McLear selected for Gunstock Area Commission

GILFORD — Developer Rusty McLear is the newest member of the panel that manages Gunstock Mountain Resort.

The Belknap County Legislative Delegation selected McLear for the position on the Gunstock Area Commission on Monday after he described his vision for the ski area, including the possibility of building a hotel.

“I always thought it could be a more interesting area,” McLear said. “I think Gunstock has a lot of attributes that have never been taken advantage of. I'd like to see it if we could make it a more important small ski area.”

McLear said a hotel at Gunstock would bring more people into the region and would be good as well for other businesses in the region.

He also thinks food services could be improved.

“There are ski areas where you can get lamb or veal, really good food on the mountain, not hamburgers for $12.50,” he said.

The delegation selected McLear over retired investment officer Randy Haas. Both applied for a vacant seat on the five-member commission for the county-owned resort.

In February, Steve Nix resigned from the panel, citing increased business and family demands. The commission is involved in a master planning process that will help determine the future of the property.

The delegation also authorized for Gunstock a revenue anticipation note of up to $1 million, essentially a line of credit.

Gunstock President and General Manager Tom Day said in an interview Tuesday that the idea of a ski-in and ski-out hotel has been in discussion.

Warm beds at a ski area could capture a variety of new customers, he said.

“Could we get groups to come here mid-week?” he asked. “Could we have a small conference facility with meeting rooms that we can fill up with groups?

“We have things like tubing and the mountain coaster, things for non-skiers to do.”

In such a scenario, Gunstock would retain ownership of the land and possibly have a hotel company operate the lodging facility.

Day, who once worked for McLear in running the Hooksett rest stops, said his old boss knows a lot about what it takes to make a success out of a hotel.

“He knows the hurdles in running them, and how to manage them and what you do and don’t do,” he said.