Allenberry Resort: Pending Auction

[Dave_W]

For many years, the Allenberry Resort and Playhouse in Boiling Springs, PA has allowed public access to fishermen and that stretch of Yellow Breeches Creek is near the top of the most popular fly fishing destinations in PA.

After efforts in recent months to sell the Allenberry resort failed to secure a deal, the Heinz family are selling Allenberry off by auction about a month from now. The future of the site with respect to fishing access and the PA FF Museum remain unknown at this time. There are concerns, rumors, and speculation in the Cumberland Valley fly fishing community. As of now, Cumberland Valley TU and the PA FF Museum are developing contingency plans to re-locate the popular youth camp and museum if this becomes necessary. Fortunately, there are promising options for both in the local area.

In the meantime, nothing is set in stone. A loss of public access would be a real blow to the PA FFing community.
However, it may turn out (fingers crossed) that the new owners will sustain public access and such moves won't prove necessary. We simply don't know, and may not know for awhile.

Will keep you informed.
DW

 

[CVangler]

I am very worried about this. I started fishing on this section of stream and fish it normally on a weekly basis. If this got closed to fishing, it would be extremely sad. I guess we can only hope and pray that the new owners will keep it open.

 

[NJTroutbum]

It would be a huge loss to the fishing community.

 

[Biggie]

Let's hope the guy that buys it doesn't have the last name of Beaver. (Not my relative)

 

[rrt]

I hope not, too. beaver has divested himself of at least 3 properties in central PA that I am aware of, all on wild trout streams that he cannot legally stock. Sadly, a place like Allenberry might appeal to him and his customers. I hope for everyone who likes to fish there that he does not get it.

 

[CRB]

Could be?

 

[CVangler]

Who's Beaver?

 

[ryansheehan]

CVangler wrote:
Who's Beaver?

Oh boy, here we go.......

 

[Dave_W]

It's possible that a purchaser might consider Allenberry as a fishing club.

Frankly, I think this is relatively unlikely as the site has many amenities and buildings - rather beyond a typical fishing resort (although it doesn't have a golf course).
Again, all speculation at this point. Time will tell.

 

[lestrout]

Re: "typical fishing resort (although it doesn't have a golf course). " - I was told the large cornfield adjacent and East of Allenberry was bought in order to create a golf course for Allenberry, I'm sure actually doing so would have involved investing 7 figures and the Heinz's may not have been able to take that next step.

A well heeled bidder could. Keeping the theater operation intact would be wonderful, but that might scare off some bidders who only had expertise with only real estate, financing and hospitality.

 

[NJTroutbum]

If Beaver were to aquire Allenberry, the nausea level would rise to an all new level.

 

[McSneek]

Haven't fished there for a few years now. Don't really care for the stretch of water and the crowds... So is the resort/playhouse no longer in operation? Wasn't aware of that. Doubt the place is going to be scarfed up quickly for any purposes but in the meantime, hopefully fishing access remains.

Little likelihood someone is going to dump money into building a golf course in this day and age. Way too much risk associated with that.

Sadly, that would be a perfect place for a "Beaver type" operation. Easy to wade, not hard to get around the property and could fill it with 24" pellet hogs.

 

[troutbert]

Does the resort property include the land adjacent to the creek on the south side of the creek?

Maybe the PFBC could arrange to buy that land, and have a parking area there.

Which would provide access to the stretch, without anglers parking on, and walking through, the areas with all the resort's buildings and guest activities.

Their guests probably never go on the south side of the stream, so if the new owners sold that land to the PFBC, it would not hurt their resort operations, and the money would help them pay off a portion of their purchase price.

It is very unlikely that the new owners will allow the kind of access the current owners do, i.e. allowing anglers to park in their parking lots, then walk down their access road, past all their guests and their vehicles etc.

If access is to be maintained, someone is going to have to take action.

 

[ryansheehan]

Access is not the problem imo, he would string up no trespassing signs over the water. Not sure what property the resort owns exactly, but put up the no trespassing signs first and asks questions later.

 

[Dave_W]

troutbert wrote:
Does the resort property include the land adjacent to the creek on the south side of the creek?

For the most part, yes.

Agree that PFBC (or some other entity) access to that section/side would be a good outcome.

 

[Bamboozle]

The auction involves two tracts, one is the Allenberry Inn property (approximately 57 acres) that includes the south side of the creek to the RR tracks opposite the Inn. The second tract to be auctioned off immediately following the first, is the 57.9-acre parcel to the east of the Allenberry Inn with frontage on Yellow Breeches Road.

It doesn’t appear that the John & Kathleen Heinz property ON the creek below the second tract is included in any sale but I also don’t know if they let folks fish there anyway because the opposite side of that part of the creek is owned by others.

I don’t know the terms of the auction, but I haven't read anywhere that it is an absolute auction so there must be a minimum bid. I also suspect because the sale involves two tracts, the family may hope to get more than the original asking price but also are prepared for the reality that one tract might NOT sell. A rumor was circulating at the PFFMA Heritage Day event that the family didn’t accept an offer approximately 2 million below the listing price of 6 million so it is anyone's guess what will happen at auction.

The Allenberry Inn property, (which is zoned commercial and selling AS-IS) will require a LOT of work & renovations to make it into anything that would attract enough visitors willing to spend the money required to recoup the investment. The theatre (now closed) and a few weddings isn't going to support the property alone.

The reality is there are a TON of newer, more modern & convenient accommodation in the area than there were even 10 years ago and event venues are a dime a dozen. Even the PFFMA didn’t find it difficult to find a last minute replacement venue for the Fall Fundraising Banquet. Sadly the Allenberry's best days are LONG behind it along with the "country resort" concept.

If that tract doesn’t sell, I have no idea what will happen but I really doubt you will see anything there that will be fishing friendly but who knows. It is only a mile of stream. Would an outfit like “Homewaters” or someone else looking to create a private fishing club even be interested? Forget the PFBC too with that much property, liability and everything else involved for a mile of creek. Heck, we lost access to 8.4 miles of French Creek in Chester County this year and nobody bat an eye.

I guess there is always a chance the zoning could be changed (taxes baby!), the property sells and houses appear which will be the ultimate end to access but again, who knows. What I do know is I will be interested in seeing what happens.

If you have an emotional attachment to that mile of creek, I suggest you fish it soon & often.

As for me, I'm more concerned with the PA Fly Fishing Museum and where our stuff will end up.

 

[JG63]

It would hurt the newly opened fly shop too!

 

[tomitrout]

Just to put your mind at ease, re The Museum....somewhat reliable word on the street I've been hearing is that they have found a second venue as an option/contingency in the event that the 'worst case' plays out with Allenberry. So, we're at least pretty much all confident that the Museum will continue on here in the Cumberland Valley once all the dust settles.

Regarding access to the Breeches....that's pretty much anybody's guess at this point and is pretty much in the hands of the future ownership. If you can think of a possible scenario for the future of the property, then you can pretty much bet that there's already a rumor swirling around out there based upon your thoughts along with all the other options.

At this point, only time will tell....

 

[Bamboozle]

tomitrout wrote:
Just to put your mind at ease, re The Museum....somewhat reliable word on the street I've been hearing is that they have found a second venue as an option/contingency in the event that the 'worst case' plays out with Allenberry. So, we're at least pretty much all confident that the Museum will continue on here in the Cumberland Valley once all the dust settles.

A second location down on Shady Lane has been secured for SOME of the collection and will be realized regardless in August, but the hope was/is the bigger displays like the bulk of the George Harvey & Vince Marinaro could remain at Allenberry.

Nothing has been finalized on that as of yet.

JG63 wrote:
It would hurt the newly opened fly shop too!

Didi you say something about a fly shop? I couldn't get past looking at Veronica!

 

[SteveG]

Situations like this are the reason I think PFBC should spend less on stocking streams, and more on acquiring easements.

As far as fear of houses being built, that's unlikely due to being in a floodplain.