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MOAB, Utah (AP) -- The end of a legal dispute could clear the way for a tourist tram overlooking the Colorado River, but the owners may have soured on the project.
"The bloom has come off the rose as far as their passion to operate the tram in Moab," said Jeffrey Walker, attorney for William "Rick" Jewett and partners. "My clients have not had an extremely successful working relationship with the county in the past.
Jewett sued Grand County in 2003, claiming it had refused to accept a bond, which would cover the cost of removing the tram if it closed. The county, however, said the bond was never posted.
Under the settlement, the county will pay $200,000 to Moab Scenic Tram and issue a business license once it has received a $66,500 reclamation bond, county attorney Craig Wentz said.
Jewett has agreed to seal an open mine shaft, where he had planned to create a mining museum and where the tram ends.
The county settled the lawsuit so Jewett would have the incentive to fix the "eyesore," Wentz said. The area along U.S. 191 near Arches National Park has become a repeated target for vandals.
Jewett, who has a master's degree in structural engineering, said he has designed trams around the world and had hoped to opened the Moab Scenic Tram in 2001.
He and his partners, however, may decide to improve the property and sell it, Walker said.
"We are hopeful that the most difficult times are very much behind us, but time will only tell," he said.
------ Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
