Juneau sets two conditions for any Eaglecrest deal with Goldbelt

City Manager Katie Koester set two conditions in a June 11 letter inviting Goldbelt, Inc. to invest in or operate Eaglecrest Ski Area: the city must maintain long-term ownership of the ski area, and any partnership will stand on its own, separate from the Alaska Native corporation's pending West Douglas cruise ship dock proposal. The letters exchanged between Koester and Goldbelt President and CEO McHugh Pierre were released as part of the Eaglecrest Board of Directors' July 2 board packet.

Koester's letter also stated that the city will not link any Eaglecrest arrangement to approval of the West Douglas development, which is under review by the CBJ Planning Commission for a conditional use permit. A long-term lease is the likely vehicle for any deal, Koester wrote, because federal Land and Water Conservation Fund restrictions on Eaglecrest property make an outright sale legally complicated and expensive. Under LWCF rules, property developed with that funding must remain dedicated to public outdoor recreation in perpetuity, and any conversion requires National Park Service approval and replacement land of equal value.

Koester's letter outlined two paths to advance the conversation: a meeting among Goldbelt, the Eaglecrest Board Chair, and the City Manager to produce an agreed-upon written public starting document, or a written proposal from Goldbelt for the relevant bodies to review.

Pierre's June 17 reply accepted the invitation for an informal meeting but did not mention the West Douglas condition. The July 2 board agenda listed a "Conversation with Goldbelt" as an agenda topic. The packet does not include minutes or outcomes from that discussion.

The city's position reflects public pressure documented in CBJ's 2026 Tourism Impact survey, which found that maintaining the five-ship limit within borough boundaries was the top public priority.

Goldbelt has described its tourism enterprises as generating shareholder revenue through sustainable development. The corporation has also indicated, in prior discussions, that the success of Eaglecrest summer operations is connected to its proposed West Douglas cruise ship dock development, though Koester's letter states that the city cannot make one conditioned upon the other. Conservation and community advocates have argued that LWCF obligations and Eaglecrest's role as an affordable community ski hill should keep the two issues apart.

Board Chair Brandon Cullum has noted that "the Board does not take pricing increases lightly and understands that increases can be difficult for users." The board passed resolutions in June supporting both continued community ownership and engagement with Goldbelt, framing any partnership within that ownership commitment.

The July 2 board packet also centered on a public interview for GM finalist Julie Jackson Piper, which is why the Koester-Pierre correspondence surfaced in that packet. The Eaglecrest Board has scheduled a special meeting for July 9 at 12:30 p.m. via Zoom, where the Goldbelt conversation is expected to continue.