The defunct Connecticut ski area is unlikely to reopen.
Monday, September 9, 2024, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Shuttered since March 2016, Woodbury has been sold and is unlikely to reopen as a ski area, the Republican American reports.
The property was acquired Quassy Amusement Park owner Eric Anderson in 2021, who hired Stevens Engineering while developing plans to reopen the tubing operation followed by skiing. According to the Republican-American, Anderson subsequently decided that "running Quassy keeps him busy enough."
Woodbury's history dates back to the early 1960s, when it was known as Tapawingo ski area. Former US Ski Team member Rod Taylor took over the ski area in 1972, renaming it Woodbury Ski and Racquet Club and improving it with a new chairlift and lodge.
As a hedge against poor winters, Taylor developed an off season business at the area, including zip lining, summer tubing, and a climbing wall. The area also developed a popular annual reggae festival.
Two years after the death of its longtime owner Rod Taylor, Woodbury ceased operations in 2016. Though were efforts made to continue operations, the plug was pulled in 2019. Kara Kenney briefly explored reopening the ski area with enhanced off-season offerings in 2018. In early 2020, Art Powers approached the town with a proposal to reopen Woodbury as a concert, camping, and mountain biking venue. Powers was killed in a skiing accident at Stowe in February 2021.
In the spring of 2021, Leah Chanelle, who had a $675,000 judgement lien on the property related to a January 1, 2013 tubing lift accident, assigned her interest to Tapawingo Tubing, LLC. Tapawingo Tubing, LLC is operated by Quassy Amusement Park owner Eric Anderson. Tapawingo Tubing, LLC foreclosed on the property on October 8, 2021 and subsequently began making plans to reopen the facility. After the change of plans, the properties were placed on the market in 2022.
Tapawingo Tubing sold the 10-acre tubing property to Woodbury's Hidden Paradise LLC on February 10, 2023 for $550,000. The 20.6-acre ski area property was sold to Seymour Blackwood and Simon Pyne on August 29, 2024 for $675,000. Tapawingo Tubing issued the mortgages for both purchases.
Only four ski areas remain open to the public in Connecticut.
