The Jackson Hole Property Guide has revealed that local hotelier Jerry Johnson was the buyer of the last big piece of undeveloped real estate in Jackson. The 10-acre slice of the Bridger-Teton National Forest headquarters that the Forest Service hired Sotheby's to sell off this past June was up for $11.55 million, and only lasted until July before a buyer put a down payment on the property. Johnson, who runs the Rustic Inn property across the street and ran the Best Western at the ski resort before selling it in 2007, made an undisclosed payment to lock up the Forest Service property. Rumors followed that Johnson was not able to come up with the required cash, that he asked for a six-month which was then denied, and that the contract was void, but a Sotheby's agent denied those rumors.
Both Sotheby's, Johnson, and the Forest Service are staying mum on details about the deal until the contract closes on November 1st, at which point we'll expect to know quite a lot more about how the deal went down and what kind of accomodations Johnson actually asked for.
· Bridger-Teton Still Set to Sell Land [Jackson Hole Property Guide]
· Bridger-Teton National Forest Headquarters archives [Curbed Ski]