NHPR reports on the project:
http://nhpr.org/post/hassan-says-state-needs-support-balsams-redevelopment
http://nhpr.org/post/hassan-says-state-needs-support-balsams-redevelopment
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Balsams Grand Resort teams up with ski industry legend Les Otten
- Thread starter bobbutts
- Start date
WWF-VT
Well-known member
More on Skinet: Can Balsams be Bigger than Killington?
http://www.skinet.com/ski/article/can-balsams-be-bigger-killington
http://www.skinet.com/ski/article/can-balsams-be-bigger-killington
Very interesting. $48 mill from NH. Sounds like they have a concrete plan for this.
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OK, so reading that, it sounds like "all systems go".......or am I missing something? Didn't the state basically "deny" a required bond by sending it to "study" or whatever which basically means "yeah, we need to know more about this come back next year when you have better information".
So is it a "go" and they are just waiting for that all important water permit or are things till very much up in the air on the financing side?
So is it a "go" and they are just waiting for that all important water permit or are things till very much up in the air on the financing side?
Mapnut
New member
Honest Slogan for Balsams: "More sprawl than Killington! Less vertical."
machski
Well-known member
That's Skinet for you. The state money is anything but locked in. The governor is pushing for it but the senate tabled it (and oh, BTW, NH has an exec council that can steer the governor). Be interesting to see how it goes, especially where Hassan's predecessor blocked any expansion at Sunapee during his terms.
So it sounds like everyone should take that glowing article with a grain of salt and we're back to where we thought we were which is the Senate sayin "yeah, before we commit millions of taxpayer $, let's learn a lot more about this". Which basically means if they plan to break ground on anything during the summer of 2015 they will be doing it with private money.
Frankly, I wouldn't touch a shovel on that thing without that water permit either as having issues making snow is a game changer for most places.
ThinkSnow
Member
Sugarloaf has more skiable acres, and a greater vertical than Kmart-- but still a good plan to keep NYers in SVT.
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20150317/NEWS0621/150319092&template=mobileart
Passed a hurdle. Looking like the State will back this.
Also interesting is the recent vote authorizing two casinos in the State.
Passed a hurdle. Looking like the State will back this.
Also interesting is the recent vote authorizing two casinos in the State.
St. Bear
New member
I've been saying that that part of the state is perfect for a casino for years now.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Tough call on the state funding. On one hand it's tough to dump money into something like that, but on the other hand, that area is so economically depressed it might be appropriate. I am learning towards supporting the expenditure, as long as all their ducks are in a row esp permits.
SIKSKIER
New member
That would be a terrible place.Its in the middle of nowhere and trying to get people there from big population areas and pull them away from much closer options would be futile.
St. Bear
New member
I imagine the state of CT had the same objections when they first considered building Foxwoods.
machski
Well-known member
I'd be careful, that is not necessarily true. I have landed Gulfstreams at Berlin Airport in the past prior to the Balsams closing for folks going there. The area has a draw and while it may be a hike, in the past it has pulled folks up to it. If they do this right, it will pull even more. Tremblant is not that easy to get to but has become the top Eastern Resort anyway.
Vortex
Member
This would be a true destination resort. My guess is it would compete wth the Bretton woods, Mt Washington hotel group again.
The additionsal benefit of water access and being very close to Canada, to me makes this look feasible. I support it for the jobs it will create and bringing something back to the North Country. It seems 4 wheelers are extremely popular in the region. There is a need for more. Wmur, which we all get In Nh had a few interviews yesterday with folks who have been effected by the lack of development in the North country. Pretty strong cases presented from young and old resisdents.
Tremblant is also only 1:30 to Montreal and 1:45 to Ottawa, which is very convenient and provides the possibility to gain a critical mass relatively easily. When it was being built up, there were no incumbent resorts like it either.
The problem here is that Tremblant and now Jay peak provide cometition on the skiing/family resort front. Tremblant built a casino at the base already as I recall, and The Balsams would be left to fight over Canadian business with good existing options. The same goes for Americans that are okay making the trek to places like Jay/Tremblant. You can't overlook the international experience in Quebec with respect to American visitors either.
x10003q
Active member
I am pretty sure those of us with access to Gulfstreams will not be among the market Otten needs to purchase 2500 housing units. I know when I have access to a Gulfstream it will be pointed west to the Rockies. The last time the Balsams was popular people traveled by train.
Maybe not that easy for those of us in the US but Tremblant is 80 miles north of Montreal (3.8 million metro population) and 95 miles from Ottawa (1.2million metro population). I do not see 5 million people within 100 miles of Balsams.
St. Bear
New member
You don't have to hit a grand slam with the ski experience for it to be a success. You can play small ball with singles and doubles across many offerings.
How many people who live in ME/NH/VT go to Foxwoods/Mohegan Sun in the course of a year? If you can get a portion of them to go to Balsams (for shows and whatnot even if casino doesn't go through), a portion of the Canadian market, and a smattering of people for the skiing/rafting/whatever other attractions, then you have a viable plan.
How many people who live in ME/NH/VT go to Foxwoods/Mohegan Sun in the course of a year? If you can get a portion of them to go to Balsams (for shows and whatnot even if casino doesn't go through), a portion of the Canadian market, and a smattering of people for the skiing/rafting/whatever other attractions, then you have a viable plan.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
The casino market has become absolutely flooded, and will get even worse with Massachusetts casinos coming online. Nonetheless, I am in favor of allowing a casino to be built on the property. The key is to be realistic about that amount of revenue it will bring in, which is much less than it would have brought in ten or fifteen years ago.
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