sad sad news

Jesse Grabowski

Squire
Marshal
Hey folks,

As many of you know, Sky High was our baby for many many years. Then due to the ever expanding summer program there, the scouts basically forced us to use their 5 star camp Magic Sky. With the amenities came the headaches because their director constantly found ways to find things wrong and fine us a few times, taking away and increasing our security deposit each time. Then the scouts decided to significantly raise our rental price because of this as well. We were no longer considered "friends of the scouts" discount bracket.

I felt the time was quickly upon us to try to find our own site or be without a campsite to play our game upon. (Luckily I did too, for the scouts sent us a letter after our May game letting us know that we are no longer welcomed on scout property. Apparently, someone left Duct tape residue of a letter "W" and someone carved into the wood, "Bob was here." We paid another fine in May which I didn't tell you all about since it didn't matter at that point any more.)

I pressured myself into finding a site ASAP. I met with my realtor last year in September, I think, to start looking for a place. We went to what seems to be around 20-25 places before we found our current site. I was getting impatient, desperate, time was running short, and honestly, we didn't get the loan amount we were hoping for (which also limited our choices).

We closed at the end of January and began building our site up. With certain concerns springing up here and there, I talked to many people about what we were doing and if it was ok, spoke with all the neighbors, made a bunch of phone calls, looked up codes, etc. "as long as you're not collecting sales tax, you're fine." "It's an at home business. You're fine." "I had my motorcycle friends over all the time and we drank, partied, and shot our guns all day long. You're fine." "It's your 30 acres to do whatever you want on. You're fine." "As long as you don't have daily traffic coming and going to your house, you're fine." Things seemed fine and we ran our beautiful game. Well. Things are not fine and I am an emotional wreck right now.

We saw some grumblings on Slack last week after I posted about the private roads here and we decided to make an appointment with Teller County's Planning Dept. As of 10am today, my world came tumbling down. As it turns out, my meeting that I arranged with them was a convenience because they also had 6 registered complaints against us and wrote us a cease and desist letter anyway.

What really hurts is that one of the six complaints came from one of our very own larpers. I can't imagine what I could have done to upset that person, but apparently, I did and they added their complaint into the mix of my distant neighbors who live 1-3 miles away. (My immediate neighbors enjoyed seeing our game from their houses.)

I failed to do my due diligence and research. I should have hired a real estate lawyer, but I didn't. There are many people who I could blame, but I only have myself to blame at this point and it's killing me.
Since 10am this morning, I have been beating myself up over the should'ves and could'ves. This was my dream and my baby and I have sunk thousands of dollars into this, along with blood, sweat, and tears, and I have failed you all.

As of this writing the August game is cancelled. Please stop paying on paypal.
I will refund your August payment immediately to those who have already paid.

For those who donated to the road repair: I will keep your GS in the system and I will refund your money. I'm not giving them a dime at this point.

We are in the process of arranging a meeting with a real estate lawyer to see what our options are. Apparently, you can have a dog kennel, a day care, and an adult day care in our zone, and mobile homes and guest houses, but you can't have porto johns or 30 cars on your property, or have 50 friends over once a month to play a game.

I want to be honest and forthcoming with you all and give you scenarios as they played out today.

Best case scenario- Lawyer does something miraculous and we move on. (Not likely from what I discussed today)

Worst case scenario - All games in 2018 are canceled and I sell my house and pay back Mike Paxton, Chris Glascock, Chris Fernandez, and Leora. We have sunk every penny we own into this dream and have debt to show on top of it, but I will make that right.
For those who paid for storage here for their gear, I will pay you back as well. I am not looking to screw anyone in our amazing community. You will just have to be patient and give me some time.

Middle scenario? - I find a last minute shitty camp site for Sep-Nov. If that's even possible.

I am so terribly sorry to have let you all down. I feel so awful and terrible inside. If you feel the need to vent your frustration and anger at me here on the forums or in private, please be gentle. I am not doing well.

I will keep you updated as I learn more.

with deepest apologies,

Jesse
 
So sorry to hear this news.

I will be issuing refunds for people who have payed for the meal plan as soon as I figure out how to do so on Paypal.
 
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To be honest, I'm too stubborn to give up. I'm more than happy to provide statements or whatever your lawyer needs to help smooth this over. I still think you ought to look at rezoning if possible, because that will fix a lot of these issues, but I haven't done like a TON of research or anything. Most importantly, remember to breathe. You got passionate and enthusiastic and you couldn't have predicted this. I'll chat with Diana, too, but let me know if there's anything I can do to help, whether it be hunting down other sites or whatever. We love you guys. We believe in you. We will overcome this.
 
My goodness.. Jesse this is horrible.
No one deserves this much setback, nor heartbreak.
Please let us know what you need from the populous.
Fie on your neighbors for not talking to you first.
Fie on the state for trying to squash the game without even so much as allowing discussion.

Thinking good thoughts your way,
~Lia
 
Love you man! I'm so sorry this is happening. Good luck and let us know if there is anything we can do.
 
So sorry this happened Jesse. I have such confidence in you, your staff, and your playerbase. You guys will make it through this. You have amazing talent and an incredible community.

After talking with Jesse, Alliance Seattle is offering $20 off any event attended by Denver players through the end of 2018 ($30 off for our upcoming August 31 - Sept 3 long weekend over Labor Day).
 
First I want to thank all the players who are standing alongside my son. This has been my son's dream since he was very young. My heart is broken for him, and I can't help him. There has got to be some recourse. It can't end like this. He and everyone involved in Larp put their blood, sweat, and tears into this project. One closed minded nasty neighbor started this and it snowballed. One inspector actually asked Jesse if he was running a cult! My son is the kindest, honest, and sweetest person you will ever find! These backwoods close minded P.O.S. S , Will get theirs. "God don't like ugly!"
 
First I want to thank all the players who are standing alongside my son. This has been my son's dream since he was very young. My heart is broken for him, and I can't help him. There has got to be some recourse. It can't end like this. He and everyone involved in Larp put their blood, sweat, and tears into this project. One closed minded nasty neighbor started this and it snowballed. One inspector actually asked Jesse if he was running a cult! My son is the kindest, honest, and sweetest person you will ever find! These backwoods close minded P.O.S. S , Will get theirs. "God don't like ugly!"

Your son is an awesome person who has worked his tail off to make that land and this game good for us. **** happens, and maybe some of it was preventable ****, but..eh. We'll carry on, like I said before. We will push for positive outcome one way or another because this game and this community is worth it.
 
I'm in shock over this whole thing. Jesse please let us know how or if we can help. Dont give up on the dream, there's always a way amd your community locally and nationally is behind you.

/hugs
-Juliet
 
I am so very sorry to hear this. If there is anything we can do to testify to your character, research rezoning or other solutions, or just offer help in any way, please let us know. I love this game and our community so darned much. We will perservere.
 
I am so sorry Jesse! This is our dream too and we are here to support you in any way we can. Please take care of your emotional health - we love you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I am trying to, but **** is difficult lately.

New news- Under normal circumstances, rezoning would take a fortune to make happen. A fortune that we don't have. ($5,000 just to submit an application for 30 or more acres.) In addition, there are two public meetings that you have to pass in order for the local community to "Let" you rezone. After the complaints, I highly doubt that (if we even had the money to try to rezone) that the community here wouldn't try to put a stop to their pristine, quiet, mountain life with all of us city folk "ruining their roads," "selling alcohol in their tavern," and other ignorant comments I've received.
What's worse is that the county planner and his boss, the county director, told me that this development can't be rezoned. So there's that. Diana and I will be calling a real estate agent tomorrow to sell our place.

For the games this year- I have feelers our right now to no less than 7 camps to see what's going on for Sept-Nov. It might mean playing in three different camps, but it might be doable. One of the largest obstacles right now is that some of the camps I have contacted want to charge a per person per day rate that we just can't afford unless I jack up prices significantly (in order to take care of the npcs as well). The rest of the camps still have not gotten back to me, but we are hopeful. I should know a lot more soon! I might even re-negotiate a lump sum price with them in stead of a per person rate to see if they bite. Stay tuned.

As far as Neverpeak goes - Many of you have donated items to Neverpeak over the course of the last several months, as well as have items here that you own.

Some items include- Mac's amazing table with chairs. It needs someone to babysit it until we can rise again one day.
Picnic Tables- If folks can babysit one here or one there, it would save us from having to sell them off on craigslist. We own 8.
Paul's donated dresser for tabard storage- needs a home.
Bookshelf in the mages guild- needs a home.
Paul's donation of other furniture- round table, coffee table, etc.

If no one wants any of these or cannot find space to store them, we will be donating them to goodwill. We will most likely be getting a storage unit for NPC camp once again while we get our home ready to sell.

Hammocks on site
Tents on site
storage items in the basement
etc.

For all of you who are worried about the future of Alliance Denver, fear not. This setback was jut to remind me that I am mortal. We fully expect to run games in 2019 and beyond!

If you have any questions or concerns, please email me directly. I will try to keep other staff members (plot, GM) in the loop too, but things are happening so fast lately.

Upward and Onward,

Jesse and Diana
 
I can store 1 or 2 picnic tables at my home in Westminster, but I cannot provide transportation for them. I'll offer first dibs on one of those spaces to Mike Paxton, who I think owns one personally (?).

Maybe more than that depending on dimensions....

Trace
 
Thanks for the update. As for the two tables I have, I'll offer them up to whoever as I don't have space to store them.

Jesse, I"ll be up, probably later this week to get the first load of my stuff.

Mike
 
Depending on dimensions, I can house the bookshelf.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
I could house a picnic table or two in wesminster as well, but likely can not transport one.
 
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