It's one deal down and one to go for the potential reopening of Laurel Mountain Ski Area in Westmoreland County, possibly for the upcoming season.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort, which lost about $220,000 when it operated Laurel Mountain during the 2004-2005 season, yesterday announced it had entered an agreement with Somerset Trust Co.

Although the 63-acre ski area is owned by the state, Somerset Trust owns the lodge, two chairlifts, the snowmaking system, snow-grooming equipment, maintenance and storage buildings and other assets.

The deal for Seven Springs to acquire those assets is contingent upon Gov. Ed Rendell's willingness to provide funds ?? reportedly $6 million -- for renovation and improvements "to restore the mechanics on the mountain."

Chief among the latter is the two-person chairlift that was installed more than 40 years ago. A used four-person chairlift that was installed in the late 1990s, the snowmaking system and snow-grooming equipment also need an upgrade. It desperately needs more water-impoundment ponds for snowmaking.

Now that it has an agreement with Somerset Trust, Seven Springs has to obtain a long-term lease from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to operate the ski area.

If Laurel is to open for the 2008-2009 season, the terms of the lease must be agreed to as soon as possible and the amount of funds from the state has to be substantial enough to justify Seven Springs commitment. The ski area is competing with hundreds of state-owned facilities that are seeking funds for long-delayed maintenance and capital improvement projects.

"We look forward to partnering with the DCNR and the state to greatly enhance the infrastructure of the resort and create a great recreation opportunity for the community," said Seven Springs Chairman Bob Nutting. "Their collective support is critical to this project."

Mr. Nutting, whose family purchased Seven Springs in 2006 and also has a 25 percent stake in the Pittsburgh Pirates, said he wants to rebuild Laurel "into a community asset that will bring with it new jobs and activity."

"It would definitely be a boost to the Ligonier Valley," said Rachel Roehrig, director of the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"We've been down this road before," she said, referring to other efforts to revive the now-it's-open, now-it's-closed ski area in recent decades. I just hope everything goes through this time."

So does Mr. Nutting.

"Laurel has been on a roller coaster for a number of years," Mr. Nutting said. "We'd like to reopen it for the coming season, but only if we can provide a quality experience" for snowsports enthusiasts.

"That would be absolutely wonderful," said Bill Curley, a longtime member of the Laurel Mountain Ski Club. "Although there's a lot to do in a short amount of time, Seven Springs has the people and the resources to reopen Laurel if they can get started on it soon."

"This is exciting news," said Annie Urban, executive director of the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau. "We know that when Laurel Mountain is open, winter business increases not only in the Ligonier Valley but throughout the region as well.

"The reopening of Laurel Mountain will only enhance the Laurel Highlands as a ski destination in our target markets of Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C."

Jeff Cook, executive vice president of Somerset Trust, said the company "is very pleased to have a quality ski resort operator ready to re-open Laurel Mountain. We feel this really shows their commitment to the ski business, tourism and employment in the region. Laurel Mountain has the potential to be an outstanding ski resort."

Somerset Trust also had discussions with the Buncher Co. of Pittsburgh about operating Laurel Mountain. But Buncher, which purchased Hidden Valley Four Season Resort last August, said it is busy developing that long-neglected resort into "the premier resort of the Laurel Highlands."