Ginn Brings In New Management

It seems Ginn's presence will be felt a little less around Burke Mountain. The Florida real estate developer announced recently that they would be handing over management and development operations of Burke Mountain to another firm. Ginn has never been known for its ski resort development, they have always focused on the sunnier side of real estate. However, Crave Real Estate, is just the opposite. A Montreal based company led by Lorne Bassel, their focus is mainly four season mountain resorts. Unlike Ginn, Bassel's team is well versed in this type of cold weather development. Bassel was former executive vice president of Intrawest Corporation, and considered a leading expert in the creation of village centered resorts. He has led development at Whistler-Blackcomb, Mammoth, Tremblant, and even left his imprint on Vermont with Stratton Mountain Resort. The question many are asking is whether Ginn is taking steps to permanently relieve themselves from Burke, or if this is a genuine attempt to call in expert help. It is no secret that Ginn has had financial problems in the past. They have handed over management of two their other resort communities in Florida, and had to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy on others. Tim Mcguire, Ginns Vice President for Development at Burke, has reassured everyone that this in fact is good news, and that now is the perfect time to bring Crave's expertise to the development table. They expect to move forward with Act 250 permits and plan to reassess the scope of the project in the near future.