County public schools, according to Taylor.

The commissioners will compile their positions and comments on this situation and plan to provide a more detailed review during their Feb. 7 public session, according to Pagenhardt.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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ASCI talks $3M default with Garrett commission

From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County commissioners announced that they met in executive session to discuss legal, financial and personnel implications of Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) in regard to a default of $3 million in capital debt obligations.
During construction, ASCI incurred $3 million of loans from private lending institutions in order to address unanticipated costs.
During Tuesday’s commission meeting, Chairman James Raley read a public statement pertaining to ASCI, according to Monty Pagenhardt, county adminstration.
ASCI is a nonprofit entity and not under the authority of the board of county commissioners, according to Pagenhardt. The financial institutions involved with the debt collection are Susquehanna Bank and First United Bank & Trust.
An official and more detailed review will be made during the Feb. 7 public session, according to Pagenhardt.
“The board of county commissioners will be compiling their position and comments on this,” said Pagenhardt in an email to the Times-News. “I am going to coordinate something with ASCI board of directors.”
ASCI, located in McHenry, was incorporated in Maryland as a nonprofit in 1998.
ASCI manages the Fork Run Recreation Area, a 550-acre forest that hosts rock climbing, bouldering, mountain biking, hiking and geocaching, according to its website.
The first phase of construction for the man-made whitewater course, which consisted of a $3.4 million pump house and related machinery, was completed in 2005, according to a previous Times-News article.
The venture has received $4.1 million from the state, $2.9 million in federal funds, $1.3 million from Garrett County and $2 million from the sales of land donated by DC Development LLC, owner of the Wisp at Deep Creek Mountain Resort.
Attempts by the Times-News to contact Matthew Taylor, executive director of ASCI were unsuccessful.
Also during the meeting:
• Commissioners and Pagenhardt met with John Nelson, director for the Department of Planning and Land Development, to discuss a proposed Land Use Management Ordinance. Raley said Nelson began the review for the proposed plan by asking for the commission’s thoughts on a variety or sections of the ordinance.
• Commissioners ap-proved and executed a license agreement be-tween county commissioners and the University of Maryland and also approved a trail license agreement between the board and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
• James Stanto, representing the Youghiogheny River Watershed Association, provided an update on the Stream Waders Monitoring program.

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Category: asci

Garrett County officials detailing takeover of flailing whitewater course in western Md.

Garrett County to take over manmade whitewater course

Garrett officials to address Adventure Sports Center takeover

They’re treating symptoms — not problems

GC Officials Still Reviewing ASCI Issue, Stress County Will Not Take On Its Debt

Md. county won't bail out whitewater course

Garrett commissioners to detail ASCI debt, reveal county’s position

Garrett County, Md., officials consider aiding financially strapped whitewater course

On eliminating ASCI’s $3M debt: Exec. speaks out

ASCI talks $3M default with Garrett commission

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