‘It reaffirms why we’re doing this’: Hundreds gather at Drake Park to support local bid to buy Mt. Bachelor

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

Hundreds of people turned out at Drake Park on Saturday to hear from Mt. Bachelor Community Inc., a values-based organization looking to purchase and operate the resort for the community. 

Co-founder Dan Cochrane said, "The structure will be one that allows different layered levels of people to invest. We're simply the founders, so we're helping structure this with our group of volunteers, pro-bono attorneys as well as Miller Nash Attorneys."

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

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler, among those who spoke at the gathering, is in support of being able to sustain the future of the resort. 

"I grew up learning to ski on Mt. Bachelor," she said. "It's a really, really important part of our community for our economy and just for the spirit of Bend and our environment. And those are all the values that the city council supports."

The next steps for the group are completing the offering and creating a partnership between local businesses and community leaders. 

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

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