The former Brodie Mountain ski resort is up for sale, and for a reduced price
April 1, 2022
NEW ASHFORD — If there’s anybody in the market for an iconic ski resort that has been closed for nearly two decades, now’s the time to make your move.
The former Brodie Mountain ski resort, home of the legendary St. Patrick’s Day celebration with green ski slopes, leprechaun costumes and rowdy parties in the Blarney Room, went up for sale a few months ago.
The 500-acre parcel was initially listed for $2.7 million, according to Mitchell B. Muroff, real estate broker for Muroff Hospitality Group of Newton. Since then the price has been reduced to $1.95 million, which comes to about $3,800 per acre, with a number of interested parties inquiring about the property.
“There is huge interest in Brodie from a great number of people from around the country and locally, especially at that listed price,” Muroff said. “For the price of a high-end condo, you could buy the entire mountain.”
He said a variety of uses are possible for the parcel, including outdoor activities like cross-country skiing, snow tubing, zip lines, mountain biking and hiking. Also possible are vacation homes, condominium development, or timeshares.
A deed restriction on the property precludes the possibility of another commercial downhill ski area, but that still leaves room for a lot of other outdoor activities.
Muroff said that his agency has been chosen by the current owner, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, to market the property.
“This unique property is being offered as a prime residential development site or for snowboarding, cross country skiing, zipline, ATV, adventure park, glamping or more,” states the property sale website.
The former Brodie Mountain Ski Resort is up for sale again. Old, rusting chair lifts still sit idle, frozen in time as they wind their way up the overgrown slopes.
SCOTT STAFFORD — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
Having opened in 1964 under the ownership of James Kelly, the mountain finally closed in 2002, with new owner Jiminy Peak hosting a snow tubing attraction until 2007, under the site’s new name “Snowy Owl Resort.” At its peak, Brodie hosted roughly 150,000 ski visits in one season.
Since then, the main lodge, which housed the notorious Blarney Room, has been demolished. Most of the other structures, including the Children’s Center and The Canteen, still stand, although they are open to the elements and showing clear signs of deterioration and vandalism inside and out.
Several unmoving chair lifts still haunt the slopes, windswept, empty and rusting through the harsh winters.
This aerial view of Brodie Mountain shows the layout of the now vacant ski resort.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE NEW ENGLAND LOST SKI AREAS PROJECT
The website for the property notes that the main mountain had three chairlifts, with one serving the summit. A shorter double chairlift and a pair of rope tows served novice terrain at the base. The vertical drop was 1,250 feet, making it one of the largest New England ski areas ever to close.
The trail map in 1968 showed the layout of the mountain then, with 2 chairlifts, 2 T-bars, 3 rope tows, and night skiing. It was known as the largest night skiing area at the time.
According to the website, the parcel is assessed at a value of $1.38 million.