Hoodoo Ski Area sold

Chuck Shepard of Coberg, Oregon recently purchased Hoodoo Ski Area for $1.6 million. Shepard is president of Umbrella Properties, Inc., a 25-year-old property development and management firm with 1,500 rental units in Eugene. According to Hoodoo office manager Dan Gruber, the sale was completed May 1, at the beginning of the company's fiscal year. Shepard has changes in store for the ski area, but he said that Umbrella's business operations will be a particularly good connection" with Hoodoo's current campground management program. Hoodoo Recreation Services currently operates 61 campgrounds with approximately 850 campsites in the Deschutes, Willamette and Siuslaw National Forests.

Shepard said that campground revenues make up an estimated one-third of Hoodoo's gross annual income of $1.5 million.

Gruber explained that "(Shepard) plans on going more aggressively after campground bids, especially in the coast area."

According to Gruber, Michael Obymako will remain as General Manager of Hoodoo.

"With any kind of purchase, there will be some consolidating of positions," explained Gruber. "But as of right now (Shepard) doesn't plan on any major personnel changes."

Hoodoo currently employs 12 to 15 year-round, full- time staff, with up to 80 employees during peak ski season, according to Gruber. Umbrella Properties operates with approximately 50 employees.

Shepard said that ski area expansion will begin this summer with the installation of a new quadruple chair ski lift.

"The Hoodoo master plan was approved in 1996 and we are going to accelerate some of the elements (of the plan)," he said.

"We are signing contracts now (for the new lift) and it is supposed to be installed by November 1."

Shepard also plans to expand the Hoodoo lodge and to begin construction for a previously approved 50-space RV park adjacent to the current parking area.

Future plans may include a new sno-park with a lift and a lift-served "terrain park" with a half-pipe and other features for skiers and snowboarders to "do some play things they shouldn't be doing on the (ski) hill," Shepard said.

"I will be a hands-on operator, unlike the previous owners," said Shepard.

Hoodoo Ski Area was formerly owned by a group of investors out of Salem headed by Harvey Fox, according to Shepard.