01/25/08 — The Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park plan to open — at minimum — Camperland, the boat docks and the Beach Club this year. However, Chairman Jack Moyers cautions, there can be no guarantee that will happen.

The ongoing financial problems which have plagued the 117-year-old amusement park — which failed to open last year — still exist, but trustees are attempting to get those three entities open and are now accepting reservations for them.

In 2007, Camperland and the approximately 30 docks were open all season, although the amusement park didn’t open. The Beach Club, a popular bar, was open from mid-August until the end of October. Although Moyers didn’t mention the beach, it was open for swimmers last year as well, but there was no lifeguard on duty.

Camperland, the recreational vehicle park across Route 618 from the park, offers both electric and non-electric sites as well as cabins for rentals.

In November, the trustees had sought proposals for leasing or developing portions or all of the park — and received five or six.

Moyers said Thursday that after a panel of three professional planners reviewed the various proposals received, the trustees didn’t accept any of the proposals. Plans are to go out for new proposals for leasing or developing all or part of the park in the near future.

“We have several different opportunities for future development,” Moyers said, noting trustees are working to do what they can to ensure the park’s future.

One area of work has been on the park’s water system. He noted the trustees are working with Jeff Davenort, president of Lake Properties Inc. — which is constructing Snow Waters Harbor Village and Golf Course, a $60 million townhouse complex near the lake and about a mile north of the park — for that complex to become a customer of the park’s water system.

He said work is being done to ensure the park doesn’t lose a federal grant to reduce the arsenic level in the water. When the water negotiation with Snow Waters is complete, it will bring another source of revenue to the park.

In addition, Moyers said a review of the accounts receivable from water customers shows some have bills dating back for many years.

The board also plans to increase the rate for “seasonal” customers who have been paying at reduced rates but are using the water year-round.

The park’s water system includes 110 customers of nearby homes, some of seasonal residents and others to year-round residents.

The board also is in the process of competing the park’s income tax reports for 2005 and 2006 and then will do 2007’s. The trustees took control of the park in July of 2007 after former court-appointed manager LeRoy Stearns resigned after serving for 2005 and 2006 after a request to sell 3.3 acres of land to have the money to pay down the approximate $2.7 million debt and open the park was denied.

While there has been some talk from others about “breaking the trust,” and allowing the park to be sold, Moyers said the trustees aren’t part of any such discussions.

The park was declared a charitable trust by the courts and, as such, must have court approval for any change in the assets.



EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY

Crawford County’s economy could lose an estimated $14.45 million to $17 million in tourism dollars if Conneaut Lake Park doesn’t open in full this year.

That’s based on 2007 statistics from the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Although the park was closed in 2007, it had gross revenues of $2.36 million in 2006.

Economists say each dollar spent will turn over seven times throughout the community. It moves through the economy as businesses buy supplies and goods from other local firms, pay their employees and taxes. Those firms, in turn, buy supplies and goods, pay their employees and taxes. It pushes the $2.36 million figure to as much as $16.5 million.

When the park didn’t open last year, business owners adjacent to the park said their trade was down between 30 percent and 50 percent. In addition to lost business, that also translates into lost summer jobs.

—Jane Smith