The most popular Glen Arbor Sun story of 2014 was an investigative article in February that featured a proposed canopy air walk in Kasson Township, near Burdickville, that never materialized. Local opposition to Mark Evan’s “air walk” was nearly unanimous, and passionate. Our story attracted thousands of views, and 55 comments.
Who’s to blame for the 20-month delay in transferring the title of Sugar Loaf resort from former owner Kate Wickstrom back to “new” owner Remo Polselli? Wickstrom received a contract back in March 2013 to transfer the deed.
Last week the Leelanau County Register of Deeds office received documents from a title company in Troy to record the deed transfer for Sugar Loaf resort. But Register of Deeds Dorothy Miller reportedly found errors in the paperwork, including discrepancies between Kate Wickstrom’s signatures in the documentation from March 2013 and now. The signatures may have been forged. Miller confirmed that, as of today, the deed to Sugar Loaf has not been transferred.
Here’s a quick timeline of events surrounding Sugar Loaf since the resort reemerged in the headlines last September. Below that you’ll also find a list of major questions that remain about Sugar Loaf and its ownership.
Nearly a month after his much anticipated visit and inspection of Sugar Loaf resort on Feb. 5, Leelanau County inspector Steve Haugen has published the official violation report in the form of a letter he mailed both to former owner Kate Wickstrom and to current owner Remo Polseli (through his company, Rock Investment Advisors, LLC).
In a rare and extensive interview with the Glen Arbor Sun today, Remo Polselli admitted that he is the owner of Sugar Loaf resort, through his share in Rok Investments LLC. Polselli did not specify the extent of his ownership, or who else is involved in the corporation, but added that Liko Smith has no — nor has had any — part of Rok Investments.
Leelanau County code inspector Steve Haugen entered and inspected the lodge at Sugar Loaf on Wednesday, Feb. 5, without the presence of the long-shuttered ski resort’s owners, former owners or wanna-be owners. Realtor John Peppler, who lists Sugar Loaf for $8.7 million, accompanied Haugen, as did County administrator Chet Janek for part of the 3.5-hour tour.
The Glen Arbor Sun has learned, through confidential sources, that former Sugar Loaf owner Kate Wickstrom transferred the ownership deed over the long shuttered resort to Remo Polselli in March 2013. Polselli — a hotelier and convicted felon — signed an Indemnification & Release Agreement on March 18, as manager of “Rock Investment Advisors”. Wickstrom, who received the transfer agreement via her Traverse City-based attorney Joe Quandt, signed on March 20. Polselli paid legal fees associated with the transfer.
Eneliko Sean “Liko” Smith, the enigmatic West Coast hotelier and self proclaimed “extreme sport entrepreneur” who has left a trail of dubious business transactions in his wake, is once again bidding for Sugar Loaf, the long shuttered ski resort in Leelanau County.
A breath of fresh air may have descended on Sugar Loaf. Just weeks before snow is likely to fall on the downtrodden Leelanau County ski hill whose chairlifts have sat idle for nearly 12 years, a local resort owner is developing a plan that would open the mountain to cross-country skiing and ice climbing — perhaps this winter.