Dummerston, Vermont- For years, an entrepreneur has tried to redevelop the bottom lodge of an deserted Vermont ski space. Since 2018, Keane Aures, who practices development legislation in Connecticut, has been making an attempt to transform Maple Valley’s base lodge right into a brewery, distillery, and occasion venue. Nonetheless, getting via the cumbersome Vermont Act 250 course of, which is required for developments, was costlier than anticipated. The venture lastly received the inexperienced gentle after a Vermont Supreme Courtroom ruling final 12 months.
In April, The Commons gave an replace on what has turn out to be a years-long course of to transform the previous base lodge right into a brewery. The Whetstone Beer Firm in Brattleboro was bought to Aures earlier this 12 months, which is able to give him possession of the manufacturing facility. It must be famous he doesn’t personal the Whetstone Station in Brattleboro. A brand new beer line, North Chair Brewing, named after one of many previous Maple Valley chairlifts, shall be part of the Whetstone Beer Firm lineup.
Based on Aures, one of many causes they went via with the beer firm was to fund the Maple Valley venture:
“We noticed the acquisition of Whetstone as a giant a part of it, to assist fund among the Maple Valley work. So now we’re centered on the transition, and instantly in entrance of us is ensuring that we’re making one of the best beer that we are able to and getting it again into distribution.”
When it comes to a timeline for the Maple Valley brewery venture, this quote from Aures makes it sound like we’re nonetheless years away from it coming again to life:
“I finished placing a date on it a very long time in the past. We hope to begin performing some work later this 12 months. However the price to assemble something has risen vastly since 2018. Our preliminary funds was basically ruined, to place it properly.”
In all probability probably the most attention-grabbing a part of the article for skiers and riders was his feedback on a possible reopening of Maple Valley as a ski space:
“By no means say by no means.”
For my part, don’t get your hopes up on that half, as they should overcome many hurdles for a ski space that hasn’t operated in a long time. We’re actually rooting for this brewery and distillery venture to succeed, although, because it’s a cool redevelopment for a well-known misplaced ski space.
Click on right here to learn the complete article from The Commons, which dives into the brewery scene within the Brattleboro space.
Picture Credit: Sugar Mountain Holdings, LLC, Skimap.org
