amphitheater construction site for the eldred preserve

The Eldred Preserve expands offerings, announces Spring 2020 grand opening

The Eldred Preserve, being developed by local resident and entrepreneur Dan Silna and his wife, Joan, in the town of Highland of Sullivan County, N.Y., will celebrate its grand opening in the spring of 2020.

The Eldred Preserve will be a wholly unique hospitality experience that will weave together the best of three Sullivan County legacy brands – The Eldred Preserve, The Bradstan Country Hotel, and The Old Homestead Restaurant.

The project was originally slated for completion before the close of 2019; however, the project’s development team faced several unforeseeable delays brought on primarily by extreme weather conditions in 2018 and the early months of 2019.

In fact, 2018 was the second wettest year ever recorded by the Mohonk Lake Cooperative Weather Station over its 122-year history. The rainy season was quickly followed by January’s polar vortex, which brought on dangerously frigid temperatures.

“Our goal has always been to open our doors before the end of the summer, but despite our best efforts, forces beyond our control simply won’t allow us to reach that target,” said Dan Silna, a well-known pioneer in the textile industry and the former co-owner of the American Basketball Association’s Spirits of St. Louis. “Of course, we’re disappointed, but we’re also grateful for the opportunity to make the guest experience at The Eldred Preserve even more transformative than originally planned.”

The Eldred Preserve property will include an event space, luxury accommodations, and a classic steakhouse offering a unique farm-to-table experience. Plans also include amenities such as an on-site fitness center, a special events gazebo, vegetable and herb gardens, a scenic deck and patio, and firepit seating.

Additionally, the revised construction timeline has allowed The Eldred Preserve to further expand its amenities to now include a lakeside pavilion, an outdoor pool and hot tub carefully landscaped to seamlessly blend into the natural environment, and a fleet of kayaks, paddle boats, and canoes for guests’ use on Sunrise Lake. The Eldred Preserve also has plans to enhance the property’s existing 2-mile-long walking trail and install a series of outdoor exercise stations.

“Our focus has always been on creating a uniquely welcoming guest experience; if getting it right means pushing back the completion date, then I think it is well worth it,” Joan Silna said. “We can’t wait to share our nest in the Catskills with everyone, just in time to welcome the new beginnings that come with the arrival of spring in upstate New York.” 

“Our team and partners have all done a phenomenal job navigating the unforeseeable challenges throughout the project, and we are confident in their ability to see our dream through to completion,” Dan Silna added.

Continued project news and updates will be communicated through The Eldred Preserve website at www.TheEldredPreserve.com and on The Eldred Preserve Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheEldredPreserve.