Jim McCotter
Encyclopedia
Jim McCotter (born April 27, 1945) is a United States
entrepreneur
, the CEO of Maverick Jets and controversial founder of the "Blitz Movement" which became the Great Commission Association of Churches. He was also a member of the Council for National Policy
as well having been a holder of national and international media interests. He is husband to Barbara McCotter and the father of nine children.
and Colorado
. He was raised by an originally Methodist family, which later joined the conservative evangelical Plymouth Brethren
Church. McCotter graduated from high school in Colorado Springs.
and moved to Greeley, Colorado
in an attempt to recreate the "New Testament Church", a church model he believed no existing Christian
denomination
was emulating fully. After arriving in Greeley
, McCotter began sharing his faith primarily at the University of Northern Colorado
campus, which he also began attending. According to McCotter, by the end of the first year 12 people had joined him, after 1966 there were thirty, and the following years it "doubled and tripled." Eventually a handful of men moved out to other cities in Colorado, as well as Las Cruces, New Mexico
, to start other "works" as they were called back then. The size of these "works" were most likely small, as McCotter has stated that, "Most people wouldn't have called them churches. Most people never knew we were churches." Though McCotter was not ordained by the Plymouth Brethren, he claimed the authority of an apostle.
McCotter dropped out of college to focus on ministry full time, and was planning to move down to Pueblo, Colorado
to continue his efforts; however, in 1967, at the height of the Vietnam War
, he was drafted into the United States Army
. During training, at a base in Fort Polk, Louisiana, McCotter met Dennis Clark, with whom he imparted his vision of God's "strategy" to reach the world.
. In May 1970, Dennis Clark returned from the service as well and joined Jim in Colorado. On a bus in 1970, while attending a conference, Jim struck up a conversation with Herschel Martindale, who would become one of the early leaders of the movement in the summer of 1970. In the early 1970s, he helped start an evangelical
movement with other young Christians at a Colorado university. He spent a summer touring Southwest universities, setting up campus-based churches, which according to one member church, were characterized by a literal interpretation of the Bible, a "strong expectation of the soon return of the Lord, and an aggressive emphasis on evangelism." Over the next decade, the movement spread into the wider community.
military offensive of World War II.
In the next few years, additional mission outreaches and training conferences took place as the movement expanded to many more campuses. By the summer of 1973, nearly 1,000 attended the movement's national conference held on an eastern campus. Fifteen new campuses were "Blitzed" that summer by hundreds of recruits fresh from the conference, and the movement continued to gain strength. By the end of 1973, there were about 15 "works" established. The movement would eventually become known as Great Commission International, and then later Great Commission Association of Churches.
for a statement he made during a sermon about child rearing. The sermon was based upon the Bible
verse Proverbs 20:30 ("Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts.") In it, McCotter said, "When you discipline, this verse indicates, as others do, that you want to do it so it wounds. Now, when you say ‘wounds,’ it doesn’t mean that you have a bloody mess on your hands necessarily. It doesn’t mean that you have a child ‘wounding’ like he has a broken leg.... And he may, and often will be, black and blue. My children have been many times. And it cleans evil from them."
ISU child development professor Sedahlia Crase was quoted as saying, "What he advocates on this tape is just poor child-rearing practice in every sense of what we know now. Besides that, it's illegal to injure a child and bruising is injuring them. I’m upset that he goes around preaching these kinds of things." McCotter responded to Crase's comments with, "She might have taken what I said out of context, but I would stand by the idea that the Bible very strongly advocates spanking children. Of course, they also need to be loved and played with."
, quoted in a 1988 newspaper article, "[In GCI] You’re practically engaged by the time you have what you normally consider a date. I do know of cases where couples were actually broken up by the leadership."
and has not attended a church affiliated with the movement since that time, with the exception of the 2003 Faithwalkers conference. In an interview with New Zealand
's North and South
, McCotter denied involvement with Great Commission, saying, "I personally grew up as a Protestant and have tried to contribute most of my life to Christian or charitable organizations. However, I am not remotely involved in any way, in any "Church Movement" as you suggest, although I do go to church."
in his book Marching To Zion.) His further interests in media continued with the acquisition of two radio networks (including Florida Radio News Network in 1988), and Media Net (a television holding company).
journalism
department, at one point criticized the Sun's content as "a bunch of fluff." McCotter was further criticized for his business practices as well as the sudden shutdown of the paper, which occurred without warning five days before the Christmas
holiday of 1991. One former employee was quoted as saying, "I like Jim McCotter, and that sounds crazy, 'cause I also see him as devious and unethical and a money-grabber. And yet he's a very likable guy. You go figure it out."
(CTV) for $500,000 and set up a newspaper called The Citizen. He further consolidated television interests there by buying out rival Now TV the following year. Following this, McCotter purchased an $800,000 luxury home with "spectacular ocean views" in Christchurch
, New Zealand. The Citizen lasted about two years, before shutting down in July 2002. At least eight former employees sought legal advice over employment disputes with McCotter, and at least five of these cases were settled out of court. Sports editor Ken Nicholson publicly criticized McCotter's business practices following the closure of The Citizen, saying, "My first impression was that he was a slimy, greasy American and my impression since is that for all his supposed religious beliefs he has absolutely no caring for people at all. All it would seem McCotter is interested in is money and more money." McCotter was also criticized for damaging "the regional television product quite severely", having been accused of driving the three previous news programmes out of business prior to the closure of The Citizen. McCotter, an American, was also criticized as a "foreign investor" for not caring "about the interests of the locals."
", an umbrella organization and networking group for conservative activists. Pressed for his views about the CNP in an interview, McCotter replied "most in the Republican Party
... would consider it an honor to have a leadership role in the CNP." Two of McCotter's nine children, Shannon and Liz, have also appeared on membership lists for the CNP.
publication) touting the Maverick Jets Leader, a Very Light Jet
priced at $750,000 for "the common man." McCotter has experienced several setbacks in seeking certification and production for the Leader, the twinjet VLJ in which Maverick Jets chief pilot Jack Reed suffered a fatal crash in January 2003. On May 8, 2003 Maverick Jets laid off a significant portion of its staff suddenly and without warning. and McCotter's attempts to secure production with Tbilisi Aerospace Manufacturing in the Republic of Georgia fell through in January 2004, leaving McCotter with the task of finding yet another means of production.
reported that McCotter eventually signed a treaty with Xi'an
, China
Vice-Mayor Yang Guangsheng to begin production of SmartJets there. The treaty-signing ceremony was held on November 24, 2006.
On April 9, 2007 McCotter was cited by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for violating health, safety, environmental and sanitation conditions of his Forest Service permit because of raw sewage that had polluted Ten Sleep Creek. Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Bill Bass shut down Deerhaven and Meadowlark Lake Resorts because of the spillage. Frozen lines at both locations were suspected of causing the leaks. On May 15, 2007, Bass reported that McCotter, who had been restricted from touching the sewer systems during the closure, had submitted a plan to fix the problem, which was subject to approval by the U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming DEQ. On July 19, 2008, the U.S. Forest Service permanently barring Jim McCotter from operating his businesses in the National Forest following a series of investigations and closures for alleged health and safety violations, pending a 45 day appeal period. On October 8, 2008, a pending sale of Big Horn Mountain Resorts was reported.
On June 30, 2009, the Washakie County Sheriff's department issued public notice of a Sheriff's sales of the entire Big Horn Mountain Resorts complex to satisfy unpaid creditors. The sale occurred on July 16, 2009 with the three properties making up the Big Horn Mountain Resorts selling for $410,000 to Wayne and Holli Jones, owners of another local lodge. A misdemeanor warrant for ignoring court orders to appear for allegation of failing to pay past employees was issued to McCotter by the Bighorn County attorney's office. Prior to the sale, the Washakie County Sheriff's Department set the minimum bid at $263,000 that included sale costs and outstanding liens filed against McCotter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, the CEO of Maverick Jets and controversial founder of the "Blitz Movement" which became the Great Commission Association of Churches. He was also a member of the Council for National Policy
Council for National Policy
The Council for National Policy , is an umbrella organization and networking group for social conservative activists in the United States...
as well having been a holder of national and international media interests. He is husband to Barbara McCotter and the father of nine children.
Childhood
Born on April 27, 1945, James Douglas McCotter spent his childhood in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He was raised by an originally Methodist family, which later joined the conservative evangelical Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
Church. McCotter graduated from high school in Colorado Springs.
Apostle
In 1965, a 20-year-old McCotter left his home in Colorado Springs, ColoradoColorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
and moved to Greeley, Colorado
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Weld County, Colorado, United States. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Greeley is situated north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the...
in an attempt to recreate the "New Testament Church", a church model he believed no existing Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
was emulating fully. After arriving in Greeley
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Weld County, Colorado, United States. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Greeley is situated north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the...
, McCotter began sharing his faith primarily at the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
campus, which he also began attending. According to McCotter, by the end of the first year 12 people had joined him, after 1966 there were thirty, and the following years it "doubled and tripled." Eventually a handful of men moved out to other cities in Colorado, as well as Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
, to start other "works" as they were called back then. The size of these "works" were most likely small, as McCotter has stated that, "Most people wouldn't have called them churches. Most people never knew we were churches." Though McCotter was not ordained by the Plymouth Brethren, he claimed the authority of an apostle.
McCotter dropped out of college to focus on ministry full time, and was planning to move down to Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
to continue his efforts; however, in 1967, at the height of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, he was drafted into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. During training, at a base in Fort Polk, Louisiana, McCotter met Dennis Clark, with whom he imparted his vision of God's "strategy" to reach the world.
Returns to the U.S.
Jim McCotter returned to Colorado after he had completed his service in VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. In May 1970, Dennis Clark returned from the service as well and joined Jim in Colorado. On a bus in 1970, while attending a conference, Jim struck up a conversation with Herschel Martindale, who would become one of the early leaders of the movement in the summer of 1970. In the early 1970s, he helped start an evangelical
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
movement with other young Christians at a Colorado university. He spent a summer touring Southwest universities, setting up campus-based churches, which according to one member church, were characterized by a literal interpretation of the Bible, a "strong expectation of the soon return of the Lord, and an aggressive emphasis on evangelism." Over the next decade, the movement spread into the wider community.
"The Blitz"
In 1970, under the leadership of Jim McCotter, Dennis Clark, Herschel Martindale, and others, approximately 30 college-age Christians embarked on a summer-long evangelistic outreach known as "The Blitz" to several university campuses in the Southwestern United States. "The Blitz" was named after the BlitzkriegBlitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
military offensive of World War II.
In the next few years, additional mission outreaches and training conferences took place as the movement expanded to many more campuses. By the summer of 1973, nearly 1,000 attended the movement's national conference held on an eastern campus. Fifteen new campuses were "Blitzed" that summer by hundreds of recruits fresh from the conference, and the movement continued to gain strength. By the end of 1973, there were about 15 "works" established. The movement would eventually become known as Great Commission International, and then later Great Commission Association of Churches.
Media attention
In the late 1970s, selected newspapers, former members, and select watchdog groups began to publicly criticize the movement's practices, many of these articles criticizing McCotter's teachings and influence on the movement. This continued throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s. (See below)Child rearing controversy
In 1978, McCotter was criticized in the Des Moines Sunday RegisterDes Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
for a statement he made during a sermon about child rearing. The sermon was based upon the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
verse Proverbs 20:30 ("Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts.") In it, McCotter said, "When you discipline, this verse indicates, as others do, that you want to do it so it wounds. Now, when you say ‘wounds,’ it doesn’t mean that you have a bloody mess on your hands necessarily. It doesn’t mean that you have a child ‘wounding’ like he has a broken leg.... And he may, and often will be, black and blue. My children have been many times. And it cleans evil from them."
ISU child development professor Sedahlia Crase was quoted as saying, "What he advocates on this tape is just poor child-rearing practice in every sense of what we know now. Besides that, it's illegal to injure a child and bruising is injuring them. I’m upset that he goes around preaching these kinds of things." McCotter responded to Crase's comments with, "She might have taken what I said out of context, but I would stand by the idea that the Bible very strongly advocates spanking children. Of course, they also need to be loved and played with."
Dating teaching controversy
McCotter has been criticized for his teachings on dating. In a 1984 Great Commission International (GCI) teaching, McCotter taught that dating was forbidden by the Bible because, "What we call 'dating,' the Bible may call 'partiality' (James 2:9). What we call 'boyfriend/girlfriend,' the Bible may call a 'clique' or a 'faction' (Galatians 5:20)." According to former member and researcher Larry PileLarry Pile
Lawrence A. Pile is a cult researcher, archivist, and workshop leader at Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and has 5 ½ years experience within "The Blitz Movement" , later writing a book about its history and...
, quoted in a 1988 newspaper article, "[In GCI] You’re practically engaged by the time you have what you normally consider a date. I do know of cases where couples were actually broken up by the leadership."
Resignation
In late 1986, McCotter announced his resignation from GCI, stating a desire to utilize his entrepreneurial abilities in an attempt to influence secular media for Christ as his reason. Two years later, Jim moved to FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and has not attended a church affiliated with the movement since that time, with the exception of the 2003 Faithwalkers conference. In an interview with New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's North and South
North and South (magazine)
North & South is a monthly magazine published in New Zealand. It was founded in 1986, and famously documented the end of the Lange Labour government in 1989. Its name relates to the two main islands of New Zealand, whilst alluding to the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell...
, McCotter denied involvement with Great Commission, saying, "I personally grew up as a Protestant and have tried to contribute most of my life to Christian or charitable organizations. However, I am not remotely involved in any way, in any "Church Movement" as you suggest, although I do go to church."
Media mogul
While with GCI, McCotter began several publishing enterprises, including a monthly publication called Today's Student, which claims to have reached circulation of 500,000 (a figure disputed by researcher Larry PileLarry Pile
Lawrence A. Pile is a cult researcher, archivist, and workshop leader at Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and has 5 ½ years experience within "The Blitz Movement" , later writing a book about its history and...
in his book Marching To Zion.) His further interests in media continued with the acquisition of two radio networks (including Florida Radio News Network in 1988), and Media Net (a television holding company).
Sun Newspaper Group
In 1989, McCotter formed the Sun Newspaper Group and associated Sun Newspapers, which at their peak circulated 235,000 copies a week. After 15 months, McCotter unexpectedly fired the 96 employees and closed the newspaper. The Sun's content was described by Bill Bradford, formerly the Sun's managing editor, as "a very conservative viewpoint." Fred Fedler, chairman of the University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
department, at one point criticized the Sun's content as "a bunch of fluff." McCotter was further criticized for his business practices as well as the sudden shutdown of the paper, which occurred without warning five days before the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
holiday of 1991. One former employee was quoted as saying, "I like Jim McCotter, and that sounds crazy, 'cause I also see him as devious and unethical and a money-grabber. And yet he's a very likable guy. You go figure it out."
Canterbury Television
In 2001 in New Zealand, McCotter bought Canterbury TelevisionCanterbury Television
Canterbury Television is an independent television station broadcasting in Canterbury, New Zealand.The name is synonymous with regional television in New Zealand as it was the name of the first regional broadcaster to operate in New Zealand. CTV produces and screens more than twenty hours of...
(CTV) for $500,000 and set up a newspaper called The Citizen. He further consolidated television interests there by buying out rival Now TV the following year. Following this, McCotter purchased an $800,000 luxury home with "spectacular ocean views" in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand. The Citizen lasted about two years, before shutting down in July 2002. At least eight former employees sought legal advice over employment disputes with McCotter, and at least five of these cases were settled out of court. Sports editor Ken Nicholson publicly criticized McCotter's business practices following the closure of The Citizen, saying, "My first impression was that he was a slimy, greasy American and my impression since is that for all his supposed religious beliefs he has absolutely no caring for people at all. All it would seem McCotter is interested in is money and more money." McCotter was also criticized for damaging "the regional television product quite severely", having been accused of driving the three previous news programmes out of business prior to the closure of The Citizen. McCotter, an American, was also criticized as a "foreign investor" for not caring "about the interests of the locals."
Political interests
McCotter also described himself through New Zealand Media Group as a "longtime member of the Council for National PolicyCouncil for National Policy
The Council for National Policy , is an umbrella organization and networking group for social conservative activists in the United States...
", an umbrella organization and networking group for conservative activists. Pressed for his views about the CNP in an interview, McCotter replied "most in the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
... would consider it an honor to have a leadership role in the CNP." Two of McCotter's nine children, Shannon and Liz, have also appeared on membership lists for the CNP.
Maverick Jets
In March 2001 McCotter Aviation purchased majority shares of Maverick Air Inc., the brainchild of homebuilder Bob Bornhofen. He expanded Maverick Air Inc. under the name Maverick Jets and relocated it from Colorado to Melbourne, FL.Leader
In August 2002, McCotter was featured on the cover of the Brevard Technical Journal (a Florida TodayFlorida Today
Florida Today is the major daily newspaper serving Brevard County. The Gannett corporation bought the paper in 1966.In addition to its regular daily publication, Florida Today publishes four weekly and eight biweekly community newspapers which are tailored for distinct neighborhoods within Brevard...
publication) touting the Maverick Jets Leader, a Very Light Jet
Very Light Jet
A very light jet, entry-level jet or personal jet, previously known as a microjet, is a category of small jet aircraft approved for single-pilot operation, seating 4-8 people, with a maximum take-off weight of under...
priced at $750,000 for "the common man." McCotter has experienced several setbacks in seeking certification and production for the Leader, the twinjet VLJ in which Maverick Jets chief pilot Jack Reed suffered a fatal crash in January 2003. On May 8, 2003 Maverick Jets laid off a significant portion of its staff suddenly and without warning. and McCotter's attempts to secure production with Tbilisi Aerospace Manufacturing in the Republic of Georgia fell through in January 2004, leaving McCotter with the task of finding yet another means of production.
SmartJet
Having produced very few Leaders, Maverick continued development of a next-generation VLJ, the SmartJet. SohuSohu
Sohu.com, Inc. is a search engine company headquartered in the Sohu.com Internet Plaza in Haidian District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China. This company and its subsidiaries offer advertising, a search engine, on-line multiplayer gaming and other services. For the fiscal year ended December...
reported that McCotter eventually signed a treaty with Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Vice-Mayor Yang Guangsheng to begin production of SmartJets there. The treaty-signing ceremony was held on November 24, 2006.
Big Horn Mountain Resorts
McCotter purchased Powder Pass Ski Area, Meadowlark Lake Resort and Deerhave Lodge between 1998 and 1999, joining the properties under the operating name Big Horn Mountain Resorts. Andrew Purrier was a minority investor in the joint venture. A dispute broke out on December 23, 1999. McCotter insisted that the resort bar remain open despite Purrier's allegation of the moral toll it was taking on residents and workers. Subsequently, Purrier quit the business.On April 9, 2007 McCotter was cited by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for violating health, safety, environmental and sanitation conditions of his Forest Service permit because of raw sewage that had polluted Ten Sleep Creek. Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Bill Bass shut down Deerhaven and Meadowlark Lake Resorts because of the spillage. Frozen lines at both locations were suspected of causing the leaks. On May 15, 2007, Bass reported that McCotter, who had been restricted from touching the sewer systems during the closure, had submitted a plan to fix the problem, which was subject to approval by the U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming DEQ. On July 19, 2008, the U.S. Forest Service permanently barring Jim McCotter from operating his businesses in the National Forest following a series of investigations and closures for alleged health and safety violations, pending a 45 day appeal period. On October 8, 2008, a pending sale of Big Horn Mountain Resorts was reported.
On June 30, 2009, the Washakie County Sheriff's department issued public notice of a Sheriff's sales of the entire Big Horn Mountain Resorts complex to satisfy unpaid creditors. The sale occurred on July 16, 2009 with the three properties making up the Big Horn Mountain Resorts selling for $410,000 to Wayne and Holli Jones, owners of another local lodge. A misdemeanor warrant for ignoring court orders to appear for allegation of failing to pay past employees was issued to McCotter by the Bighorn County attorney's office. Prior to the sale, the Washakie County Sheriff's Department set the minimum bid at $263,000 that included sale costs and outstanding liens filed against McCotter.
External links
- McCotter's CEO page at Maverick Jets website
- Big Horn Mountain Resorts
- Video of Jim McCotter (Spiritual Gifts Conference, 1984)
- Just Who Is Jim McCotter? (North & South, April 2002)