A preliminary injunction against the developers of the proposed Warm Springs Ranch Resort was denied by a San Francisco Superior Court Judge on Wednesday, allowing Park City-based DDRM Greatplace to continue to present its plans to the Ketchum City Council.
Ketchum resident and developer George Tischer filed a motion to stop the project's entitlement process with the city. Tischer was the previous owner of the Warm Springs Ranch property. He sold it to Helios Development, which in turn contracted with DDRM to develop the resort. As part of the deal, Tischer retained a future share in the development's profits.
Tischer claimed that the proposed 11-year build-out of the property would keep him from profiting from the development, and also stated that the deal gave him the right to provide input on the plans and receive a consulting fee of $25,000 per month.
DDRM attorney Sophie Froelich said the judge ruled against Tischer "because he doubted that (Tischer) could win (his) breach-of-contract claim at trial."
The DDRM plan calls for building a luxury hotel, private residences, a restaurant and various amenities on the 77-acre Warm Springs Ranch property.
This is not the first time Tischer has become involved in a legal dispute over the property. In 2003, he was a plaintiff in a web of lawsuits over ownership of the property against development group Sun Valley Ventures. That legal battle lasted until 2006, and was followed by a quick succession of owners, including the Whitetail Club, which sold the property back to Tischer, who then sold it to Helios.
