By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 August 25th, 2011 Category: Garrett County News, News, Wisp Real Estate, Wisp Ski Resort

Here is a link to the latest article released to the public on the potential sale of Wisp Ski Resort.  The owners of nearby Seven Springs Ski Resort appear to be the most likely candidate to purchase the Wisp. The family that owns Seven Springs also own a majority of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team.

Contrary to any rumors the Wisp Ski Resort is NOT bankrupt and in NO danger of shutting down or closing. In fact, in recent years the Wisp has experienced a record number of skier visits. The current ownership group has actually made the Wisp a year round profitable venture with the addition of new attractions like the mountain coaster and zip line canopy tour. It’s very likely that any new ownership group or the current ownership group will continue to add new attractions and expand the ski slopes at the resort.

The article is a little misleading in blaming “low nearby home sales.” The number of nearby Deep Creek Lake home sales are actually trending upwards - they have been since the end of 2009.  More likely to blame for this potential sale are lower than anticipated building lot sales around the new Lodestone Golf Course atop Wisp Mountain and the high cost to build such a high end 18 hole golf course.

Many people think of the Wisp as one entity but it’s actually comprised of two separate companies - Recreational Industries and DC Development.  Both companies are owned by the same group of people. Recreational Industries is the Wisp Ski Resort and all it’s attractions - ski slopes, lodge, tubing park, and mountain coaster. DC Development is the real estate development company that builds and develops neighborhoods atop Wisp Mountain.

Since 2001, DC Development has been very successful in developing and selling out such neighborhoods and subdivisions atop Wisp Mountain like Boulder Ridge, North Camp, Highline, and Deep Creek Highlands. Those neighborhoods continue to be popular with vacation home buyers in the area.

Wisp Ski Resort will continue to be a huge draw for the Deep Creek Lake area regardless of who owns it. The ski area is a big part and reason why families purchase vacation and second homes in this area. The Deep Creek area is a true four season resort with endless activities and attractions for vacationers and second home owners alike.

If you are interested in pursuing real estate opportunities in the Deep Creek Lake area or at the Wisp Ski Resort please give us a call or stop in our office. We are the local experts and have the largest selection of properties for sale in the area.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 December 3rd, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Garrett County News, News, Wisp Ski Resort

After a week of cold temperatures and snowfall, the Wisp Ski Resort announced today it will be opening for 2010/2011 ski season on Saturday, December 4, 2010. The only trail that will be open the weekend of December 4th and 5th will be Belly Flop and the conveyor carpet. Reduced rate lift tickets of $10 will be available this weekend.

The Wisp expects to have many more trails open and have an official “Grand Opening” on Thursday, December 9th, 2010.

Snowmaking efforts remain in full gear as cold temperatures and more snow are expected over the next several days.

Here is a picture taken today of the Wisp (The Face and Squirrel Cage slopes) from my office - cold and snowy!!

By: Carol Wills cwills@railey.com 571-214-3544 June 30th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Wisp Ski Resort

The newest craze in transportation and touring, offered at Deep Creek Lake’s Wisp Resort are Segway Tours. The Segway is an upright, self balancing people mover. The movie “Paul Blart Mall Cop” featured the Segway and so did the movie “10 MPH”. In the movie 10 MPH, two guys quit their corporate jobs to take a road trip across America on a Segway traveling 10 mph.

My husband Ted has been exploring Deep Creek Lake since 2008, at 12 1/2 mph on a Segway - and folks on the

mountain call him the Segway Man. Ted has logged over 3,000 miles on his 2 personal Segways.

He has been a local consultant for the tours and is in his second year of giving tours each Saturday at Wisp Resort.

What a fun way to explore Deep Creek Lake and support going green!

Basic Tour $39.00 for 1 hour

Advanced Tour $79.00 for 2 hours

For more information call 301-387-4911

www.deepcreeklake360.com highlights places to explore when visiting Deep Creek Lake including lodging, restaurants, shopping, places to hang out and of course the latest in real estate news.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 April 23rd, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, News, Wisp Real Estate, Wisp Ski Resort

The Wisp Ski Resort at Deep Creek Lake recently announced a new attraction. Construction of a Zip-line ride near the Bear Claw Tubing Park is expected to begin shortly and should be open to the public in the summer of 2010. The new attraction is going to be named the Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour.  A Zip-line is basically a pulley on a cable that allows a rider to traverse down an incline using gravity while holding on to a pulley. The riders are attached to the pulley and cable with a safety harness. The new Zip-line, which is very popular in other resort areas, will add to the area’s many other diverse activities and continue to make Wisp a popular year round destination.

Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Course & Wisp Real Estate Update

All 18 holes are now complete. The front 9 opened last fall to play and will re-open again May 1^st of this year. The back 9 holes are scheduled to open in June 2010.  Reviews from golfers who have played the course say its “spectacular”.  The scenery is incredible as some holes feature breathtaking views of Deep Creek Lake. A temporary clubhouse will be set up this summer and Hale Irwin himself will be here on July 10^th for a reception and to play the course. Lodestone is also offering a Trial Use Membership for 2010 (pdf).

All roads are now complete in the Greenbrier subdivisions at Lodestone.  Construction of two new residential houses fronting the golf course is expected to begin shortly.

Including the new golf course home sites, DC Development has developed 540 building lots atop Wisp Mountain since 1994. There is a potential for a total of 2,301 home sites atop Wisp.

Other recent Wisp news and updates;

• The 2009/2010 ski season was very good. The Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County area received record amounts of natural snow. The Wisp reported that skier visits were up about 2% over of the previous winter season. The ski area closed for the season on April 4^th of this year.
• The Mountain Coaster continues to be very popular with tourists and visitors.
• The Wisp plans to continue its annual Easter Sunrise Service. Visitors can ride the chair lifts to the top of the mountain for free and watch the sunrise as Easter services are conducted.

Please contact us if you would like to explore any real estate opportunities at Wisp and the new Lodestone Golf Course - including home sites, building lots, townhomes, or existing houses for sale.

Click Here for all Railey Realty listed Home Sites, Building Lots, Real Estate, and Houses for Sale at Wisp Ski Resort.

(Photo courtesy of D. A. Horchner/Design Workshop)

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 February 12th, 2008 Category: Wisp Real Estate, Wisp Ski Resort

We had a meeting with one of the main real estate developers at Wisp Ski Resort this morning. Here are some of the notes from that meeting and what we can expect to take shape over the next few years;

Signature Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Course

Construction is underway on the golf course and a projected finish date is late 2008 or mid-2009.

• After completion they are also planning on building an outdoor swimming pool and indoor fitness center.
• For a limited time existing Villages of Wisp owners and property owners in the other subdivisions atop Wisp - like Boulder Ridge, Deep Creek Highlands, and North Camp - can purchase a Lodestone Golf Membership. It’s not cheap….a full Lodestone Golf Membership is $40,000 - one half is due now and the other half will be due when the facilities are complete. However, there are options should someone want to transfer their membership in the future.

Why should think about buying one if you already own a property at Wisp? Well, in a nutshell, at some point in the future they will stop offering these memberships AND their will be options to transfer these memberships to a future purchaser. It may make your property more appealing should you ever decide to sell.

Wisp Mountain Village

• In late 2008 or early 2009 they plan to start their next residential building phase. It was reported it will consist of about 130 single family units - probably town homes of some sort.
• In 2009 they also plan to start construction on an Alpine Club and Skier Services building.
• This will be followed by additional residential buildings, a spa, general store, boutique retail, and other restaurants.

Ridge Run Town Homes

• These units are nearly identical to the Kendall Camp town homes.
• Two units per building - all are end units.
• They will be located next to Chair #7 right beside the new slopes in North Camp.
• Non-binding reservations are being accepted now and they will probably release the units for sale at the end of March, 2008.

Skiing in 2007/08

• The new Polecat snowmaking machines were placed on Squirrel Cage which allows them to make snow at a higher temperature than in years past.
• There is a 5 year plan to replace all snowmaking equipment on the mountain.
• Wisp Resort is officially “green” now. Recycling bins are everywhere.
• Inter-connecting trails will be built after the golf courses are completed.

For how warm this winter has been thus far, the Wisp has done an incredible job making snow and keeping their entire mountain open. While other eastern resorts such as 7-Springs and even Killington have had trouble holding events their have been no such problems at Wisp. This is due primarily to the Wisp’s ability to draw water out of Deep Creek Lake to make snow and also investing in the latest and greatest snowmaking equipment.

Remember we can assist you with any property currently for sale at Wisp - whether it’s one of their new projects and releases like the ones mentioned above or a resale property. Please don’t hesitate to contact us about any property for sale at Wisp. We invest quite a bit of time staying abreast of the current happenings atop the mountain to better assist our clients.