Arrowmont: Property Status Report

Arrowmont yesterday posted an update regarding the ONGOING property negotiations. The last deal may have fallen through,  but as Save Arrowmont has stated previously, Arrowmont is NOT off the hook. The land and everything on it remains for sale. The fact the Fraternity wouldn’t extend the current lease only underscores this fact. Luckily, Arrowmont seems to have several very serious and solid offers for land/buildings/SUPPORT since relocation seems inevitable. Hopefully, Arrowmont leadership will act swiftly and take advantage of the goodwill and genuine community support from outlying areas. Three years is a very short time to move an entire small village.

 

December 15, 2008

Arrowmont Property Status Report

Many of our friends have been asking about Pi Beta Phi Fraternity’s plan to sell the property leased by Arrowmont. The Fraternity has withdrawn from the original negotiation so there is no sale imminent, but we understand that it is still their intention to sell the land at some point in the future. The Fraternity has title to the land and it appears that Arrowmont does not have anything other than our lease to secure our position on the property. With this in mind, we are moving forward on several fronts.

• Our current lease expires in August 2011 and the Fraternity is not willing to extend the lease at this time. We are investigating the possibility of purchasing the land. This requires that we determine the value of the property and whether Arrowmont can gather the necessary financial support from public and private sources to make an acceptable offer to the Fraternity.     

• At the same time, we are looking at the possibility of relocating the School. Several individuals and organizations have expressed interest in having Arrowmont in their communities. We are evaluating every location and considering the ramifications and financial commitment that will be needed to move.

As you can imagine, both of these scenarios are complicated and challenging. Staff, board members and community friends are working hard to gather information that will help inform our decisions. This process will continue until we have enough data to make a recommendation that we believe will ensure the future stability and success of the organization.

One thing we are NOT considering is closing the school. We are committed to continuing workshops, community classes, auctions, and gallery exhibitions, as well as all of our other programs.

Many people have asked what they can do to help. The best way that you can help is by taking a class or suggesting to a friend that they take one. If you are a faculty member, donate a work to a summer scholarship auction. Make a gift to the Friends of Arrowmont Annual Fund. We need your financial support now to stay strong as we operate through this crisis, evaluate our options, and to cover the fees and expenses of our planning. The gift you make now will make sure that we are ready to move forward when the time comes.

Thank you for all the care and commitment. We feel your passion for Arrowmont and are deeply moved by your desire to do something. We share your concern that there is no immediate resolution, but please know that we are working diligently to make the very best plan we can for Arrowmont’s future. Keep those cards and calls coming. We want to know what you are thinking and answer your questions. We will keep updating the website as new information becomes available.

David Willard
Executive Director