Clarification: The county has not plans to reopen the lodge but says it will look for a new operator and at other options.
March19th is the last day for Atwood Lodge. The company that has been running it since 2012 says the lodge and golf complex is losing too much money too quickly to keep it open.
Atwood Lake Resort was struggling four years ago when Carroll County accepted it as a donation from the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District.
The county commissioners felt revenue from Utica shale workers needing a place to stay, and perhaps royalties from wells on the property, could put the lodge in the black until a tourist following developed through facilities upgrades and marketing.
County Commissioner Jeff Ohler says, “That worked well for the first couple of years. But then, last year, the oil and
gas industry has -- well, it’s no secret what’s happened there. You know, the price of oil has dropped significantly. And the need for housing for oil and gas workers decreased substantially. And, there was never a well drilled on the property that we could receive any royalties from the oil and gas.”
With the economics no longer viable, the operator Radius Hospitality is pulling the plug. But, weddings and events already scheduled for March, April and May will still go on.
