An essay contest will determine the new owner of the Center Lovell Inn & Restaurant. http://t.co/R5xles9xgL pic.twitter.com/XSCYlztYld
— PressHerald (@PressHerald) March 9, 2015The Center Lovell Inn on Kezar Lake in Maine was built in 1805. Owner Janice Sage has operated the inn since she won it in an essay contest 22 years ago. Now Sage is retiring, and will pass the inn off to a new winner. With a 200-word essay and an entry fee of $125, someone will take ownership of the inn and the 12 acres it sits on. If Sage receives 7500 entries, the take will match the $900,000 that real estate agents would have listed the property for.
She also hopes the novel approach will ensure that the inn will land in worthy hands.
“I’ve never been known to do anything the normal way,” she said. “I just want to pass it on for someone else.”
The money will also fund a rather nice retirement for Sage, who managed a restaurant in Maryland before taking over the inn. Entries must be postmarked by May 7. You can download the rules of the contest here, and read more about the contest at the Portland Press-Herald. -via mental_floss