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No failed ski resorts on his resume

This might be of interest to you if you are thinking SR failed and are posting it as so.

As you know that is an outright lie..and I know for a fact. Who helped put that out there is, in part, a member of the media. I tracked his posts outside of the paper he writes for. He knows who he is.

Mardens, never go there for any reason. Reny's I may from time to time. Lewiston/Auburn (Somalia immigration news) is a depressed area and has been for decades.

And As Maine Goes there as been some very misleading info reported so spend no time in there anymore. Have heard calls into Maine morning local talk saying they are from that site with just plain lack of facts in thier comments, not worth my time. It cannot be compared to FR in anyway!

"[and I quote from their news letter & first hand knowledge:] "Otten for Governor campaign issued the following statement in response to a negative TV ad started this morning by gubernatorial candidate Bruce Poliquin:

“We are greatly disappointed with the false, negative tactics carried out by the Poliquin campaign, especially after his statements promising a positive campaign and who said, ‘there is no place for this kind of attack ad in our race’" said campaign manager, Edie Smith.

“In addition, Poliquin’s campaign ad is filled with inaccuracies. There are specifically three false statements made in the ad. The truth is: American Skiing Company (ASC) did not file for bankruptcy; the NYSE did not delist ASC for fiscal mismanagement; and, Les Otten was not forced out as CEO.”

“The biggest falsehood in Poliquin’s negative TV ad is that jobs were lost. Sunday River is thriving. And the jobs are all still there. All people have to do is look at those mountains and know what Les Otten has done for tourism and the economy of Western Maine.(as Rush is famous for saying at this time: "Right On!" Right On" ) Les Otten is a real world leader who’s created over 1,200 (plus) jobs that are still there,” she added.(end of quote)

Actually there were many more jobs within the surrounding areas from the growth over the years of SR. We are not even counting builders, services to the mountain from small start up business. Low taxes in Newry because of the success of SR, etc..the Handicap skiing program he helped start for disabled children/adult skiers. His restaurant, The Phoenix, across from South Basin on the house/lot he owned.

Maine needs someone who had contacts outside of Maine and Otten has that. There is a Peter Principle in business as well..you grow then stop and stay horizontal..living off one achievement in life. It's tougher to go on and achieve many business success stories.

Soft spoken man who will stay the course on Jobs. Jobs is the most important issue facing Maine's economy.

Les put together the group of owners for the Red Sox and they went to the championships. He then developed an energy business that put people back to work as well.

(Disclaimer: I was an owner at SR up until recently and what a great investment it was $$$$$$$$$)with thanks to Otten. He has made jobs for many families that I know. I wish I was still involved financially. Life changes..but life is good at the same time!

I have offered my support and hope for his success come Nov.

We can agree we need consevative values in Augusta but we need a leader with a strong background of buiding successful business from scratch, someone who listens, and gathers those around him that are highly successful as well.

Otten led American Skiing to failure. Fact. In Otten's defense, he did build American Skiing from nothing over a period of years. Yes, he did build a large company. At one time, American Skiing did own a large number of ski resorts. I guess it could be said that Otten is, or was, a good entrepreneur. But he is, or was, a bad manager. Here are some links pointing to the slow selling off of ski resort's by Otten's American Skiing. http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070606/NEWS/70606005 This one talks about Sunday River and Sugarloaf being sold. "Otten was credited with taking Sunday River and building it into a powerhouse that later became American Skiing Co. But American Skiing suffered after it went public because of its debt load and because of several bad winters. The company's stock price fell from its initial public offering of $18 a share to less than 20 cents a share. The company was removed from the New York Stock Exchange. After being forced out as CEO in 2001, Otten remained on the American Skiing board while he and a group of investors led by John Henry bought the Red Sox for $660 million." All the people who bought stock in Otten's American Skiing lost a lot of money. Otten didn't do so bad. He's got that cash right now to buy TV ads. Les Otten should not be the Republican nominee. Obviously, he'd be better than the Democrat, but so would any Republican candidate. LePage is currently the Mayor of Waterville. Every year he cuts taxes. He is also the General Manager of Mardens - a company that still exists and has not failed miserably. It is true that LePage did not build Mardens, as Otten built American Skiing, but LePage did not destroy Mardens, Mardens is not a miserable failure, as is American Skiing. Listen, it's simple. The stock price of Otten's American Skiing went from $18 to $0.20. That's failure. When your entire resume is based on a company that performed like that, you don't run for Governor. And you don't get upset when people point out those simple facts.

Otten led American Skiing to failure.

Fact.

In Otten's defense, he did build American Skiing from nothing over a period of years. Yes, he did build a large company. At one time, American Skiing did own a large number of ski resorts.

I guess it could be said that Otten is, or was, a good entrepreneur. But he is, or was, a bad manager.

Here's a link pointing to the slow selling off of ski resorts by Otten's American Skiing.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070606/NEWS/70606005
This one talks about Sunday River and Sugarloaf being sold.

"Otten was credited with taking Sunday River and building it into a powerhouse that later became American Skiing Co.

But American Skiing suffered after it went public because of its debt load and because of several bad winters. The company's stock price fell from its initial public offering of $18 a share to less than 20 cents a share.

The company was removed from the New York Stock Exchange. After being forced out as CEO in 2001, Otten remained on the American Skiing board while he and a group of investors led by John Henry bought the Red Sox for $660 million."

All the people who bought stock in Otten's American Skiing lost a lot of money. Otten didn't do so bad. He's got that cash right now to buy TV ads.

Les Otten should not be the Republican nominee. Obviously, he'd be better than the Democrat, but so would any Republican candidate.

LePage is currently the Mayor of Waterville. Every year he cuts taxes. He is also the General Manager of Mardens - a company that still exists and has not failed miserably.

It is true that LePage did not build Mardens, as Otten built American Skiing, but LePage did not destroy Mardens, Mardens is not a miserable failure, as is American Skiing.

Listen, it's simple. The stock price of Otten's American Skiing went from $18 to $0.20. That's failure. When your entire resume is based on a company that performed like that, you don't run for Governor. And you don't get upset when people point out those simple facts.