Unless somebody comes forward with a gift of approximately $300,000, Conneaut Lake Park will not open this year.

On Monday, Crawford County Court of Common Pleas Judge Anthony Vardaro rejected the sale of 3.3 acres of land to Gregory Sutterlin. Park officials followed the ruling by laying off all but two employees and announcing the park will not open.

Earlier this year, Sutterlin had made a bid of $1.7 million to purchase the former Flynn House property to build approximately 30 condominium units he planned to sell as lakefront residential housing. Park officials wanted to use part of the money from that sale to pay off some debt, and also use some of it as start-up money for 2007, the park’s 115th season. Traditio-nally, the park opens on Memo-rial Day Weekend each year.

That all changed Monday.

“We are not opening,” said general manager George Deshner, noting there is no money to open the financially troubled amusement park.

In May of last year, Erie businessman Joe Prishak came forward with a loan, allowing the park to open, but court-appointed overseer LeRoy Stearns won’t seek a loan this year, and Vardaro’s ruling agreed, saying the court “was not interested” in obtaining another start-up loan.

Because the park was determined to be a charitable trust two years ago, court approval is needed for all loans, sales or leases for the park.

Four employees who were recently called back to work were laid off Monday. Only Deshner and Bob Morrow, operator of the water system, are still working.

Stearns said he made it clear for months that without the sale, there would be no money to open.

Reasons for rejection

In the ruling handed down Monday morning, Vardaro said the agreement to sell the land to Sutterlin wasn’t acceptable because:

n No requirements are listed regarding the type of condominiums to ensure they are of a quality nature;

n No time frame is listed regarding when Sutterlin must do something with the property; and

n It was indicated a “bridge loan” would be used to open the park until the sale funds are received. Vardaro said he isn’t interested in approving such a loan when so many contingencies of the sale aren’t certain.