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Erickson Foundation Opens Retreat/Conference Center Resort

Point Lookout (http://www.visitpointlookout.com/), an Erickson Foundation-owned retreat and conference center resort overlooking Penobscot Bay in Northport, Maine, is now open. Set on nearly 380 acres, the site includes upscale accommodations, state-of-the-art conference facilities, as well as athletic facilities. Point Lookout features a fitness center and gymnasium, a bowling alley and 106 guest cabins, all set against the backdrop of Ducktrap Mountain and Penobscot Bay.

The Erickson Foundation purchased the property late last year and there was a "soft opening" last month. An official grand opening is slated this month. The resort was built in the 1990s by MBNA (it has been closed for the past two years). The resort has been reopened to the public. Starting in July people will be able to rent cottages, or purchase memberships in the fitness club and bowling alley.

Point Lookout is chairman and CEO John Erickson's newest venture, joining Erickson Retirement Communities( i.e. the company's core business of developing and managing retirement communities), as well as off-shoots such as the Retirement Living TV network, NorthBay environmental education center, and the Erickson Advantage health plan.

Point Lookout provides a venue where people who are recently or soon-to-be retired can prepare for the next phase of their life and explore their options, with everything from wellness assessments to post-retirement career planning available on-site. In addition, Point Lookout is a place where companies and non-profits (particularly those that serve older adults) can explore strategies for improving the lives of seniors. It will also serve as a satellite campus for The Erickson School and a resource for other schools and institutions that educate professionals in the field of aging.

Point Lookout is an important part of John Erickson's desire to change the face of senior living in America and improve quality of life in the freedom years. It will be a national destination and resource center for the advancement of positive aging in this country.

For meetings, the 18,000-square-foot conference center at Point Lookout features a large lobby, private dining room, five meeting rooms, a kitchen, and a sitting room. Outfitted with the latest audiovisual technology, this building provides a venue for meetings and conferences. The front lawn also provides an inviting setting for small receptions, cocktail parties, and dinners in the fresh mountain air.

Additional meeting spaces and event venues on-site include Ginley Hall, a 6,000-square-foot ballroom (complete with a reception area, several enclosed porches, and a full-service kitchen), as well as Ginley Pavilion, an 11,000-square-foot space with 12 gas grills and two 50-pound lobster cookers for festive barbeques or lobster feasts. The pavilion also features retractable walls and a heating system.

For overnight guests, Point Lookout offers 106 guest cabins. The one-, two- and three-bedroom cabins include kitchenettes, living areas, and one or two bathrooms, as well as Internet access. When it comes to dining, Point Lookout offers private dining rooms as well as banquet facilities, and both buffet and wait-served meals are available in all the conference buildings.

Athletic facilities at Point Lookout include everything from a fully equipped fitness center and racquetball court to a gymnasium. A separate recreation building houses an eight-lane bowling alley, video arcade and a small party room that can hold up to 50 people. There are six miles of scenic trails that traverse the property, and Point Lookout includes a state-of-the-art artificial turf soccer field, softball field and tennis courts. At the southern edge of the property, there are barbeque and picnic areas along the shores of Penobscot Bay.

There are currently 15 people on staff at Point Lookout. Mark Blair is the general manager, and two Erickson "insiders" are on-site helping with the start-up: Andrea Wilhelm is serving as the administrative director of both Point Lookout and NorthBay; and Paul Coco, who has been with Erickson for ten years at the corporate office, Charlestown, and Brooksby Village, is now Point Lookout's director of operations. Neal Williamson oversees marketing and public relations. Erickson expect to employ a total of 50 people at Point Lookout by the end of this year. The general public can obtain more information by calling 1-800-515-3611.

About Erickson Retirement Communities:

Erickson Retirement Communities <http://www.ericksoncommunities.com/> is one of the leading national developers of full-service retirement communities. Headquartered near Baltimore, Md., Erickson has built an innovative network of 21 communities that combine a maintenance-free active lifestyle with an ever-expanding host of amenities, social activities, and wellness and medical centers, proven to improve both physical and mental health.

Erickson was named by FORTUNE as being one of the Top 100 "2008 Best Companies to Work For(r)." The Erickson enterprise also encompasses the Retirement Living TV <http://www.rl.tv/> network; NorthBay <http://www.northbayadventure.com/> environmental education center; the Erickson Health <http://www.ericksonhealth.com/> system; Erickson Advantage <http://www.ericksonadvantage.com/> health plan; Renaissance Gardens assisted living, long-term nursing care, and short-term rehabilitation residences; The Erickson School <http://www.umbc.edu/erickson> at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); The Erickson Foundation <http://www.ericksoncommunities.com/foundation> ; and Point Lookout <http://www.pointlookout.com/> conference center.