The Berrys have told their side of the story now...
https://www.pressherald.com/2019/09/21/deal-to-reopen-saddleback-mountain-hits-roadblock/
The Berry family countered with a statement to the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on Saturday, accusing Arctaris of “misrepresenting” its dealings and attempting to shift more costs to the family than originally agreed upon.
The Berrys said they had signed a “non-binding letter of intent” on June 27 to sell the property, with the condition that Arctaris shoulder the cost of reopening the resort this coming season.
In July, the deal still looked promising. The family reported being in “serious negotiations” with Arctaris, which secured state support for $10 million in federal tax incentives for investment in low-income areas.
But then Arctaris asked for more reassurances from the family, the Berrys said in their statement. The investors asked that the family absorb costs if the transaction fell through, even if there were no fault on the family’s part, according to the statement.
“The longer the negotiations persisted and the more the Berry Family acquiesced to Arctaris’ demands in an effort to reach a deal, the more Arctaris persisted in shifting additional risks and costs to the Berry Family,” said the statement.
A deal with Arctaris isn’t out of the question, the statement said, but the family is also looking for other buyers.
“We’re looking for a buyer who can make the capital expenditures necessary for the mountain to thrive,” Mark Berry said in a statement provided by the family’s attorney, Severin Beliveau.
The dealmaking hitch means that the ski mountain is unlikely to reopen this season, the family said.
