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Aurora, NY - The Inns of Aurora announced Thursday the purchase of Pumpkin Hill. Situated on a hill on the south side of the Village of Aurora, the 23-acre Pumpkin Hill site is home to the Sellen Farmhouse, built nearby in 1820 and later moved to its current location. Under the recent ownership of Terry Dewis and Andy Casas, the charming house was lovingly renovated with intimate dining rooms, a small bar, and kitchen and run as Pumpkin Hill Bistro & Vineyard. Walking trails, cut into fields of tall grass that surround the farmhouse, wind down the gentle hill to Long Point State Park.

The purchase of Pumpkin Hill is part of the Inns of Aurora's ongoing development of its boutique resort, which includes five distinctly designed luxury inns, 1833 Kitchen & Bar, the Fargo Bar & Grill, the Village Market, Aurora Cooks! Demonstration Kitchen, the Schoolhouse Activities Center, and a lakeside wedding ceremony and reception venue under a series of custom Sperry Tents. Following an outstanding summer season, the team at the Inns of Aurora is looking forward to opening a spectacular 15,000-square-foot wellness spa and a state-of-the-art conference center, both of which are scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2021. The property at Pumpkin Hill will be an important part of serving the increasing number of visitors that these attractions will bring to Aurora.

“With so many travelers currently confined to destinations within driving distance, we have been fortunate to safely welcome a surge of new guests finding treasures like Aurora in their own backyards,” comments Sue Edinger, Chief Operating Officer at the Inns of Aurora. “This has been our busiest summer ever, and we expect this trend to continue. We are thrilled to grow our company despite the challenging business climate, generating important tax revenue and providing good jobs for our local community.” In 2019, tourism in Cayuga County generated $12.6 million in state and local taxes and provided over 1,500 jobs, according to the Cayuga County Office of Tourism’s annual report.

“Our culinary team is brainstorming now what Pumpkin Hill might look like in the future,” notes Meryl Eriksen, Director of Food & Beverage at the Inns of Aurora. “Whatever concept we adopt, it’s our goal to offer an experience that aligns with our existing restaurants and harmonizes with the other businesses in our community. We’re excited to share what we create with both our local guests and visitors to our region.”

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