Broadway Chair at Blandford Ski Area. (Photo submitted)
BLANDFORD – The Springfield Ski Club Board of Directors has sent a letter to its membership about a potential buyer for the Blandford Ski Area. In the letter, dated June 23, members were notified of a special meeting on Tuesday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the ski area to vote on selling all assets of the club to Butternut Basin.
“This is your opportunity to hear the details of the sale, learn about the future of the ski area and cast your vote,” according to the letter, signed by Springfield Ski Club president Michael R. Gagnon and clerk Sarah Framarin.
It further states that Massachusetts law requires a two-thirds vote of the 2017-18 membership for the sale to go through. Any member who doesn’t return their proxy or attend the special meeting will be counted as a “No” vote, and if there are not sufficient numbers of “Yes” votes to approve the sale, the Blandford Ski Area will close. The letter points to limited membership, accrued debt and aging infrastructure as reasons.
Gagnon also wrote that any sale of the Ski Area needs to include the stipulation that Springfield Ski Club members will continue to ski and ride at Blandford.
Long-time member and former Board member and president Jay Pagluica of Westfield called the development “a good news story.”
“My gut feeling is I think it’s a great idea. Butternut is a locally-owned and operated ski area. The Murdochs have owned it, I think, since day one. They’re very well respected in the industry here in the northeast,” Pagluica said about the potential sale to Butternut Basin.
He also said he looks at what Butternut Basin did successfully at Otis Ridge when they took it over. He said Otis survived what was a difficult time for them.
“Here’s a history of Butternut coming in and keeping alive a small ski area in Western Mass.,” he said.
Pagluica, who grew up skiing at Blandford in the 60’s, and whose kids grew up skiing there in the 90’s, served on the Board of Directors of the Springfield Ski Club for 16 years in marketing, as vice president and president before retiring in 2010. He said he has a strong love for the ski area, and doesn’t want it to be yet another lost ski area in the northeast. He said he would attend the meeting and support the sale.
“I’m excited about the possibilities that Butternut can bring, to help bring Blandford back to its full potential. I feel very encouraged,” Pagluica said.
