The Homer family formerly owned Shawnee Peak in Maine.
Saturday, August 10, 2024, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Commonwealth-owned Blue Hills ski area in Canton, Massachusetts will have a new operator this winter, Ski Area Management has reported.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has awarded Geoff Homer a five-year lease of the small, suburban ski area. The owners of Campgaw Mountain, New Jersey had operated the area since 2007.
Son of longtime Shawnee Peak owner Chet Homer, Geoff Homer also recently acquired Hirschmann Windows & Doors in West Rutland, Vermont. The Homer family sold Shawnee Peak (now Pleasant Mountain) to Boyne Resorts in 2021.
In its latest RFP for the 60-acre area, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation encouraged perspective operators to consider year-round opportunities for the facility, which carried a $20,000 minimum annual leasing fee. The area is served by a 318 vertical foot Hall double chairlift installed in 1978, as well as multiple surface lifts. The snowmaking infrastructure was owned by the previous lessee. Blue Hills logged 51,226 skier visits during the 2022-23 season.
Formally known as the William F. Rogers Ski Area, lift served skiing at the area dates back to the winter of 1949-50. Designed by Cranmore's Hannes Schneider, the ski area struggles with mild temperatures, minimal natural snowfall, municipal water for snowmaking, and limited parking.
In addition to Blue Hills, Commonwealth of Massachusetts also owns the property on which Ski Butternut and Wachusett are located.
