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Mahoning commissioners hear about dilapidated Ponderosa Park
TweetYOUNGSTOWN — A neighbor complained today to the Mahoning County commissioners concerning blight at Ponderosa Park, a closed former Goshen Township country music destination and resort the county is foreclosing on for $83,370 in delinquent taxes.
Todd Hartman, of Salem-Warren Road, said the back of the 3,800-seat main concert pavilion in the 340-acre park has collapsed; electric power lines are down; litter lies everywhere; and a headless deer carcass has been rotting for months in the front yard. “It looks like a war zone,” he said of the park.
All the mature trees, some up to 3 feet in diameter, have been logged and harvested, he added. “Who authorized this?” And where did the money go?” he asked.
County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains urged Hartman to call the county health department and Ohio Edison to the park on state Route 45 just north of Salem.
A spokesman for Ponderosa Park Resort Inc. of California, a listed defendant in the foreclosure action, could not be reached for comment.
Comments
it's a shame what has happened to the resort. i never did understand why it stopped making money and had to be closed. it was a fun place to go to hear some great music. casual, down-home, really nice. too bad it's become just another area eyesore.
because randy travis and agents charged 80000 for a show, you can't charge people that much for such a small venue. in the old days it was 320 bucks for a season ticket, 20 shows, some small, local, some johnny cash. i miss you tom pauly, you had the schizzle
Maybe the fact that the Mahoning County has lost 100,000 jobs over the past 30 years has something to do with people not being able to afford the shows anymore and it's closing? Just keep voting for the Democrats and the job losses will continue. Right now 1/3 of Youngstown is nothing but abandoned buildings!
The fall of Ponderosa Park has nothing to do with the Democrats or Randy Travis or any entertainer who played there. The park closing is the result of greed of the owners of All Season Resorts, Ray and Marlese Novelli. Twenty five years ago their park system had over 75 parks where members could camp, many were full time RVers. These people raised dues, lowered services and pocketed their profits rather than turn them back into the system the keep it updated and desirable. I was a member of Ponderosa Park for 20 years. The park has gradually become a shambles. Dues increase by 200% and the open season decreased from year round to 5 months per year. Tom Pauly was run out and the shows stopped, he truly kept them going and was making money. Ponderosa was a great place for weekenders, vacationers and full time members who spent their summers there. Thanks to the Novellis, there are now only 3 parks in the system that are active and numerous are in bankruptcy court. By the way, I am still being billed for my membership to the now defunct park. I wonder if a bankruptcy judge would be interesed in that! What a great bunch of people own and operate this system.