SAM Magazine-La Veta, Colo., Aug. 26, 2010-A newly formed Cuchara Valley Recreational Metropolitan District has taken ownership of the Cuchara Mountain Resort in southern Colorado, and officials there hope to redevelop the dormant former ski area into a year-round sports facility.

Huerfano County established the special recreation district to operate the facility and issue bonds to finance improvements, which will eventually be repaid through recreational fees and other income from the facility. It also hopes to involve a private investor in the project.

The planned redevelopment calls for a 70-room hotel, conference center, mountain coaster, zipline, snow tubing, a snowmaking pond, and perhaps downhill skiing and a halfpipe on 43 acres. The redevelopment is projected to cost $14 million and create more than 600 new jobs in the county. It will be overseen by the recreational district, a volunteer organization that hopes to hire a ski-industry veteran to manage the facilities.

The 225-acre ski area has been closed for 10 years, during which time it has gone through several ownership changes and foreclosures. Michael Balloun of Arlington, Texas, took control in July through a deed in lieu of foreclosure from the previous owner. About ten days ago, he turned the property over to the recreation district.

In 2003, a Forest Service assessment declared that Cuchara was unsuitable for continued skiing operations, as it was not competitive with other Colorado resorts due to low natural snowfall and wind scour. Despite that assessment, local officials believe that it might be possible to market future skiing and snowboarding facilities to beginners from drive markets in the Great Plains and New Mexico.

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