Letter to the editor: Year-round resort would boost Ligonier Valley

Earlier this year, Ligonier Township manager and zoning administrator Terry Carcella said township officials are making plans for the Ligonier Beach property (“Ligonier Township committee to consider plan for reopening Ligonier Beach,” Jan. 7, TribLIVE). One possibility mentioned was a master comprehensive parks, recreational and open space plan that could attract more visitors to the region year-round.

I envision our region on Route 30 to stretch between the former Sleepy Hollow Tavern to the top of the mountain for skiing. The tavern could be reconstructed and reopened, as could Idlewild Park’s vacant 18-hole golf course, with a restaurant, and the old Swiss Chalet.

Seven Springs is a prime example of a facility with year-round activities, plus restaurants and accommodations. Bavarian immigrant Adolph Dupre started it as a private club in the 1930s, and it grew slowly and unexpectedly into the world-famous resort it is today. Seven Springs employs 1,400 people in the winter and more than 800 year-round, serving one million customers annually. Think what could happen to the Ligonier Valley corridor if Laurel Mountain Ski Resort was open year-round.

The Mellons and the Richard King Mellon Foundation have done great things for Ligonier. There is one more thing they could do to make great things happen here: open Laurel Mountain Ski Resort to year-round activities, bringing more jobs to Ligonier just as Dupre did as Seven Springs grew.

Dennis B. Coulter

Ligonier Township