[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17648]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING NEW ENGLAND OUTDOORS CENTER

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr President, today I honor an exceptional small 
business from my home State of Maine that is striving to employ more 
Mainers and revive tourism in one of Maine's hidden natural treasures. 
The New England Outdoors Center of Millinocket is a multifaceted 
ecotourism and recreational sports business and a wonderful example of 
entrepreneurial spirit in Maine. Local residents of the Millinocket 
region and tourists, who come from far and wide to see Maine's splendor 
and beauty, enjoy the Outdoors Center's diversity of services. In 
addition, the Center's owner, Matt Polstein, is working to add a resort 
to his business which would bring additional jobs to the Katahdin 
region.
  The New England Outdoors Center is an all-season facility that 
consists of a snowmobile business, the River Drivers restaurant, and a 
white water rafting enterprise. The Outdoors Center provides a gateway 
to Baxter State Park and the spectacular Mount Katahdin, the 
Appalachian Trail's northern terminus. The Center has won numerous 
commendations throughout its decades of operation, including a Maine 
Tourism award. It is a member of the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce, 
the Maine Tourism Association, the Maine Snowmobile Association, and 
many other groups. Matt Polstein and the New England Outdoors Center's 
endeavors greatly benefit the local economy, which has recently been 
suffering due to a slump in visitors to Baxter State Park.
  In light of this decline in tourism, Matt Polstein's vision of 
building the new Ktaadn Resorts on Hammond Ridge is particularly 
critical in bringing people back to the Katahdin region and to all of 
Maine. Mr. Polstein's $65 million proposal evidences his commitment and 
determination to create new jobs for Mainers and to contribute to the 
growth of Millinocket's regional economy. The plan has garnered the 
support of the Millinocket community and its leaders, as well as the 
unanimous endorsement of Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission, which 
oversees the state's planning and zoning for plantations, townships, 
and unorganized areas without local governance. This forward-thinking 
proposal for a new resort is one of the largest resort proposals in 
Maine's Unorganized Territory history--a true victory for all involved. 
Conscious of the environment, Mr. Polstein is seeking to grow crops and 
livestock for use at the resort and in the community. The new Ktaadn 
Resorts will be an extraordinary feat when finished, complete with a 
state-of-the-art conference center, a lodge, rental cabins, and 
restaurants. The Resort is expected to create at least 100 new jobs and 
to shed light on Millinocket as a hub of tourism in Maine and New 
England.
  It is vital that we respect our natural surroundings, and Matt 
Polstein's proposal does just that. It is a bright example of the kind 
of intelligent planning that benefits Maine's economy while protecting 
the State's natural environment. Mount Katahdin is a shining example of 
what makes Maine beautiful, and Mr. Polstein's dedication to the 
improvement of his community exemplifies what makes Maine people so 
special. I commend Matt Polstein for his public service as a city 
councillor in Millinocket, his current business ventures that provide 
accommodations and services to tourists year-round, and for his smart 
and bright entrepreneurial savvy with the future Ktaadn Resorts. I wish 
Mr. Polstein and everyone at the New England Outdoors Center continued 
prosperity, and a successful completion to the Ktaadn Resorts.

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