$1.4M price cut sparks new drive to save Presque Isle outdoor center

THE COUNTY • September 5, 2025

Presque Isle-area residents and officials are making a new push to preserve and reopen the city’s shuttered Nordic Heritage Outdoor Center after the asking price for the property was recently cut in half, from $2.9 million to $1.5 million. For 25 years, the 750-acre venue welcomed skiers, hikers, cyclists and student athletes to competition grounds and more than 30 miles of all-season trails traversing its wooded landscape. Last year, its builder and operator, the Portland-based Libra Foundation, closed it and put it up for sale. Schools and trail users were left hanging. Despite a public outcry, Libra didn’t change its mind and no one interested could afford to buy it. Designed as a world-class biathlon venue and ski trail system, the facility was built in 1999 as part of the Maine Winter Sports Center, which also included the Fort Kent Outdoor Center.