BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Earlier this year, POWDR announced its intention to open Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort to sell. Now a local duo is leading a community effort to own and manage the resort.

Hundreds of people came to Drake Park on Saturday to listen to Mt. Bachelor Community Inc., a values-based organization that plans to purchase and operate the resort for the community.

Co-founder Dan Cochrane said: “The structure will be one that allows different levels of people to invest. We are simply the founders, so we are helping to structure this with our group of volunteers, pro-bono attorneys and Miller Nash lawyers.”

The organization has raised more than $40,000 to support legal and compliance services.

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler, one of those who spoke at the meeting, supports preserving the resort’s future.

“I grew up learning to ski on Mt. Bachelor,” she said. “It’s a very important part of our community for our economy and just for the spirit of Bend and our environment. And those are all values ​​that the City Council supports.”

The next steps for the group are to complete the offering and create a partnership between local businesses and community leaders.

Co-founder Chris Porter said: “We’re overwhelmed. This is the support today, and this turnout is just overwhelming. It’s so exciting to see. It reaffirms why we’re doing this.”

The organization’s goal is to promote positive, meaningful outdoor experiences with personal connections to nature.