The Forum has been contacted by a few different people in the West End who have expressed concern that the Rimrock Hotel has been purchased by Tel-Ski, the Telluride Ski Resort, for the purpose of housing seasonal employees.
The Forum contacted Sherri Reeder, of Revale and who works in the offices of Tel-Ski, to determine the truth of the rumor. Reeder told the Forum by email on Dec. 4 that it was unfounded.
Still, the Forum has received additional messages on the matter and made a phone call to Reeder’s office.
“It’s just not true,” Reeder told the Forum last week. “They can see if it’s sold. … No, we are not purchasing the Rimrock Hotel.”
Reeder said it’s true that Tel-Ski owns the Back Country Inn in Norwood, but she said that is not for year-round housing for employees. She said the hotel operates as a hotel, but there are mobile homes in the back of the building that can be used for employee housing.
“We would put an employee in a hotel room, but so far we haven’t had that need,” she said.
The Forum contacted Chris Carter, whose family owns the Rimrock Hotel, as well as Blondie’s of Naturita. Carter very politely said he had no comment at this time about the hotel and its status.
The Forum additionally contacted the realtor who has the listing of the hotel, Twyla Righter. Righter confirmed the hotel is under contract, but she cannot reveal who’s purchasing it. According her, what she can say is that it’s an out-of-state company making the purchase and that it’s set to close in the spring of 2025.
“(Tel-Ski is) not the buyer,” she said. “It’s not anyone local.”
Righter said the property was listed at $1.6 million; she cannot disclose the actual selling price. She said the hotel had been on the market two to three months.
Initially, there was another buyer, a nonprofit that is more local to the area, but Righter said that deal fell through.
Now, she said she believes the current sale will be a benefit to the West End community.
“I think it will be great,” she said. “I think it will be good for the local town.”
She added she believes the buyers are those who recognize the value in this part of western Colorado.
She also said she understands how rumors start and spread in small towns. Even in Montrose, where the majority of her transactions take place, she said people talk there too, but they’re often wrong.
The new Goodyear building near Wal-mart? Folks mistakenly thought it was going to be an Ulta, the makeup and beauty store franchise. The new hospital addition by Target? People had a variety of guesses, but none of those were true either.
Righter cannot say whether the hotel will remain a hotel or not. She wants to respect all parties in the real estate contract process. She doesn’t want to “stir the pot” or have anything “blowing up the deal.”