The Timeshare Beat
May 17, 2001
If Dean L. Gitter and his partners, collectively Crossroads Ventures, have their way they will build a $300 million
resort on top of a mountain in the heart of Catskill Park in upstate New York, in the sleepy town of Shandaken.
The biggest development ever proposed in the state park, it would cover 500 acres and would include two 18-hole
golf courses, several lodges, two hotels and hundreds of timeshare units.
Located about 125 miles north of Manhattan in Ulster County, Gitter has already named the resort The Belleayre Resort, after the mountain where it would surround the small, state-run Belleayre Mountain Ski Center. According to him it will be a major four-season facility and a major contributor to the revival of the once world-class local tourism industry in the Catskills. Gitter maintains that as a primary engine of economic redevelopment in the region, the Belleayre Resort will provide access to both the ski center and the extensive network of trails criss-crossing the "forever wild" lands of the Catskill High Peaks area. And he says it will not disrupt the lifestyle of area residents nor be environmentally unsound.
Gitter even bought a local water company to provide water to the development, so it wouldn't have to rely on state supplies, a move which has outraged local residents who are worried that the town will be left without enough water if the resort is completed.
Proponents of the plan point out that since the decline of tourism and farming in the region began in the 1960s
there are virtually no farms left and tourism has almost totally dried up. New York State and New York City now
own 72% of the land in the Town of Shandaken, and will soon own more. Private families and businesses own 28% of
the land but pay 80.7% of the taxes.
Studies funded by both the State and New York City have consistently pointed out the ski center contributes to
the local economy for only 12 weeks or so a year, during which the full economic potential is reached only if a
significant number of visitors stay overnight.
This project, proponents argue, could add as much as $97.5 million to a tax base of $145.3 million. It will contribute
as much as $4 million a year to local schools. As many as 800 jobs will be created during construction, and the
project will create at least 350 new jobs and add as much as $80 million a year to the economy. In addition it
will foster self-employment opportunities for local artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs who offer a vast array
of goods throughout the region.
But the plan seems to have as many opponents as proponents, splitting the town in half and filling it with unaccustomed
rancor. Though some think the resort is a godsend that could jump-start the depressed economy of the town and area,
others worry that it will ruin the landscape, destroy their quiet way of life and contaminate the nearby reservoirs
that supply most of New York City's drinking water.
For the state environmental officials who must soon review the proposal, the water issue will be the trickiest problem.
Four years ago an agreement was reached between the city and state of New York with upstate communities for
keeping the reservoirs clean. Under the terms of that agreement, the city allocates money to towns in the watershed
to promote economic development and in return the towns have dropped their habitual resistance to water protection
efforts.
Mr. Gitter, a former actor who has turned developer, supported the plan and believes that the pact supports projects
such as the Belleayre. If the state orders it scaled back Gitter and his allies will likely cry betrayal and fight.
But if the state approves the project as is, environmentalists will likely drag the issue through the courts and/or
force the city to spend billions on a water filtration plant.
Already the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental activist organization, has included the proposed
resort on a list of issues to raise with mayoral candidates for New York City, and at least two candidates have
spoken against the plan.
65-year-old Mr. Gitter and his partners acquired 2,000 acres for the complex in 1999. About three quarters of the
land is intended to remain undeveloped except for nature trails. A detailed plan will be submitted soon to the
State Department of Environmental Conservation, which will then seek public comment and make a decision.
Some Facts regarding the proposal as it is now construed:
The property being developed is actually situated in two different towns - the Town of Shandaken and the Town of Middletown. Gitter maintains that the Resort will be configured in strict conformity with the existing zoning regulations of those two towns. The plan includes:
The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) requires projects strongly linked to be reviewed as a single
and complete project. An Environmental Impact Statement review will guarantee that any interested party including
members of the general public, will have an opportunity to express concerns and see how they are addressed.
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has declared itself lead agency for this review process. New York
City's Department of Environmental Protection will maintain oversight regarding key water quality protection issues
and officials from the Town of Shandaken and the Town of Middletown will be directly involved in the review of
all related issues and concerns.
New York State is considered perhaps the most thorough and complex places in the country to gain approval for development.
Before any construction or operation can begin on the Belleayre Resort, a number of public agencies must review
and approve nearly every aspect. This combined town, county, watershed, state and even federal review process brings
with it substantial oversight and likely project modifications.
Agencies with Input Include:
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