Albion College plans to sell the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center.
According to President Wayne Webster, there have been “active discussions” about selling since he arrived on campus almost two years ago, but the Equestrian Center is not yet on the market.
“Within the first semester, I made a decision that we would keep the programs, but we would try to look at a model where we could sell the facility, have somebody privately own it and operate it, but then we would lease access,” Webster said, adding that keeping the programs was always the intention.
The Equestrian Center’s Interim Director and Varsity Hunt Seat Coach Chris Mitchell said as far as the staff have been told, the decision to sell is a strictly financial one.
“The programs are staying, both teams are staying, that’s part of the contingency of the sale,” Mitchell said.
Associate Director and Business Manager Carolyn Killewald, ‘04 alumna, said that messaging has stayed the same since Webster came to visit and learn the “ins and outs” of the programs.
“I think there’s a lot of benefit to the programs and I think a lot of students are coming here now, especially with the new coaches, for the programs,” Webster said, but the question they had to answer was “How do we try and take some of the overhead off our books?”
Webster said that this question is in response to the nearly $13 million deficit the college faced last year. He added that the college’s financial situation is “much better now,” but has to continue to work through the “three-year plan.”
“I’ve been really transparent (with the coaches) that there’s no reason to stop recruiting because we’re still going to have the program, we just might not have the facility,” Webster said.
When the coaches go out recruiting, many potential students are already asking questions about the potential sale, Mitchell said, so the coaches tell them selling is something Albion College is looking into.
“Obviously somebody else owns it, so it’s going to change a little bit, I would think,” Mitchell said. “But it should not affect the students in a negative way.”
What Does it Mean to Sell a Property Like the Equestrian Center?
According to Webster, selling means working with the Equestrian Center’s staff, replotting land and learning to market a property like the Equestrian Center.
“The horse world is its own world,” Webster said. “I want to involve them because they’re going to have the perspective and expertise that I don’t have.”
How Will the Sale Benefit the College?
The property – including the facilities and surrounding properties – is low seven figures Webster said, adding that the sale will be a “nice boost” as the college works on “liquidity” of its finances.
He added that the goal post-sale is to ensure “as little disruption to the day-to-day experiences” of those at the Equestrian Center as possible.
“As part of the bigger context, we’ve looked at a lot of our real estate holistically like, do we need to be real estate moguls or can we just focus on being a great college?” Webster said. “Us sitting on property with some idea that maybe 20 years down the road we can do something with it is not a healthy thing.”
From Staff: The Future of the Equestrian Center’s Programs
“I think the potential for what this place could be is what’s kept us here,” Killewald said. “And keeps us plugging along every day. It’s not an easy job, there’s a lot that we do here.”
Mitchell agreed, adding that the work taking care of the center amounts to nearly 80 hours a week. Alongside Mitchell and Killewald are Varsity Western Coach Nicholle McColley, one stable manager and assistant and three part-time workers. Together, they care for 35 horses and manage the property.
“I think we’re on a good path right now, the teams are both doing well and I think we had a good team of staff – we would love to have more staff – but we have a good core set of people here right now,” Killewald said. “So, as long as they steer us in the right way we’ll be good.”
Leave a Reply