The Mt. Bachelor ski area sign on Century Drive, seen here in October 2021.

Mt. Bachelor ski area is up for sale, and there are a lot of questions about how new ownership could impact Bend’s economy and recreation industry. The City Club of Central Oregon will host a panel on Dec. 5 with local and national experts to cover the latest news and give locals a chance to hear about what this means for Bend’s future.

The panel’s moderator will be Kate Porsche, director of Oregon State University’s Center for Outdoor Recreation Economy, and speakers include Stuart Winchester, editor and host of The Form Skiing Journal; Jordan Elliott, president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Area Association; and a representative from Bend’s local effort to purchase the resort, Mt. Bachelor Community, Inc.

In August, Powdr Corp. announced it would sell the Central Oregon ski area along with several other of the company’s properties. The Utah-based corporation said it could take more than six months to sell, and a local effort to buy Bend’s beloved ski hill has gained increasing popularity in the past few months. In October, Mt. Bachelor Community Inc. exceeded fundraising goals to pay lawyers and accountants by raising more than $40,000, bringing the group one step closer to purchasing the ski area.

More coverage:

Mt. Bachelor purchase event draws investors, optimistic locals

The City Club event will cost $10 for members and $20 for nonmembers. It will be held at Central Oregon Community College in Willie Hall in the Coats Campus Center, 2600 NW College Way, Bend. To register for the event, visit the City Club’s website and fill out the online registration form.