Saddleback Mountain Foundation President Peter Stein said in a statement that his organization plans to buy the resort from the Berry Family for $6M and re-open it as a community-owned nonprofit.

The Foundation is seeking immediate donations totaling $4M in order to close the purchase deal and possibly reopen for the 2016-2017 ski season.

At the same time, conservation groups are negotiating the separate purchase from the Berry Family of several thousand acres of contiguous forest land that would not be included in the resort purchase.