It's difficult to view the current talks to purchase the beleaguered Nevele Resort without an eye towards the past. Often discussed with nostalgia and regret for how far the resort had fallen in recent years, it seems to be impossible to escape the negativity and distrust the current owner, Joel Hoffman, has engendered in the area.

The history of Hoffman's stewardship of the resort has not been a good one. Disgruntled former guests and employees have long been vocal in their claims of poor management.

Reports of fines levied against the ownership for Department of Labor violations, liens on the property for unpaid bills, and a $2 million judgment against Hoffman in favor of his former business partner Mitchell Wolff are all examples of the fiscal mire in which the once-great resort has become stuck. It's difficult to imagine the resort ever emerging from under the cloud of suspicion and bad faith that have formed under Hoffman's tenure as owner.

And, of course, the economy's recovery seems to remain in suspended animation. Combine the gloomy national market with Ellenville's longstanding economic troubles, and needless to say, there's never been a worse time or place to try and sell a resort.

That's what makes the potential deal for Tricon Development out of Brooklyn to purchase the Nevele, which has been closed since last summer, so important to the people of the region. It's also what makes the deal a magnet for speculation and doubt on the part of the area's citizens and media alike. The skepticism with which many view the potential sale has certainly been earned over the years — that cannot be denied.

But the proof that having faith can pay off is not hard to find: the Honor's Haven Resort and Spa, once known as the Fallsview (itself once a part of the Nevele property), is an example of how things can turn around in a short time.

In the years since the new owners have taken over, what was once a property synonymous with the rot and decay of the Nevele has now become the largest employer in the town, attracting guests and groups from around the world.

The Honor's Haven is far from perfect. Like many businesses, it's attracted criticism — and even legal action — from former employees. But a visit to the resort on Arrowhead Road right next to the shuttered Nevele offers a flurry of activity and life. Renovations to improve the hotel's façade and infrastructure never seem to end. The stark contrast between the two properties shows the potential for the Nevele itself should a sale of the property be finalized.

Tricon Development isn't the Marriott or the Hilton. But by entering into a contract to purchase the Nevele, it seems as though the company is willing to invest money into a local institution. The least we can do in return is invest some faith that they'll make that institution something of which we can all be proud again.