Leelanau County seeking stimulus funds for Sugar Loaf purchase

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that Leelanau County officials are seeking federal stimulus funds to buy & upgrade Sugar Loaf Mountain:

“For the residents of Leelanau County, this is one of their prime issues, especially in the business community,” said David Shiflett, a county commissioner and chairman of the county’s brownfield redevelopment authority board.

The brownfield board and other county agencies are asking for $10.5 million under the state’s allotment of the stimulus package to purchase the resort and a supporting wastewater treatment facility, parcels now owned by separate parties. They’d make upgrades, then offer the combined property for sale with public financing and other incentives.

“We don’t want to be in the ownership position for very long at all … the goal is to incentivize it so it allows private development to get involved, take control and be profitable,” Shiflett said.

Be sure to read the rest and check out more Sugar Loaf news from Leelanau.com.