Tenants have vacated Legends Resort

VERNON — The former Legends Resort is empty.
Vernon Township Mayor Harry Shortway reported on May 15 that the tenants at the former resort have vacated the premeses.
As of early April there were about 40 tenants still living at the Legends Resorts and they had until April 9 to vacate as per a recent court order by state Superior Court Judge Robert Brennen. Warrants of Removal were issued for any resident that didn't leave by the deadline.
In April two companies announced that they planned to jointly purchase the property.
The two entities — Liberated Energy and Libra Fund — signed a letter of intent, meaning the agreement has not been finalized, but the acquisition cost was not to exceed $12 million.
Liberated Energy says they intend to renovate and develop an eco-friendly, 55-and-older retirement community within the hotel.
The goal is to create a vibrant, 877,000-square-foot center with amenities such as restaurants, health and fitness, and retail shopping. Community tenants would be able to spend a majority of their income within the facility and surrounding attractions.
In 2016, Vernon Township began cracking down on the remaining Legends residents after the township said they became aware of numerous zoning and code violations. About 33 units were being rented out by two entities, shell companies set up by the late Eugene Mulvihill, former owner of Mountain Creek Resort and Crystal Springs Resort, prior to his death in 2012.
The two entities had been renting out units to Crystal Springs employees, according to the township, and the numerous violations, caused by inaction and negligence of the property owners, placed the residents in danger. The township issued a number of summonses for the violations, including violating the zoning restrictions by renting to long-term residents.
The rest of what remains of the largely derelict Legends property is owned by Hillie Meyers, president of Metairie Corp., which acquired the property in 1998.
Hundreds of complaints and lawsuits remain pending by those who bought units as condominiums in the 1990s and those who bought units as timeshares in the 2000s. Many of those individuals stopped paying maintenance fees on their units as the facility fell into neglect and Meyers is suing to recover those unpaid fees.
The late Hugh Hefner built the resort as The Great Gorge Playboy Club Hotel in 1972. In its heydey, the eight-floor hotel — which has a cabaret, ballroom, restaurant, a fitness center, indoor pool, jacuzzis and an Olympic-sized swimming pool outside — saw sold out performances from Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli to Sammy Davis Jr., and Sonny & Cher.