A billionaire’s best-laid plans to turn a sleepy Wyoming valley into a tourist destination for the wealthy will potentially be delayed for years.
Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts has a long appreciation of the American West, leading him to purchase the 1,300-square-foot Jackson Fork Ranch in Wyoming’s upper Hoback Valley in the late 1990s.
The TD Ameritrade founder, whose family has a net worth of $4.1 billion, is increasingly buying up land in the area around the towns of Bondurant and Hoback as he plans to build a new chic 230,000 square foot resort nearby.
Ricketts broke ground on the project this spring, much to the dismay of longtime residents, but Sublette County officials voted 3-2 last Tuesday to adopt existing wildlife restrictions that will significantly delay construction.
Construction of the planned Upper Hoback Road luxury ski area in Ricketts could take up to six years now that crews are prohibited from doing exterior work between Nov. 15 and April 30, reports said. WyoFile.
Joe Ricketts and his wife Marlene photographed on their Wyoming ranch, which they named Jackson Fork. Ricketts is now trying to cash in on his real estate holdings in America’s least populated state by building a luxury ski resort on his land.
A national conservation agency has called for restrictions to protect moose and elk populations. Steve Christensen, who represented Ricketts, tried to offer concessions at a town meeting last week.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department, a state conservation agency, requested these restrictions to protect moose and elk populations in this area.
Steve Christensen, who represented Ricketts at the Sublette County meeting last week, proposed eliminating seasonal restrictions with some concessions on his part.
These included limiting construction to daylight hours, enforcing a 25 mph speed limit on Upper Hoback Road, and establishing a “wildlife-friendly migration corridor.” across the ranch where construction would be carried out.
Christensen told county commissioners that without restrictions from the Fish and Game Department, construction could be completed in three years instead of six.
Ricketts has been fighting to overturn those seasonal building restrictions since Sublette County approved its 2022 bid to rezone the area where the 64-room retreat will ultimately be built.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Christensen’s argument resonated with Brandon Scurlock, Pinedale’s regional wildlife coordinator for the Fish and Game Department.
“Our typical recommendation is that the best mitigation measure for big game wintering would be compliance with seasonal stip(ulations),” Scurlock said.
“But given all of the mitigation measures proposed by the Jackson Fork Ranch and the shorter duration of the disturbance – three years (versus) six years – I think the overall net impact on wildlife would be reduced by the duration shorter.”
A lodge on the Jackson Fork Ranch, which has been owned by Ricketts since the 1990s
View of a log cabin on a hillside, overlooking the Hoback Basin and facing the mountains of the Wind River Range, Bondurant, Wyoming
Bondurant and Pinedale residents at the meeting were infuriated by Christensen’s plot, with Dan Bailey calling it a “used car salesman approach.”
“Does anyone in this room really believe that after three years, construction will stop?” he said.
“Just a few months ago it was supposed to be done in three years… Now we’re saying, ‘Well, it’s going to take six years.’
Scurlock’s support for the plan ultimately didn’t convince enough county commissioners, meaning Ricketts has until Nov. 14 to wrap up work on the station for 2024.
Ricketts claims residency at his Bondurant ranch, which he is attempting to rename Little Jackson Hole, an obvious attempt to steal notoriety from the ski town of Jackson Hole.
His argument is that if the name were changed to something more recognizable to avid skiers with deep pockets, Bondurant could get a big boost in tourism revenue.
He was so excited about the idea that he invited Bondurant residents in March to a seven-course meal with goody bags so everyone could win them over.
Ricketts has already acquired more than 1,800 acres of land in the area, including White Pine Ski Resort (pictured).
Bondurant residents were invited by Ricketts to a seven-course meal in March with goody bags for everyone. But when Ricketts talked about changing the name of their town to Little Jackson Hole, most people got up and left in protest.
However, at the first mention of the name change, most residents got up and left in protest.
“About 75 percent of the people all got up and left the diner at that point,” said longtime resident Pat Burroughs. “They left the gift bags on the table and just walked out.”
Even though the flashy Ricketts ski resort’s momentum has slowed, residents remain concerned given that it has taken over more than 1,800 acres of land in the area.
More recently, he quietly acquired the historic Haliburton Hotel, which locals suspect bolsters another recent purchase of the White Pine ski resort.
Many believe a similar type of complex could help revive Bondurant, which has seen a steady decline in class sizes at the local school and a litany of hotel, store and restaurant closures.
If Ricketts’ plans succeed, it will likely become the region’s second-largest employer of non-job-related work in volatile sectors such as oil and gas.
He once described the upcoming travel destination as “an upscale resort experience focused on protecting, preserving and appreciating the natural beauty of the Hoback region.”
dailymail us
