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CONCORD, NH — The Republican controlled Gunstock area commission — including NH GOP State Reps Mike Sylvia, Norm Silber, and Gregg Hough — forced the resignations of the entire management team of the Gunstock resort this week, causing the immediate closure of the park and confusion among local communities impacted by the sudden shutdown.
Much like the defunding of the Croydon school district, this shutdown was caused by Free State Project Republicans attempting to dismantle yet another New Hampshire institution with no regard for the impact on the broader community. Far-right Republicans drove out management in a months-long process aimed at taking greater control of the resort. During a public comment period at commission meeting, local residents speculated this could be an attempt at self enrichment by members of the Republican commission, who may stand to benefit if the resort is sold to a private resort company.
Read more below:
WMUR: Gunstock Adventure Park closes until further notice after management team resign — But (General Manager Tom Day) said managers felt they had to resign because of what he called the overreach of the Gunstock Area Commission, a five-member board appointed by the Belknap County delegation "The biggest problem we had, we feel that we deal with everything with honesty, integrity and respect with our staff," Day said. "We asked to be treated that way also. We don't feel as though that was happening. They also said they had the right to come in and do what they wanted."
Laconia Daily Sun: 'Nuclear option': Gunstock management team resigns — Rep. Norm Silber is the only member of the delegation who refused to sign a pledge not to privatize or lease the resort. Silber has gone on record and even written The Daily Sun advocating for the leasing of the property to a private entity.
NHPR: Mass resignations don't cool tempers in Gunstock Mountain management feud — The mountain’s defenders - including many local residents who said Gunstock’s offerings had improved markedly over the years - said the push for reform was politically motivated and driven by misinformation.
Boston Globe: New Hampshire theme park closed ‘temporarily’ after mass resignation — In the wake of these resignations, the park’s middle management pushed to suspend operations, the statement said — apparently contradicting the desires of the commissioners, who the statement said preferred a “business-as-usual” approach.
Union Leader: Gunstock is idled after top managers' resignations — Made up of the county’s members in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, the all-Republican delegation is headed by Rep. Mike Sylvia of Belmont, an acknowledged Free Stater.
NBC Boston: Gunstock Mountain's Adventure Park Closes — Gunstock General Manager Tom Day told The Laconia Daily Sun that the mass resignation, which he characterized as the "nuclear option," was made because the Gunstock Area Commission was moving to take greater day-to-day control of the resort, which is a financially independent organization under the commission's management.