1 billion dollar development plans for the Mt. Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods

The link below is yet another report about the extensive 1 billion dollar development plans for the Mt. Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods.

Enjoy!

http://www.nhpr.org/node/15933

1HappyHiker said:

The link below is yet another report about the extensive 1 billion dollar development plans for the Mt. Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods.

Enjoy!

http://www.nhpr.org/node/15933

Click to expand...

....and just think. The owners can scoot across the street to borrow the LLBean gear from the "Hilton" to go on their day hikes.
It just doesn't get any better than this

Hotel Wars

“The number one objective, I think is that this becomes a quintessential, definitive resort destination in New England.” - Patrick Corso, president of the Mount Washington Resort.

(not like that trashy dive at the head of the Notch)

This is kind of a curious announcement considering the current devaluation of the housing market, the falling dollar, and rising fuel costs. Will people have disposable income to buy these 900 new houses? Just seems like a waste for all this development in a beautiful place at a time like now. Oh well, i guess I'll go hike the Adirondaks now.

I'm sorry, but (most) developers have no soul. This is the most tragic proposal I've come across since hearing about the 10 million houses they want to put around Moosehead....

Crawford Notch/ Bretton Woods

Rant on!

If you are easily upset by flatlanders who don't understand the hardships of life above the notches and want to tell you how to manage your affairs, don't read this post!

900 new homes. My wife and I both make good money, but I can guarantee these will be out of our price range. When I stand on the Sugarloafs and look toward the Presidentials I'll be able to look out across the lovely subdivisions and take pride in my adopted home state. When I ski down the Rosebrooks I'll be able to enjoy the roof tops as opposed to trees, which I can see anywhere.

470 new jobs. Doing what? Cooks, waiters, busboys, dishwashers, maids, laundry service, landscapers. All for the well to do owners who will so greatly appreciate the hard work and sacrifice of the quaint north country folk. I've been watching it for decades here in southern NH, they'll bring in their own people for all the good jobs.

Rather than improving the economy I see this putting a lot of the people in Twin Mountain out of business as the "new" people demand the restaurants and services they are accustomed too. Dunkin' Donuts, Applebee's, MacDonalds, (also great places to work.)

Taxes will increase as they demand more fire, police and ambulance protection. Trash removal, new schools. The list goes on. Meanwhile, the developers sit back and rake in the money. They have absolutely no concern for the environment or the mountains themselves. They see them as an opportunity for exploitation, and nothing more. They are the only ones who stand to gain from this.

I see it as having everything to lose and nothing to gain. Carroll needs strong leaders now who will not let these developers come in and take over, because they will continue to take until there is nothing left to take. It is already becoming evident in and around Bretton Woods. The leaders must take control of this situation and not cave to the pressure of big money talking. (It doesn't talk, it swears.) Yes, the area needs new jobs, it needs money, but how much is good? Where do you draw the line? Progress, but at what price?

I am just stating things the way I see them. I've got a right to my opinion, just like you.

Rant over.

OK, I'm ready to for my castigation now, fire away.

KDT

I'm going to try to play devil's advocate on this one. I certainly would hate to see the Crawford Notch area developed and end up looking like my home town of North Conway, but we do live in a free country where a land owner can do what they want with there land as long as they follow the laws.

KDT, I agree with you that the jobs that will be created will be of the "menial" variety to many on this board, but to many who live in the North Country right now it is a lot better than the situation that they are facing now. As a teenager in high school I worked many menial kitchen jobs so that I could one day go to college, get a degree, and live in an area that I love and not have to cater to the tourists.

I do cringe at the thought of more condos, roads, etc. in this beautiful area, but we have to remember that this is private land, and it is surrounded my MILLIONS of acres of National Forest that will remain pristine for as long as we are all alive. The State of New Hampshire regulations for developement are fairly strict, especially in wetland areas and areas of sensitive nature. Developements are not created as easily as they were back in the 70's and 80's.

I hope that the residents of Carroll and the surrounding towns keep an eye on the developement and try to keep the best interests of the townspeople in mind, whatever that may be.

The Notch will never be the same!

I'm all for progress and boosting the local economy but I can't help but be cynical about this- I can't wait for the mechanical moose and bear popping out of the woods for Disney visitors!

http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/articles/2008/04/20/a_village_with_a_view/

Get Used To It

With rapidly increasing energy prices (which will probably stay high for the long term) people who would normally look to vacationing out West or abroad will be looking to remain regionally. There will most likely be a surge in high-end developments such as this one as well as a crunch in people staying at state campgrounds, shelters and all that crap. And in addition to that, with all the hype about "Fat America" some people might avoid the expensive cruise/resort vacations for a perceived "healthy alternative" like camping or hiking or backpacking or some combination of those. And then there's the growing popularity of peakbagging.... the White Mountains are going to be a pretty popular place.

As much as I love the White Mountains I'm finding Western Massachusetts (where I'm stuck living right now) to be a nice and low key alternative. I also don't have to drive 400 freakin' miles for a day hike. Neither is perfect but one is working for me better than the other. I'm planning on heading back to the Boston area some day (to live) and if the Whites seem like they're getting more and more crowded I might want to rethink that. Might be time to head out West or to Labrador or something. South America.

-Dr. Wu

Maddy said:

....and just think. The owners can scoot across the street to borrow the LLBean gear from the "Hilton" to go on their day hikes.
It just doesn't get any better than this

Click to expand...

... and you can bet that not one of them will borrow a compass since not one of them would know how to use it.

Oh well, 900 more reasons for me to hate YUPPIES.

I agree. An investment that will boost the economy of an economically crushed area is a really bad idea.

But Patrick Corso, President of the Mt Washington Resort says his goal is to protect the environment and wildlife because that is what draws people

Click to expand...

I TOLD my 4 y.o. son that when he starts losing teeth that the tooth fairy will visit him and leave a quarter under his pillow. Maybe now he'll believe me!

Corso “We want to leave it the way we found it. Yes, we want to enhance the opportunities here, yes we want to explore new businesses opportunities and bring more folks to visit the region, but in essence we are not here to change it.”


Well it will be changed, drastically changed. Any ecologist can go on and on how this sprawl will change things. Fertilizer runoff, fragmentation, invasive species tec. This project will introduce the great American monoculture into the area. The area will look like Florida or Hilton Head or Deadham or any other place. The area is special because there is no develoment.

Economic impact is the cheapest way to measure value.

There have been a lot of great responses on this thread.

dr_wu002 said:

Might be time to head out West or to Labrador or something. South America. -Dr. Wu

Click to expand...

The USD is still worth something in Argentina (Mendoza is a nice mountain city), and maybe Bolivia? Yeah, that's it, Bolivia!

Here's a question to think about:

People often say "New Hampshire is the new Massachusetts". How long will it be until people start saying Vermont is the new New Hampshire?

roadtripper said:

Here's a question to think about:

People often say "New Hampshire is the new Massachusetts". How long will it be until people start saying Vermont is the new New Hampshire?

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and then, "Baffin Island the new Vermont"

On a serious note, how can you best voice your opinion on something like this? Is it best to write a letter to local town officials, state government, the developer, local residents, the governor? Who would actually listen?

My guess is that it's already too late to stop something with this much $$$$$ behind it.

On a side note, I just wanted to shout a huge THANK YOU to every single person or organization in New England that actively aims to protect/preserve land. I think that's just about the best way we can really "make a difference" these days.

900 homes create 470 permanent full time jobs. I guess each McMansion requires maid service, nanny, gardner, etc. etc.

And my apologies if I seem too angry in my posts in this thread, it's probably because I've been reading too much Ed Abbey lately

roadtripper said:

On a serious note, how can you best voice your opinion on something like this? Is it best to write a letter to local town officials, state government, the developer, local residents, the governor? Who would actually listen?

My guess is that it's already too late to stop something with this much $$$$$ behind it.

On a side note, I just wanted to shout a huge THANK YOU to every single person or organization in New England that actively aims to protect/preserve land. I think that's just about the best way we can really "make a difference" these days.

Click to expand...

Organize, organize, organize. It takes effort, and lots of it. Check out Friends of Tully Lake for an example of what a passionate group can do with a well advertised campaign. I was never really that hopeful the original development of a new connecting road with 44 houses on over 200 acres could be stopped, but the "Friends of Tully" chipped away at the development plans little by little to a point where any development will now fall under the towns newly adopted zoning bylaws and subdivision regs.

You may not be able to stop the tidal wave, but you might be able to buy some time lessen the blow.

Your voice can be heard.
Smitty