Frank Adams, a longtime skier and homeowner at Burke Mountain, is taking action
Frank Adams, a longtime skier and homeowner at Burke Mountain, is taking action to protect the future of the 270-acre ski resort he loves. After 26 years of skiing at Burke and residing there since 2017, Adams has launched an online petition urging a Florida judge to expedite the sale of the resort. It had received over 340 signatures as of Friday evening. Adams, 53, and other concerned community members believe that Michael Goldberg, the court-appointed receiver managing Burke Mountain, has failed to maintain the resort’s value or sell it in a timely manner. “The mountain is really falling into disrepair, and the value is going down,” Adams said. “I’m worried about them grinding it into the ground.” Goldberg, of Florida, was appointed as the federal receiver for Burke Mountain and Jay Peak in 2016 when the SEC charged former owner Ariel Quiros and manager Bill Stenger with running a Ponzi-like scheme and misusing $200 million raised from EB-5 investors. Jay Peak was sold in 2022 for $76 million. However, efforts to select a bidder for Burke Mountain have not been successful. The petition was drafted after a Jan. 19 meeting of the Burke Mountain Homeowners Association, attended by about 130 of the 230 homeowners. Many attendees expressed frustration over a lack of information from Leisure Hospitality, the management company hired by Goldberg. Over its 90-plus years, Burke Mountain has faced numerous financial challenges, including seven ownership changes, three bankruptcies, and finally, seizure by the SEC. Adams hopes that a speedy sale will stabilize Burke Mountain and position it for a brighter future.