Keweenaw Mountain Lodge Sold For $1.3 Million

After three years of uncertainty, the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge will soon be a privately owned operation.

At yesterday’s auction, the resort was sold to the highest bidder at just under $1.3 million.

Ownership will change hands in September, and changes to the day to day operations are already being discussed.

“I think the auction went very well today. We had a number of bidders. I think we got a good price for the place,” said Don Piche, who is the Chairman of Keweenaw County Board of Commissioners.

The lodge has been owned and operated by the county, who acquired a federal debt in years past, but with yesterday’s sale, that debt will be forgiven.

Piche said, “The federal government insisted that we list it here about a year ago. We listed it for 6 months and we didn’t have any takers. At that time we decided to put it up for auction.”

That decision came after two potential buyers withdrew their intent to purchase. One because of a historic preservation easement that conflicted with their business plan, and the other for undisclosed reasons.

Although the past six months have not generated any more serious buyers, the auction setting drew a crowd of more than 200 bidders and spectators, and after 30 minutes, John Lamb, of Corpus Christi, Texas is the proud new owner. Tentatively speaking, of course, there is a 45 day due diligence period.

Piche said, “That’s when the final pay off of the business will take place. Then the new owner takes over. I haven’t talked with him in depth yet. I don’t know what he’s going to do after that, but for right now the county will run it until September 10th.”

Along with the historic easement, Lamb would also be required to honor existing reservations through the end of this season.

Lamb said, “My plans are to hopefully keep it open year round. So there’s going to need to be some changes and upgrades made so that we’ll be able to keep it open year round. I’d like to look at expanding over the next couple of years, and really make it nice and do a lot more advertising. My background is in marketing. And to try to build the area and bring in more people.

Yesterday was not his first visit to the lodge. A few months ago, when he learned that it was on the market, it piqued his curiosity.

“My brother and I heard about it from a plumber who stopped by my house in Ontonagon, Michigan, where I also own some property. The plumber told me about the place being for sale. We drove up here and took a look at it. I toured the property and golfed the course, and fell in love with it, and thought it would be a great asset to add to our portfolio,” said Lamb.

Now that the purchase has been agreed upon, he is already making plans for community involvement and staffing.

“We’re looking forward to being a positive part of the community and bringing in more people and getting to know everyone around here. I’ll be bringing my son up here to work, and that will be a great thing,” Lamb said.