RememberSchiff Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Ninety year old Camp Stigwandish was added to the Lake Erie Council in January 2017. Stigwandish is located in Madison, Ohio and offers over 20 campsites, six cabins, four ranges, a GAGA pit, volleyball court, three lakes, a COPE course, trading post, dining hall, training center, nature center and more. The camp sits on the banks of Mill Creek and is over 300 acres. https://lecbsa.org/stigwandish Lake Erie Council authorized Kiko to auction Camp Stigwandish. The auction is scheduled for May 30 at noon. He (Kiko) also noted that the event is an absolute auction, during which each section of Stigwandish will be sold the highest bidder. There will be no required minimum bids set for the parcels to be sold. As of April 29, no advertisements for the Camp Stigwandish auction have been placed in The News-Herald. The event also did not appear in the Upcoming Auctions section of Kiko’s website. About two months ago, the council announced it would close Camp Stigwandish, based on a financial and operational assessment of its four properties in northern Ohio. https://www.news-herald.com/news/boy-scout-camp-stigwandish-slated-to-be-sold-at-auction-on-may-30/article_656e97b4-8a4b-11ea-ae56-571bc5927b1a.html @TAHAWK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentinel947 Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 2 hours ago, RememberSchiff said: He (Kiko) also noted that the event is an absolute auction, during which each section of Stigwandish will be sold the highest bidder. There will be no required minimum bids set for the parcels to be sold. As of April 29, no advertisements for the Camp Stigwandish auction have been placed in The News-Herald. The event also did not appear in the Upcoming Auctions section of Kiko’s website. Basically a fire sale.... Sold at any price. They must already have a prospective buyer lined up... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 Just now, Sentinel947 said: Basically a fire sale.... Sold at any price. They must already have a prospective buyer lined up... Hope it is not a sweetheart deal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentinel947 Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 16 hours ago, RememberSchiff said: Hope it is not a sweetheart deal. It has to be... how do you sell something if nobody knows it's for sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAHAWK Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) Sweetheart deals have happened in Cleveland. About 2000 acres on a large lake in SE Ohio went for under $200/acre to a company whose management included a former council mid-level employee and close, close friend of the then-SE ( soon to be "retired" for keeping two sets of books). The company was in default for several month's of royalties payments to Council for a couple of gas wells on the property, but what's a little repeated breach of contract between friends?. The plan was to turn the valley part of the property into a landfill. Really inept scammers. The locals went NUTS! The feds went NUTS! (The lake, whose waters ultimately drained into the Muskingum/Ohio/Mississippi, was part of the "Navigable Waterways of the U.S."). The Landfill plan was DOA at the state level and , iirc, was never even presented to the feds to begin the years-long process to obtain approval. Edited May 2, 2020 by TAHAWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 Update: Camp Stigwandish has now been posted on auctioneers website. https://oldsite.kikoauctions.com/?nav=auctions OPEN HOUSE: Saturday - May 23, 2020 – 1:00-3:00 PM REAL ESTATE: Looking for a family hideaway, hunter’s paradise or nature retreat? This is truly a one-of-a-kind property. 281 acres total. Majority gently rolling wooded land. 3 scenic stocked lakes approx. 6 to 9 acres each! Nature trails and Scenic Mill Creek winds through the property. Improvements include a large rustic dining hall with massive 20’ tall stone fireplace. Commercial kitchen with Ansel system, range hood, 3 stainless steel sinks, and 2 walk-in coolers. 7+ small cabins throughout the woods. 40x90 concrete boat storage with 2 OH doors. 40x80 shop/storage bldg. 3-bed, 1-bath home and 3-car detached garage. Several picnic pavilions, shower house, archery range, shooting range. And large gravel parking lot for guests. Approx. 100 acres at rear of property under conservation easement to protect Mill Creek (copy of easement available on request). Many other highlights! Plan to attend the open house on May 23rd from 1:00-3:00 PM. Bring your hiking boots or get a ride on 1 of our ATVs.281 ACRES TOTAL TO BE OFFERED AS FOLLOWS:PARCEL #1: Approx. 145.5 acres all wooded. Main camp entrance, dining hall, parking lot, and small cabins. Scenic Mill with creek conservation protection easement.PARCEL #2: 38.8 acres over half wooded, driveway, stocked lake, 40x90 boat storage bldg., 40x80 shop/storage bldg., small cabins, shower house, timber, and trails.PARCEL #3: 97 acres majority wooded, two large stocked lakes, small cabins, shooting range, trails, hardwoods, and timber.PARCEL #4: 3/4 acre with vinyl sided 1.5 story, 3-bedroom, 1-bath home with LP heat, central AC, and 3-car detached garage.NOTE: Parcels will be offered separate then together and will sell whichever way brings the most. Land is a good investment you can enjoy! Bank financing available to qualified bidders. Camp Stigwandish has been a youth camp for over 90 years. Can’t make the auction? Online bidding is available! Don’t miss this rare opportunity. More details: https://oldsite.kikoauctions.com/?nav=auctions&details=10460 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 What news? Who bought it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 Update 6/1/2020 from Lake Erie Council ...This past Saturday, May 30, 2020, Kiko Auctioneers held that auction on behalf of the Lake Erie Council. The auction resulted in $1,649,700 which was designated by the board to be invested into the remaining council properties or to fund significant programs in the future. These funds ensure that that the goal of those visionary leaders from ninety years ago will continue to live on. Funding future projects is not the only legacy that Stigwandish will leave. Over the past months, groups of volunteers and staff have been dismantling, packing, and moving program equipment, shelters, and memorabilia from Camp Stigwandish to Beaumont Scout Reservation... Lake Erie Council SE Marc Ryan https://lecbsa.org/news/2020/6/2/updates-on-scouts-bsa-resident-camp-and-camp-stigwandish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cburkhardt Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 You heard it here first. Marc Ryan is one of the best young talents in the Scouting profession. He will go far in Scouting and will be one of the people who helps lead us into the new "format" that develops in the post-bankruptcy years. He is a businesslike guy in some respects, but an absolute program enthusiast who inspires he pros and the volunteers around him. I don't know anything about this particular transaction, but reading just the comments in the last few weeks it seems like the post-combination Council needed to right-size the property operation. Good luck to the folks on Lake Erie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David CO Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 I don't think selling off a scout camp should be regarded as a feather in his cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrifty Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 10 hours ago, David CO said: I don't think selling off a scout camp should be regarded as a feather in his cap. I don't have an opinion about Ryan, I guess that's good. No opinion is better than a bad opinion. Stigwandish was a loss but it was inevitable after the local councils merged to create Lake Erie Council a few years ago. It was advertised as the rustic camp for a reason and it's a fifteen minute drive from Beaumont, at that time the only camp of three that was making money. Beaumont will continue to be a convenient camp for the east and Firelands for the west. If I'd had $1.6M laying around I would have gladly bought Stig. "Another conclusion reached by the assessment team is that two of the three camps — Stigwandish and Firelands — have operated at a deficit in recent years." "Combined losses for the camps ranged from a high of $235,000 in 2017, and then improved to a shortfall of $150,000 in 2019." https://www.news-herald.com/opinion/closing-of-camp-stigwandish-makes-financial-sense-but-still-evokes-sadness-editorial/article_672f7296-54d9-11ea-be61-6b9ae4618f38.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cburkhardt Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 My high opinion of Marc is from a few years of working with him elsewhere. He inspired his staff and volunteers in meaningful ways. He has sound overall judgement and does not bring a personal agenda to a council. We need more of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Even so... Points to be made. 1) God ain't making any more real estate. A sold camp will never be a camp again. 2) If in the big swing of things, two successful camps (well used, popular with Scouts, real Scouty programs) are better than three struggling ones, I can accept that. If the reasons for Stig's failure are LEARNED.... 3) How do the local zoning folks feel about it ? 3 acre estates? Club Med on the Erie? Quarter acre duplexes? Mixed Use, planned community like Columbia MD or Greenbelt MD ? Does it front on the big lake? CNG Port ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yknot Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 41 minutes ago, SSScout said: Even so... Points to be made. 1) God ain't making any more real estate. A sold camp will never be a camp again. 2) If in the big swing of things, two successful camps (well used, popular with Scouts, real Scouty programs) are better than three struggling ones, I can accept that. If the reasons for Stig's failure are LEARNED.... 3) How do the local zoning folks feel about it ? 3 acre estates? Club Med on the Erie? Quarter acre duplexes? Mixed Use, planned community like Columbia MD or Greenbelt MD ? Does it front on the big lake? CNG Port ? These camps were often gifted or earned through blood, sweat and tears of prior generations. Their loss is incalculable. Frankly, a better steward would have found a way to make sure the property remained close to its original use. There are plenty of opportunities to work with conservancies, land trusts, or government agencies to recoup some funds but still keep the property accessible to the scouts or the public or at least keep it from being developed. Our scout LNT or OE directives, even if not explicit, should at least encourage our actions in those directions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentinel947 Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 55 minutes ago, yknot said: These camps were often gifted or earned through blood, sweat and tears of prior generations. Their loss is incalculable. Frankly, a better steward would have found a way to make sure the property remained close to its original use. There are plenty of opportunities to work with conservancies, land trusts, or government agencies to recoup some funds but still keep the property accessible to the scouts or the public or at least keep it from being developed. Our scout LNT or OE directives, even if not explicit, should at least encourage our actions in those directions. When my council absorbed a nearby struggling council in the 90's, the struggling council's camp was considered redundant, and had not been hosting summer camps for a few years anyways. It was decided to give/sell it to the local metropark system under the agreement that they would waive the usage fee for Scout groups. Today it is a beautiful and oft used public park. My favorite parts to visit is the old camp outdoor chapel which is still standing, as well as the transplanted Oak Tree from Gilwell Park. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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