First half of the article: Blandford Ski Area ready to open after 1-year closure: Just needs snow Updated 7:07 AM; Posted 7:06 AM By Jeanette DeForge jdeforge@repub.com BLANDFORD - State Rep. William Pignatelli has learned something about this small town from his daily drives to Boston that could help business. “Blandford is a snow globe,” said Pignatelli, who is better known as Smitty. “It always snows in Blandford,” The new owners of the town’s namesake ski area are hoping Pignatelli is right as they prepare to open after a one-year hiatus that was needed mainly to make repairs and improvements. Recently officials celebrated the re-opening of Ski Blandford with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Although it was pouring rain during the event, at least 100 people attended to celebrate the local favorite would be operation again rather than joining the list of more than 170 list of now closed small ski hills in Massachusetts known as the lost ski area. “I’m glad it is still open. It wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t,” said Ryan Sweeney. “I like that it is small and everyone knows you.” Sweeney has been skiing at Blandford since he was a fourth-grader. Now a sophomore at St. Mary’s High School, he is on the ski team and hopes to train at the reopened area. Last year the school had to travel to Great Barrington to Ski Butternut. “It’s great. We have two young kids who are learning to ski and snowboard,” Greg Condon, of Westfield, said of the re-opening. He and his wife Pam were passholders in the past and they are looking forward to seeing the upgrades the new owners are planning. They said the biggest benefit is the area is a quick drive from Westfield. Blandford was the oldest club-own ski area in the country but had been struggling financially for years when members made the hard decision to sell the area. Ski Butternut owner Jeffrey Murdock formed Blandford Properties LLC and purchased the area in September 2017 with plans to open it for the season.

Blandford Ski Area to remain closed this year: New owners pledge to make repairs to open in 2018 Blandford was the oldest club-owned ski area when it was sold to Ski Butternut in 2017.

But the financial problems led to deferred maintenance and new owners quickly learned the equipment needed more attention than realized. At first the opening was delayed until January then owners announced in February the ski area would remain closed for the rest of the year. Those who purchased seasons passes before the sale were given the OK to spend their winter at Ski Butternut or Otis Ridge, which are also owned by Murdock. The problem was the chairlifts were in poor condition and could not be opened safely until improvements were made, said Ron Crozier, who was hired as the new Blandford general manager. Crozier, who most recently ran Liberty Mountain in Pennsylvania, had worked at Ski Butternut from 1999 to 2004 and his family remained at their home in Otis so the job offer was a good fit.

https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/11/blandford_ski_area_ready_to_op.html