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Jay Peak bombshell

thetrailboss

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Vail and Alterra are in the ski business not hospitality. The waterpark, hotels probably make it not as desirable because they would have to mange it themselves (not what they do) or pay a third party to manage it. It's a well known mountain on this forum but joe sixpack skier has not heard of it.
Agree about those operators being ski focused. However, look closely at Alterra and you will see a lot of real estate development planned and coming on line.

Disagree about general knowledge of Jay. They historically market A LOT.
 

thetrailboss

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Put me down for, "after substantial discussions (with a company that wont be named), no competing bids emerged".
$58 mill seems damn low considering how much coin was invested.

That must reflect lower revenue than expected. But I don’t think 2020-2022 were normal years for Jay by any stretch of the imagination.
 

machski

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I think a big turnoff for many of the big ski operators with Jay is all the ancillary business they are now involved in. The hockey tournaments at the ice rink, the smer soccer tournaments on the pitches they have, the water park. All of that is outside the scope of all of the big ski operators. Now, the Golf Course and hotels are not and would be of some interest. But there are risks involved. You buy Jay for big $$ and the first year is a poor snow year, you could be in a world of hurt since their snowmaking system is so substandard for a resort their size in the NE. Then you have an aging primary lift system and a state permitting process that can be infuriatingly difficult to impossible to work within, it is easier to see why ski operators have passed.
 

machski

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People need to stop thinking Jay is remote. Jay is roughly a couple hour drive from Montreal. Metro Montreal has around four million people, metro Boston has around five million people. Do people think Loon is remote?
The only thing with the cross border to your big ski base is the exchange rate. Another potential turnoff to buyers as a Canadian dollar only gets you 81 cents USD currently. Jay as long as I can remember has taken the shave and accepted CAD at par for Canadian residents. If a new buyer decides to end that deal, will Canadians continue to come?
 

KustyTheKlown

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The only thing with the cross border to your big ski base is the exchange rate. Another potential turnoff to buyers as a Canadian dollar only gets you 81 cents USD currently. Jay as long as I can remember has taken the shave and accepted CAD at par for Canadian residents. If a new buyer decides to end that deal, will Canadians continue to come?

montrealers are also like 60 minutes or less from the laurentians. jay is proximate to Montreal but i still think the border, the exchange rate, and the availability of skiing in the laurentians, the townships, and near QC is a huge deterrent to going to vermont
 

thetrailboss

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oops yeah AIG. I was booking a hotel for work and IHG was on my mind!
No worries. Yeah, for some reason I think AIG has (or had at one time) deeper pockets than IHG. And AIG's founder had a deep personal connection with Stowe that has endured well beyond his death.
 

tumbler

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People need to stop thinking Jay is remote. Jay is roughly a couple hour drive from Montreal. Metro Montreal has around four million people, metro Boston has around five million people. Do people think Loon is remote?
A 2.5 hour drive is different that a 4+ hour drive. Yes, many people in Boston don't consider driving almost to Canada for the weekend.
 

tumbler

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Agree about those operators being ski focused. However, look closely at Alterra and you will see a lot of real estate development planned and coming on line.

Disagree about general knowledge of Jay. They historically market A LOT.
No they really don't market much in the Boston area.
 

cdskier

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No they really don't market much in the Boston area.
They certainly don't market much in the NJ/NY area either (not a surprise considering how far they are from this market). Still though I really wouldn't at all be surprised if your earlier comment is right that Jay isn't that well known among the more general casual skier population.
 

KustyTheKlown

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stratton advertises heavily in nyc. all over the subway and bus system.

epic pass advertises on tv here.

i don't see any ads for any independent skiing around here at all.
 

ThatGuy

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A 2.5 hour drive is different that a 4+ hour drive. Yes, many people in Boston don't consider driving almost to Canada for the weekend.
Hes saying that the drive from Boston to Loon is comparable to the drive from Montreal to Jay…
 

Edd

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So what are you trying to say?
Burke is close to Jay and smuggs is with in an hour as well.
I’m saying SR is an enormous draw for Boston skiers and if they buy the pass to ski there, Loaf isn’t much farther. Burke doesn’t help Jay draw anything to talk about I assume. As for Smuggs, it may as well be on the moon and doesn’t share a pass anyway.
 

bigbob

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People need to stop thinking Jay is remote. Jay is roughly a couple hour drive from Montreal. Metro Montreal has around four million people, metro Boston has around five million people. Do people think Loon is remote?
I think we live closer to Montreal and Quebec City than NYC!
 

LONGBOARDR

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Well, we'll soon find out Jay's destiny and this thread can be mercifully buried. RIP
IMO Jay does not easily fit into a tidy box like other ski areas, thankfully. Hopefully that will help in who buys the mountain.
Over the years there has been a steady migration of skiers here to Jay that have had their fill of standard fare and want to expand their ski experience.
Many like myself wind up staying.
This site seems divided between those wanting more "stuff" and those who accept the "Jay foibles" for challenging, ungroomed steep in bounds terrain, sometimes world class powder and a genuine, authentic welcoming vibe. I say choose the path that suits you best and enjoy.

As this new chapter of Jay eventually unfolds, it is important to mention some key people who have had a role in creating and making Jay what it is, in a semi-chronological order:
The Gilpin brothers; Father St Onge; Perry Merrill, Harold Haynes; Don McNally; Walter Foeger; Bill Stenger and Steve Wright.
I'm not a buddy of Steve's but he rightfully deserves IMO outsized credit for steering Jaypeak through some mighty challenging seas.

Bring on the winter!
V/R
Longboardr
 
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