Jay Fergusonjay@deepcreekvacations.com301-501-0420
Menu

New Listing – 71 Lower Camp Rd McHenry-GA8357685-$599,900-ski-in-ski-out-chalet-asci

5BR, 4BA chalet in slopefront community of North Camp, nestled amongst large boulders, tall trees, and ferns galore. Year round outdoor activities are just around the corner – Wisp Ski/Golf Resort and ASCI Whitewater complex. Includes access to an exclusive 2 acre lakeside park. Features hot tub, 2 fireplaces, jetted tub, large deck, slope views. Established vacation rental ‘Rocky Adventures’. Much more here.
This property is for rent! More details here.
Listing Information
Property Type: Vacation Rental
5 4 Full
17,486 Sq. Ft. 2,856 (approx) 2007
3
NORTH CAMP SUBDIVISION
Public
Public Sewer
Room Information
Bathrooms
4
Liv-Din Combo
Interior Features
 Propane, Other, Forced Air, Other
Full, Fully Finished, Improved, Other, Heated, Walkout Level
 2
 None, Other
Exterior / Lot Features
 Drvwy/Off Str
Wood, Stone, Cedar
None
Shows Well
 Backs to Trees, Ski in/Ski out, Private, Trees/Wooded, Landscaping
Community Features
Gated Community

73 Kendall Camp #6 – Slopefront Log Duplex – $495,000

Beautifully designed 4 BR 4 BA located directly beside chair lift #4. Massive timbers, native field stone FP, copper gutters & cedar shakes. Walk to adventure sports whitewater, mountain roller coaster & zip line. Enjoy the Lake & Boating w club membership. Short sale is professional managed w a superior track record. Perfect for family fun and entertaining. More photos here.

GA8099226 – $495,000

 

Adventuresports Institute Awarded $250,000 Grant

Jul. 4, 2013

 

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) announced last Friday that the Garrett County Board of Commissioners has received a $250,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to improve the educational facilities of the Adventuresports Institute (ASI) of Garrett College.

In addition to the grant, the project will be locally funded at $279,024 and with an additional $50,000 in other federal funds.

“Tourism means jobs in western Maryland and across our great state,” Cardin said. “This grant is about equipping young professionals with the important skills they need to showcase the splendor of western Maryland’s natural resources. ARC’s federal-local partnership is investing together in Garrett County’s economy, while raising the bar for new levels of responsible, environmental stewardship.”

The Adventuresports Institute is a wholly owned operation of Garrett College. It was founded as part of a strategy to establish Garrett County as an adventure sport tourism leader. The area’s distinctive four-season climate and diverse geology are supportive of adventure recreation activities.

ASI works with public and private entities to train professionals and produce leaders in adventure sports and recreation industries who have a strong sense of environmental stewardship and community service.

“This federal funding is an important investment in Garrett County’s economic security and the vitality of Western Maryland,” said Mikulski. “These funds will help build an industry that keeps Marylanders on the job and encourages people to visit our state. Tourism spurs all parts of the economy – from the adventure sites to the food stands. I will keep fighting for smart federal investments in Maryland communities.”

She added that this grant comes at an opportune time as its beneficiaries will be instrumental in ensuring that the International Canoe Federation’s Canoe Slalom World Championship in 2014 at Deep Creek Lake is a success.

Cardin is chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, and Mikulski is chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee.

republican_logo

 More here.

Canoe Kayak Slalom trials are one of many big events coming to Deep Creek Lake

By Don Markus, The Baltimore Sun2:15 p.m. EDT, May 11, 2013

Once thought to be a somewhat out-of-the-way spot for winter ski trips and summer getaways from the scorching heat, Deep Creek Lake and the adjacent Wisp Resort could become “the No. 1 — bar none — adventure sports destination spot in the world” if Todd Copley has anything to do with it.

Toward that goal, Copley’s Deep Creek 2014 LLC will be helping run next weekend’s USA Canoe Kayak Slalom Team Trials there, as well as the sport’s world championships in 2014, marking the first time the championships will be held in Maryland since Garrett County hosted on the Savage River in 1989.

There are other adventure sports competitions scheduled for the area throughout the coming year.

The USA Canoe Kayak Team Trials will be held Friday through Sunday, with a still to be determined number of finishers qualifying for spots on the 2013 World Cup team for the men’s Canoe 1 and 2, men’s Kayak 1 and 2 and the women’s Canoe 1 and 2. (The number designates how many competitors are in the canoe or kayak.)

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bs-sp-outdoors-rail-0512-20130511,0,479397.story#ixzz2THSRy9AG

Del. Beitzel, Sen. Edwards Secure $1 Million For ASCI Improvements

Apr. 11, 2013

The 2013 Maryland General Assembly adjourned Monday evening in Annapolis. During the 90-day session, Del. Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Beitzel saw several of their bills make it to governor’s desk for signing into law, while a few pieces of proposed legislation died in committee chambers.

One of the local lawmakers’ more notable achievements was securing a total of $1 million for the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) in McHenry. Beitzel explained that he worked with the capital budget subcommittee to include $500,000 in the state’s capital budget on the House side, and Edwards was able to secure an additional $500,000 in the budget on the Senate side.

republican_logo

The funding will be used for improvements at the whitewater course, including upgrading telecommunications, building new facilities, and upgrading existing infrastructure to prepare for the International Canoe Federation’s Deep Creek 2014 Canoe Slalom World Championships.

“These whitewater course improvements will benefit the facility for many years to attract new visitors to our region of the state,” Beitzel said in his weekly newsletter to constituents.

The championships are expected to generated $20 million for the local economy.

The lawmakers were also able to secure a $15 million bond bill for renovation/expansion work at Garrett County Memorial Hospital. Gov. Martin O’Malley signed Edwards’ SB 369 on Tuesday, which enables the Garrett County commissioners to borrow money on behalf of hospital officials for the $23.5 million project.

About $7.5 million of its cost will come from hospital operations and cash reserves, and $1 million will come from donations. The hospital will be solely responsible for paying off the bond’s debt service, which will be at a rate of 5.25 percent over a 20-year period.

The governor is also expected to sign HB 504/SB 370 – Garrett County Commissioners – Industrial Wind Energy Conversion Systems. This legislation authorizes the commissioners to enact ordinances pertaining to setbacks and the decommissioning of wind turbines.

“As you may know, Garrett County is the only county without countywide zoning,” Beitzel said in his newsletter. “I am pleased to announce that after six consecutive years of introducing this bill, it finally made its way out of the House and Senate, and is currently sitting on the governor’s desk awaiting [his] signature.”

HB 828/SB 766 – Oil and Gas Land Professionals – Registration was also approved by the House and Senate and awaits the governor’s signature.

“This is the second year that I have sponsored this significant legislation,” Beitzel said. “This bill requires that a person seeking to obtain any oil or gas leases from a property owner must provide proof to the property owner that the person is registered as a land professional in the state of Maryland.”

Under the pending law, a person may not operate as a land professional in the state unless he/she is registered with and Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation and is issued a certificate by the department.

Beitzel said a “land professional” is defined as a person, acting on their own behalf or on behalf of a prospective lessee or buyer, who negotiates with a property owner for the acquisition of mineral rights in oil or gas. He added that “mineral rights in oil or gas” means property rights, including an oil or gas lease, that allow the holder of the rights to enter into or under the property of another person for the extraction of crude oil, natural gas, or the constituents of crude oil or natural gas.

Also approved during this year’s General Assembly were bills that Edwards and Beitzel introduced on behalf of the Garrett County Liquor Control Board. One piece of legislation clarifies Sunday alcohol sales regulations that are already in place in the county. Another bill allows establishment of a beer festival license and the off-premise sales of special commemorative bottles or special event bottles of alcohol on a licensed Class C premise.

Some of the local lawmakers’ bills did not receive favorable reports from House and Senate committees, most notably HB 451/SB 310 – Garrett County – Coal Combustion Byproducts – Storage. The Garrett County commissioners requested the legislation. They asked that the state amend COMAR to allow the county to stockpile coal combustion byproducts, which are used locally as a road abrasive in the winter. The county has stored bottom ash at its three roads garages for numerous years, but the Maryland Department of the Environment cited the county last year for not having the piles covered, as required by COMAR.

MDE told county officials they must either cover the piles with a tarp or construct buildings to house the abrasives. Local officials, in turn, pointed out that the tarps would have to be one acre in size and buildings would be greatly cost prohibitive.

Edwards’ SB 204 – Bowhunting – Possession of Handguns for Protection received an unfavorable report from the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee.

Also not winning approval were SB 298, which would have allowed the speed limit on I-68 to be increased up to 70 mph; and SB 286, which would have changed the definition of a “school vehicle.”

ICF to bring more money to Garrett than once thought

From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — It is estimated that the September Deep Creek 2014: International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Championships will provide a $20 million economic impact on Garrett County, according to a county commission news release.

Previously, Nicole Christian, president and CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, estimated that the event would bring $10 million to $15 million to the county.

“The ICF World Championships represent much more than a simple competition. It is a gathering of nations from around the globe joining together in sport and camaraderie while establishing the legacy of this Olympic-style event,” states the news release.

At an annual prelegislative meeting in December, Christian requested legislation for a $1 million state bond bill to be used in connection with the event.

Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel are requesting  Senate Bill 423 and House Bill 611, which would authorize the creation of state debt not to exceed $450,000 and are requesting the state bond bill. The proceeds would be used as a grant to the county commissioners for the planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction and capital equipping of Adventure Sports Center International. The project will also include upgrading telecommunications and building new and upgrading existing infrastructure and facilities.

These improvements are necessary to fulfill the requirements and obligations necessary to host the 2014 ICF Championship, states the bond bill fact sheet.

Estimated capital costs of the project are about $2 million.

In addition to the project being funded with state bond money, $906,000 will come from an Appalachian Regional Commission grant, $250,000 from an ARC Area Development grant and $500,000 from an ARC Local Access Road Grant.

The ARC and AD grant will require a county match of $94,000 and $350,000, respectively, according to the bond bill fact sheet. The project construction is expected to be complete by May 2014.

It’s estimated that the event will bring more than 1,500 athletes and team support staff from about 50 countries. With 40,000 spectators expected, an additional 150,000 are estimated to attend related events. The ICF World Championships will tie in with the Star Spangled 200 celebrations, which will include a flag relay on water and land from Fort McHenry to the town of McHenry, according to the ASCI website. The relay will include a canoe paddle on the Potomac River and C&O Canal bringing the ICF flag and other historic flags to the opening ceremony in Garrett County on Sept. 16, 2014.

The ICF championships will mark the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Canoe Slalom World Championships held on Savage River in Garrett County, according to the ASCI website. The total economic impact of the 1989 World Championships was $10 million as reported by the Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development.

In spring 2011, ASCI won the bid for the ICF Championships over Vienna, Austria, and Krakow, Poland. In March 2012, the county commission took ownership of ASCI.

More here.

 

Adventure Sports Center expected to break even

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County’s Adventure Sports Center International will break even for the year, according to Scott Weeks, county assistant director of financial services, and the county was able to save some money.

As of Dec. 31, Weeks is projecting a revenue of about $772,000 and expenses of $745,000 with a net income of roughly $28,000. For 2011, ASCI was at a net loss of about $151,000 — revenue was about $784,000 and expenses were $935,000.

The county was able to see the increase in net income because of reductions, according to Weeks.

“We had a decrease in our salary and fringes of $105,000,” said Weeks during the county commission meeting Tuesday. “We reduced some of the staffing there. We have been able to stabilize the operations and see a positive cash flow in the organization.”

The utilities cost for ASCI decreased by $40,000, of which $25,000 was for electric. Legal and professionals services as well as repair and maintenance were decreased by $19,000, according to Weeks.

The county agreed to purchase ASCI’s debt for $600,000 in March; the debt was $3.2 million and had about $180,00 in accrued interest, according to Weeks. All of ASCI’s payables flow through the county and they operate under the county’s internal control structure now, said Weeks.

“We got all that for $600,000,” said Weeks. “Before we purchased their debt, they were ready to come back to us and say, ‘We need $50,000.’ As of today, ASCI will owe the taxpayers $692,000.”

The commissioners agreed to pay $100,000 toward the ASCI debt with the money garnered from an increase in the hotel tax rate. At a meeting in May, commissioners voted to increase the hotel tax rate from 5 percent to 6 percent effective July 1. That increase generated roughly $300,000, according to Weeks.

“We are making progress on getting paid back,” said Weeks. “We have positive cash flow.”

An accounting change had to be made because ASCI was on a calendar year and the county operates on a fiscal year from July through June 30.

“So we made an accounting change and switched them (ASCI) over to a June 30 fiscal year,” said Weeks. “When I give a comparison, I have a June 30 audited figure that auditors are finalizing this week. The last thing I have for ASCI is December 31, 2011, audited financials. What I’m doing today, I took January and am projecting out where we are going to finish in December.”

In 2009, ASCI requested a $300,000 line of credit from the commissioners because it was unable to make cash flow, according to Weeks.

“They took out $50,000 in June of 2009,” said Weeks. “Then in February 26, 2010, they took out another $100,000. It was an interest-free loan and they were paying it back over a 10-year period.”

ASCI did make a $50,000 payment back to the county and in January 2012 asked the commissioners for another $50,000.

This year, ASCI served 10,436 rafters and last year served 10,431, according to Michael Logsdon, acting director of ASCI. ASCI employed 93 people in 2012, most of whom were guide staff comprised of high school and college students.

Since 2007, ASCI has employed 600 seasonal employees and served more than 66,7000 guests.

“Staffing is a concern because that’s a big expense item,” said Logsdon. “We have been really trying to make sure that we are staffed properly and not overly staffed or underly staffed.”

Total payroll was $300,000 for calendar year 2012, according to Weeks.

ASCI and Garrett College staff are working to formulate a three-year strategic plan from 2013 to 2015. The plan will address critical areas such as education, ASCI facilities, business growth, strategic alliances, community service, business sustainability  and conservation of resources, according to Logsdon.

“We have to enhance what we do up here; it’s sort of been a one-trick pony,” said Logsdon, who noted that  plans include hydrodynamic learning stations and a giant swing.

People are mostly coming into the area for other reasons, according to Logsdon.

“They probably didn’t come here just to take a two-hour rafting trip,” said Logsdon. “We are trying to figure out where they are coming from and we want to diversify the product line so they have something to do at ASCI besides ride the raft.”

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