Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry and Sugarloaf/USA in Carrabassett Valley are for sale – if the price is right.

Les Otten, the man who built Sunday River, isn’t saying if it is. But he isn’t saying it’s not, either.

Otten, in fact, isn’t saying anything.

No comment, he told The Associated Press on Wednesday night, hours after word got out that the resorts are on the market.

Otten’s no longer a member of the board of directors of American Skiing Co., which owns both Maine resorts. When he stepped down a week or so ago, the move fueled speculation that he’d be making a move to regain ownership of the Newry ski area.

ASC directors announced earlier Wednesday that they’ve authorized the company to strategically review its options for Sunday River and Sugarloaf, including the potential sale of the ski hills.

“American Skiing Co. would only pursue a sale of one or both resorts if the valuation and terms presented from a potential buyer were favorable,” ASC President and Chief Executive Officer B. J. Fair stated.

Since December, ASC has announced sales of five of its eight resorts: Steamboat in Steamboat, Colo., Attitash in New Hampshire, and Killington, Mount Snow and Pico in Vermont.

The sales leave the company with the two Maine resorts and ASC’s flagship, The Canyons in Park City, Utah.

ASC is looking to raise some cash.

“To ensure we maximize the value of these assets, we will commence a review of options for our Maine resort properties,” Fair said.

ASC apparently wants to focus solely on the Utah resort.

“With respect to The Canyons, we are continuing our efforts towards successful and favorable resolution of the litigation involving the resort,” Fair said.

The company has been embroiled in a dispute about terms of a lease covering a key section of the 3,500-acre Utah ski area.

Ski industry observers had predicted that American Skiing, which moved its headquarters from Maine to Utah five years ago, would sell Sugarloaf and Sunday River and focus on The Canyons.

The Utah resort has grown from 63 trails to 144 over the past decade while the areas in Maine have seen little change.

Otten built Sunday River into the biggest ski area in Maine before taking the company public a decade ago. Since then its stock plummeted in value and Otten eventually had to stepped down as CEO.

He still owns a home near the resort.

Staff writer Terry Karkos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.