In 2022, the international $20 billion InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) purchased the “Old Stone Farm” (aka “The Dutchess”) 236-acre property at 2450 Route 9G & 68 Naylor Rd sitting mostly in the Town of Clinton, partly in the Town of Hyde Park, and also directly bordering Rhinebeck. Under the high-end luxury “Six Senses” brand, they plan to expand the existing operation from a 30-guest “Dude Ranch” to a resort hotel and spa for 240 guests, despite being subject to Clinton’s no-hotels law and Hyde Park’s Greenbelt District. Their plan is now in the application phase with Clinton’s Planning Board, as a mere expansion of the old inn previously allowed under a Clinton “Special Use” permit intended for small conference centers with a maximum of 44 guests.
Yet their plans are clearly for a large resort hotel, given the proposal’s details for:
• 240 guests daily
• 150 employees, some living onsite
• dozens of new buildings
• several swimming pools & pool houses
• 40,000 sq. ft. spa & more resort features
• guests-only restaurant
• 600 cars in & out daily, plus additional delivery and service vehicles year-round
The intent of the Special Use Permit for a small conference center was never envisioned for large resort hotels, which are not permitted under Town of Clinton's zoning law. A survey of Clinton residents that informed Clinton’s latest Comprehensive Plan development, found the vast majority of Clinton residents DO NOT want hotels in Clinton, and this was specifically identified in the Comprehensive Plan.
The historic property known as Old Stone Farm had a main house with 10 rooms and a separate house with 4 bedrooms, according to their website.
You might ask, “How did we not know“? Perhaps because IHG and their hired hands, had been quietly pushing this proposal through before local residents knew what happened to them. Town officials were told, “the community has welcomed us”, while instead, the “community” has been deliberately kept in the dark about these plans. Find out more about this project development, and stay apprised of future developments by accessing www.CommonSensesHV.org.
UPDATES (provided by Common Senses Hudson Valley):
December 2025
TOWN OF CLINTON PLANNING BOARD
MEETING CANCELLATION
Due to inclement weather, the December 2, 2025 Planning Board meeting is cancelled.
Please stay tuned for the rescheduled date, items that are scheduled on this agenda are rescheduled to the next Planning Board meeting, i.e. December 17, 2025
September 2025
Clinton ZBA Ready to Rule
It's up to the ZBA to Decide if Six Senses Can Proceed to the Planning Board: We think the law and the facts are clearly on our side but if there's one thing we've learned, it's that there are forces trying to push this project ahead even though it doesn't legally belong under the Clinton or Hyde Park zoning codes. Please show up and hear what the ZBA has to say. Thu Sept 18 6:30pm Clinton Town Hall 1215 Centre Road Rhinebeck NY (Agenda HERE). We know Six Senses will have their corporate, legal and consultants there but remember, it's OUR COMMUNITY - show the ZBA you care.
For background, take a look at the excellent letter from our attorney HERE, plus a separate CSHV submission HERE, (thanks to all who helped draft and wrote their own letters). Our attorney also sent another letter late last week (HERE) showing how Six Senses' last-minute sneaky legal stunt tried to mislead the ZBA.
What's Next on the Legal Front?
Hyde Park Town Board is expected to have a Public Hearing In October to consider whether the proposed resort access roads through the Hyde Park Greenbelt district will create public harms like traffic, water and air pollution, excessive noise, flooding, wildlife loss, declines in property values and forever chemical (PFAS) contamination. We think the hearing will be October 20th (the scheduled date is October 13th, a legal holiday). If you live in Hyde Park and care about its future, your voice at the hearing will be critical. We'll keep you posted.
Community Collaboration
Lawn signs are coming! This is a chance to show your support for our community. We expect to have a central pick-up point by month's end. With crucial Town Board elections this November, everyone should know where the candidates stand on upholding our laws and stopping rogue hotel development.
Ask the Candidates: Clinton Democrats meet at Fran Marks Park October 4th from 1-4pm. All invited (not just Dems). Show up and ask **Why did they give Six Senses a special exemption from the Hotels/Conference Center Moratorium when the ZBA said large resorts were never intended? **Why did they agree to everything Six Senses asked for in a settlement agreement Six Senses lawyers wrote? **Why are they still pushing for commercial resort and hotel development in Conservation, Low Density and Agricultural areas, directly contrary to the Comprehensive Plan? **Will they commit to stopping ALL resorts and hotels in these areas?
August 2025
Town of Clinton: Planning Board Punts to the Zoning Board of Appeals Aug. 28th
The Clinton Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing to decide if Six Senses can move forward will be held on August 28th 6:30pm Clinton Town Hall. They will interpret what they meant in June 2024, when they said Six Senses couldn't go before the Planning Board until the Hyde Park road access was granted by a "final non appealable decision." The facts are clear: No road access has been granted yet, let alone by a final, non-appealable decision. Your voice is needed to tell the ZBA they should enforce what they said, not try to wriggle out to aid Six Senses. The Common Senses HV attorney explains the issue HERE. Public attendance lets them know the public cares. What to say? The ZBA must abide by its decision. No road access has been granted yet by Hyde Park and any decision can be appealed. The Settlement agreement that called itself a "final, non-appealable decision" is itself being appealed. If you cannot attend, please send a letter to pbzba@townofclinton.com.
Town of Clinton: Town Board Caves to Developers
As expected, the Clinton Town Board adopted a Conference Center and Hotels Moratorium that exempts Six Senses.The only explanation (after the vote) was that they had to exempt Six Senses to give them time to write a new law. This is 100% false as moratoriums are designed for all new permits and the moratorium they passed added complicated language to retroactively exempt Six Senses. The Clinton TB also said they are working on a new law with its debut expected in October or so. Stay tuned.
Town of Hyde Park: Public Hearing on Road Access in October
In another victory, the Hyde Park Town Board REJECTED Six Senses arguments that residents' petition should be dismissed and set a public hearing date in October to consider whether road access should be allowed. (Minutes HERE - see page 11; date was set as Oct 13th but that's a holiday; this date will be confirmed as soon as possible). Every Hyde Park and area community voice is needed to show up and oppose the road access through the Crum Elbow Creek, the Greenbelt district as well as a Significant Biodiversity area.
July 2025
IHG’s Aggressive Legal Tactics Fail
IHG Six Senses’ aggressive legal bullying failed at the Dutchess County Supreme Court. Despite IHG’s best efforts to smear our counsel and have him disqualified in the case against the illegal Hyde Park and Clinton maneuvers to help Six Senses, Judge Hayes soundly rejected IHG's speculative and specious claims on July 7th. Ironically, it’s IHG’s lawyer that has an ethics conflict for the backroom deal he cut with the Hyde Park Town Board. Judge Hayes’ decision expressly allows this concern to be raised going forward. A scheduling conference will be held mid-September. You can read the ruling HERE. Stay tuned.
Clinton Moratorium Will Exclude Six Senses; Say NO Aug. 12th
On July 8th, the Clinton Town Board adopted a Draft Moratorium for Clinton’s Hotels/Motels/Conference Centers laws with an EXCEPTION for the Six Senses resort! Clinton’s Conference Center law is obviously a problem. In 2024, the Clinton ZBA noted the town didn’t intend for the 2021 law to include a massive resort but felt its hands were tied. The law was called a loophole by town officials in 2025 (Learn more HERE). Instead of applying the moratorium across the board for ALL new Permits, the Clinton Town Board’s draft law ties itself in knots to help greenlight the Six Senses resort. A Moratorium is a legal step designed to halt ALL projects to bring town zoning laws into alignment with the town’s comprehensive plan according to NY State best practices (HERE). Everyone – even global billion-dollar companies – should be required to abide by Zoning laws and Comprehensive Plans. No Exceptions! The PUBLIC HEARING will be on Tuesday August 12th at 6:25pm (details HERE and DRAFT Law HERE). Your Voice Matters - Tell the Board No Special Treatment for Six Senses!
Clinton Zoning Revisions Expand Conference Centers, Clear Cutting, Board Ignores Public
The Clinton Town Board also took up the ongoing Zoning Law Revisions on July 8th. Once again, the “redline” document for public comment was a mess, inaccurate in dozens of places, making it impossible to know what the proposed changes are. The revisions do expand the 2021 “Conference Center” definition to include exactly what IHG Six Senses has requested -- equine operations and employee housing. The changes also permit more destruction of our vital forests by weakening the standards for “clear-cutting” trees and include many other changes to residents’ rights and standards. WHY? Board Members not only failed to explain, they demanded concerned members of the public identify on the spot specific sections of the Comprehensive Plan the zoning revisions contradict and then, without more, CLOSED the Public Hearing, making it clear they intend to adopt the changes (whatever they are) at the August 12th Board Meeting without additional public input. This disrespects legal process and residents and the Town Board should be called out publicly when they try to jam through the law August 12th as they've said they will. Watch the meeting HERE.
