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Big open space deal with B&B Mines closes in escrow

JIM POKRANDTsummit daily news

SUMMIT COUNTY The biggest open space deal in local history closed Wednesday when the 1,840-acre B&B Mines property in the Golden Horseshoe area fell into local hands.A technicality forced the $9 million purchase to close in escrow, but Breckenridge town manager Tim Gagen said B&B owners will allow public officials to start working with the land.The Breckenridge and Summit County open space programs are splitting the cost 50-50.The Golden Horseshoe lies northeast of Breckenridge and is defined as the lands between the Swan and French Creek drainages. It is a wildly popular backcountry winter and summer recreation area.B&B Mines lands provide access to U.S. Forest Service holdings and both and criss-crossed with trails and roads.The technicality regards environmental liability related to three abandoned mine sites on the B&B property. The deal becomes final when a federal judge signs a consent decree hammered out among local, state and federal officials.At that point, B&B owners will receive their cash and the land in every respect becomes public.The consent decree outlines certain clean-up work the town and Summit County will do to improve streams, including French Creek, that are polluted by heavy metals leaching from the mine sites.


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