By Brian E. Bassett

“The housing market is booming phenomenally,” said Ron Aldom, executive director of the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce. “Some resort housing developments are selling out before they’re even completed.”

Seven Springs Mountain Resort, located in Champion, Pennsylvania, is touted as the state’s largest ski and year-round resort and was rated No. 1 in the mid-Atlantic region by readers of SKI magazine. Seven Springs is within 200 miles of Baltimore, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Washington D.C., and can be easily reached from the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

“The Lodge at Southwind (at the top of the slopes at Seven Springs) will have magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and all of the luxuries and charm discerning vacationers have come to expect in a great escape,” said Greg Spearn, director of real estate. “The Lodge is the latest example of our ongoing investment in making Seven Springs a sensational destination for all seasons.”

Another development at Seven Springs is the 200-acre gated neighborhood of Pheasant Run, located across from the main entrance, offering four- to 12-acre home sites.
“The economy is great and the economic future looks great,” said Aldom. “New companies have located here, but the only negative is we can’t fill enough of the vacancies in hospitality, manufacturing and mining – even with training offered and the promise of family-sustaining wages.
“People may not realize the employment availability. Companies are producing as fast as they can at this point and it is a boon to the local economy, but companies can’t expand without more labor. At the same time the unemployment rate is going down, we are hoping to attract more people to come and work here.

“A good winter benefits the entire county. It’s not just about the resorts – it impacts by the ‘trickle-down’ of money benefiting restaurants and all other businesses in the community.”
In addition to expanding the resort and remodeling the hotel (while it remains open) “Seven Springs is pretty well-known by skiers and conventioneers. A new slope was added this year and skiing areas will continue to expand, but plans are underway to expand other facilities and activities,” said Bob Duppstadt, Seven Springs Mountain Resort manager of marketing and public relations.

“An optimistic summer season runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There are plans to build an indoor/outdoor water park that will give tourists something extra to do in the winter. Additional summer activities will include wine and food festivals, crafts, and autumn festivals during the last four weekends in October, hay rides and scenic rides to enjoy the area and foliage.”
Aldom outlined some major projects on the horizon for the county.

• Opening of the Flight 93 National Historic Memorial in two years. This should bring in anywhere from one-quarter to one-half million visitors. There are already an amazing number of tourists who come to view the grounds, but this will expand when the memorial is officially open.
• Improve the transportation system by completing the Route 219 highway project from the Borough of Somerset to I-68 in northern Maryland.

• Begin construction of the Que-Pipeline project. “Water is a key to development and the county is 100 percent behind this project. This is infrastructure in the purest sense.” A pipeline will bring water from Quemahoning Lake to the Borough of Somerset eventually, but it will initially run from the northwest to the southwest part of the county. State and federal money is coming in and construction is scheduled to start in the very near future.

• Completion of the Somerset County leg of the Allegheny Highlands (bicycle) Trail later this year.
“ Recreation comes first and economic development comes second,” said Aldom. “Somerset County is a very rural ‘pocket community.’ Meyersdale, Confluence, Windber, Jennerstown and the Borough of Somerset all have some kind of initiative underway to revitalize – to provide services and expertise to put some life-blood into the communities.” ~PBC