Lemmons said developers had at one time discussed the possibility of having the ski resort built in Bartow County a few years back but then switched directions and looked at building on a site in Dawson County.
She said state Rep. Paul Battles, R-Bartow, is supporting legislation to help provide tax incentives to developer Steve Winters and others who wish to bring major tourism projects to the state.
House Bill 1239, or the Georgia Tourism Job Creation Act, introduced by state Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, would provide a temporary 25 percent sales tax incentive to developers if it passes in the state House and Senate. The bill remains in the House Ways and Means committee after a second reading.
The proposed ski resort would be built on 750 acres of private property in the Red Top Mountain area. It would also include restaurants, stores and hotel facilities for guests.
Developer Steve Winters told WSB-TV on Thursday the facility could also be used to host winter sports competitions and it would be four times larger than Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort in the United Arab Emirates.
Previous plans on the SRW International Web site, the development company behind the proposed project, called for a 400-acre site in Dawson County called The Falls at Lanier Highlands that would include a 2,500-foot long, 300-foot drop ski slope along with 800,000 square feet of retail space, four hotels, 30 restaurants and two full-sized regulation National Hockey League-sized ice rinks.
Plans put forth before state legislators included the idea of water skiing on Allatoona Lake by day and snow skiing on the indoor slopes by night.
Bartow County Commissioner Clarence Brown said the proposal could mean jobs for area residents.
“Its 2,000 jobs, that’s what it does (for us),” he said.
Brown said if the development were built it would provide tax revenues for both Bartow and the state government.
“Look at the piece of property,” he said. “It’s not bringing in a whole lot of money right now. You’re not getting anything from it now so it’s not costing anyone anything to do a 25 percent sales tax incentive.”
Lemmons said she didn’t think the governor would sign the legislation into law if it passes the House and the Senate, but is still hopeful about the possibilities.
“Obviously any project that wants to come to Northwest Georgia and specifically Bartow County we’ll do everything within our capabilities to match that opportunity up with local resources,” she said.
Greater Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Lisa Smith said the development, if built, would be good for Rome.
“Any time a new product is built that close of a proximity will impact us in a positive way, especially a product of this nature that will be attractive to such a diverse audience — families, seniors, couples and single.”
A proposal to build an indoor ski slope on Red Top Mtn smacks of scam artist....
Here's how you do it. Find a small time government that is desparate to create "jobs" and 'opportunity". Pitch a crazy idea to a govt official who stands to personally profit from the scheme. Get the locals to "lend" you a sackful of money on the hopes of creating "jobs". Once the money hits your bank account.....declare bankruptcy and dissappear with all the tax money that was loaned to you.
It's like stealing candy from babies.
Why would any self respecting skier or knuckledragging snowboarder waste money, time, and a whole day of their life going to a redneck riviera full of toothless, mouthbreathing inbreds that have never seen snow before, unless for nothing more than entertainment purposes? Wait, we got a place like that up in Mentone. Any minimum wage for employees? That means college kids working through school, or uneducated workers doing laborious chores. You can bet your lift ticket, there won't be any homers working the front desk or giving ski lessons. That money will go to the foreigners that this landwrecker, I mean developer, will hire from his own country.
Get your heads out of Uranus!
The location -great- 5 million underserved Atlantans within a 90 minute drive (one of the largest snow ski clubs in the US is based out of Atlanta), an overnight destination location, an available workforce, good/great infrastructure, and the traffic down I-75 is HUGE!. The location is well positioned as a stopping point on the drive down and back from Orlando taking advantage of the millions of pass-thrus that occur every year.
The financials are very strong and the project will thrive with properly designed, implemented and supported marketing programs. Tourism is the #2 industry in Georgia, and substantial projects like this give us one more thing to talk about.
It is a year-round industry that allows for fulltime employment (with seasonal peaks) and would be a great marketing partner for Fortune 500 companies that office in the Atlanta area already.
This type of project, developed efficiently and managed properly, is a home run......
Will we get to write our name in yellow in the snow?
That type of facility usually brings hotels and restaurants to the adjacent areas too. Sounds like jobs to me, not just construction but employees for all the facilities.
Sounds like some jealousy by some for not thinking of it or being able to afford it...
Scared maybe that they won't allow show boarders?
If the money can build it, the skiers can supposrt it.