I feel personally responsible for the demise of Tamarack Resort. I didn’t want it, didn’t want the traffic it would bring on West Mountain Rd. in front of our cabin, didn’t want the increase in population, didn’t want more boats on the lake, didn’t want what would inevitably be “box” stores coming to Valley County. Well, I got my wish. Tamarack closed in early 2009, locked up. Actually, the legal status of the resort has changed numerous times and it’s currently state bankruptcy court.
Although the local residents pulled off a miracle and had the ski runs open on December 20, 2010, with service from the Canoe Grill and Seven Devils Pub, that too will end in April. The Crane Creek Market is closed, the unfinished lodge is shrink-wrapped to protect it from the elements, and the small businesses that had sprung up to serve the newcomers are closed. Ironically, my family skied at the resort, attended concerts, zipped on the zip line, ate at the pub and the gourmet restaurant. We knew people who purchased the expensive condos and homes. We shopped at the only grocery in the county where you could purchase fresh fish, wild mushrooms, and good brie. And now it’s gone, all gone.
What does that mean? It means we’ll ski Brundage, which I much prefer; it means we’ll bring hard to find items from Boise; it means we’ll frequent the other restaurants in the valley; it means we’ll hang out with our friends at home like we used to; if there’s gourmet, we’ll cook it. We’ll go boating in peace and quiet; I’ll only have to dust once a day thanks to the decrease in cars on the gravel road. We’ll attend the summer concerts at Brundage, less expensive and no one cares if you bring your camera or wine. Oh, and maybe, our taxes will return from the stratosphere…or not.
This is not a good time for Valley County. It may even be worse than when the Boise Cascade mill closed in 2001. There’s high unemployment, declines in sales, foreclosures, like so many other places in the country. But the demise of Tamarack is not really tied to the economic downturn. It’s more because it wasn’t destined to be, not in this place, not at this time. There’s nothing I dislike more than having to acknowledge nay-sayers, but maybe those who said transportation to the area wasn’t adequate, who said the length of time it would take to become profitable would be too long to sustain with the investments available, who said in the long run it wouldn’t have the cache of competing resorts, were right.
Ok, so maybe I didn’t personally cause the failure of the resort. But, except for the impact on the local economy, I’m not be heartbroken either. Hmmm, I mused, I wonder what my reaction will be if Tamarack ever rises from the snow ashes?
Marylee's Musings 