A crowd of some 60 Valley residents gathered at Cliff Lanes bowling center last Thursday night to learn just what the next step for Club America WMV might be.

For over a year, Custer 2020 Inc. has been in the throes of fundraising efforts to purchase the swimming pool and fitness center in Silver Cliff from owners Jerry and Mary Seifert.

The asking price is some $900,000. Funds for the purchase have come from numerous fundraising efforts totaling slightly more than $200,000, as well as grants from various private foundations.

The Gates Family Foundation has committed $100,000 while the Colorado Health Foundation has guaranteed $90,000 and El Pomar $15,000.

Another $93,000 has been requested from the Adolph Coors Foundation and $75,000 has been requested from the Boettcher Foundation.

As part of the acquisition, another $250,000 is being raised through a land trade between Custer 2020 and the Seiferts.

Before the Boettcher Foundation grants funds toward the purchase, Custer 2020 has been asked to get a local government entity to hold the deed to the facility.

Thus the purpose of the Feb. 25 public meeting.

The crowd collectively agreed it was important to keep Club America WMV open, however, nobody seemed in agreement when it came to which government entity should hold the deed.

Tim Schultz of Boettcher said one government entity could volunteer to hold the deed or a corporation comprised of several local government entities could be formed and thus would collectively hold the deed to the property. In turn, the government entity or corporation would lease the facility to Custer 2020 for $1 a year.

Schultz said the reason for requiring a government entity to hold the deed is to guarantee that if Custer 2020 were to go under and Club America were to close, the asset would not disappear.

“This has happened in other communities,” said Schultz. “Boettcher gave money for a recreation center, and when the center closed a few years later, the building was sold to a private individual and the non-profit corporation we gave the money to pocketed the proceeds.”

Schultz said that if a government entity held the deed, that entity would not be under any obligation to keep Club America operating as a pool or fitness center should Custer 2020 go under.

Also noted was that with a separate entity holding the deed Custer 2020 could not borrow money against the property.

Steve Willman, who is president of the Custer 2020 board, said “as part of the lease we would be responsible for all expenses and we would not be able to run a deficit. There would be no liability to a public entity.”

In previous county commissioner meetings, commissioner Lynn Attebery said he believes the town of Silver Cliff should hold the deed since Club America is located in its town limits.

Schultz stated in recent years, it has not been unusual for a fire district to hold the deed since recreation centers and pools are often used by firefighters for training purposes.

Also brought into the mix was the hospital district since the facility could be used for physical therapy.

In the end, representatives with the local government entities—county commissioners, trustees with the towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, hospital district, school district, fire district, library district and Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District—have agreed to mull the matter and get back with Custer 2020 later this month regarding whether or not they are willing to hold the deed individually or collectively.

In the meantime, Custer 2020 continues to operate Club America WMV under its current lease with the Seiferts who turned over the pool to them in September 2008.

If Custer 2020 is unable to purchase the  facility in the near future, the Seiferts will likely put it on the market in hopes of selling it to a private individual.

If that happens, Custer 2020 has agreed to return all donations to the original donors.

– Nora Drenner