Shanty Creek Resort Ownership Passes to a New Michigan-Rooted Owner

For 60 years, Shanty Creek Resort has been one of Northern Michigan's crown jewels — a sprawling, four-season destination where families have returned season after season to ski, golf, hike, and simply exhale. Now, a new chapter is beginning. And if the new owners have anything to say about it, the resort's next 60 years will look a lot like its first.

Shanty Creek Resort, Northern Michigan’s winter playground, is proud to announce a transition of ownership. Effective today, Shanty Creek Ski and Golf Resort, LLC has officially acquired the resort from Trinidad Resort & Club, LLC.

A staple in the community, Shanty Creek Resort has built its reputation on being a family-friendly, affordable year-round destination to recharge and reconnect, with a commitment to creating memorable experiences. Under new ownership, those traditions will remain firmly in place.

“We are grateful for the 20+ years of stewardship provided by Trinidad Resort & Club, LLC,” commented Andrew Reh, Shanty Creek Resort COO and General Manager. “Their dedication and commitment helped reestablish the resort as a respected destination within the Michigan and Midwest resort industry.”

The new ownership group brings a wide range of experience in development, food service, entertainment and property management, as well as resort and ski operations. With longstanding ties to Northern Michigan, the ownership group has an appreciation of the role the resort plays in the overall Antrim County economy.

According to Harper Sibley, Executive Vice President of the new venture: “The new owners are a Michigan-based investment group, who are looking forward to working with staff, guests and the community to further enhance the beauty and the 60 year traditions of Shanty Creek.

A strategic plan includes hotel updates, a new website and growing the resorts family-friendly activities, to name just a few of the improvements being planned.”

The current team will remain in place, ensuring continuity in daily operations and preserving the resort’s history and offerings. While remaining dedicated to the resort’s valued traditions and services, guests may see thoughtful enhancements in the future designed to elevate the overall experience.

“We’re excited to work with the new ownership to continue the traditions that make Shanty Creek a getaway destination for many years to come,” added Reh.

Effective February 26, Shanty Creek Ski and Golf Resort, LLC officially acquired the Bellaire resort from Trinidad Resort & Club, LLC, which had owned the property for more than two decades. The purchase price was not disclosed.

The transition closes a significant era. Trinidad — a subsidiary of St. Louis-based Apex Oil Co. — purchased the resort from Comerica Inc. in 2006 following a 2004 foreclosure, investing heavily in hotel renovations and other improvements that helped stabilize and elevate Shanty Creek's standing in the competitive Midwest resort market. COO and General Manager Andrew Reh, who will remain in his role under the new ownership, acknowledged the outgoing owners with measured gratitude. "Their dedication and commitment helped reestablish the resort as a respected destination within the Michigan and Midwest resort industry," he said in a statement. "We're excited to work with the new ownership to continue the traditions that make Shanty Creek a getaway destination for many years to come."

What distinguishes the incoming owners is their deliberate rootedness in the region. The new ownership group describes itself as a Michigan-based investment group with longstanding ties to Northern Michigan — and with backgrounds spanning development, food service, entertainment, property management, and resort and ski operations. State records indicate the entity was formed in September 2025, with Jerry Pattah, founder of Sylvan Lake-based Pattah Development LLC, listed as resident agent. Pattah Development, a commercial real estate investment and development firm focused on shopping centers and mixed-use projects, has developed more than two million square feet of retail property. The Pattah family also owns Fresh Choice Markets, with locations in Eastpointe and Wayne.

What is changing, or at least being invested in: the new owners have outlined a strategic improvement plan that includes hotel updates, a redesigned website, and an expansion of family-oriented programming. These are the kinds of enhancements guests have asked for — modern polish applied to a foundation that doesn't need to be rebuilt, just refreshed.

The resort they're inheriting is no small undertaking. Shanty Creek spans more than 5,500 acres roughly 31 miles northeast of Traverse City, encompassing four distinct villages — Summit, Schuss, Cedar River, and Hawk's Eye — each with its own personality and its own mix of lodging, dining, golf, and outdoor recreation. The resort offers two separate ski areas, including Schuss Mountain, and a staggering 90 holes of golf, cementing its status as a true four-season destination in a state that has built an identity around exactly that.

The sale arrives at a moment when the broader ski and resort industry is being reshaped by consolidation, with large corporate entities absorbing independent properties at a rapid pace. Against that backdrop, the Shanty Creek transaction carries a quiet but meaningful message: that local ownership, local knowledge, and genuine community investment can still be the basis for a deal.

For the regulars who have been coming to Bellaire for generations, that message will resonate more than any press release. Shanty Creek is theirs. And for now, at least, it's staying that way.

Shanty Creek Resort is located in Bellaire, Michigan, 31 miles northeast of Traverse City. More information is available at shantycreek.com.