Hunter's lifts...........or lack of now!!

[JimG.]

I skied Belleayre extensively for many years and it is still a place I care about. I have an issue with money being wasted for no reason (especially in this case since it is public money and not some private corporation's money). A quad would have been sufficient for that lift (and is what the master plan called for) and the money saved could have been put towards the other planned improvements at Belleayre.

Fair enough. I believe a big reason they built the Gondi first was to use it as a centerpiece for the redevelopment. They want to recast their image to an upscale resort type destination. I am still shocked that it was built and installed so quickly.

We can debate endlessly the placement of the lift or quality of Belleayre's terrain. Don't misunderstand me I have taken a liking to Belle but I also don't see it as a resort destination yet. But let's all not forget that little Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, NY is considered a resort destination for thousands of Midwestern skiers. And $ is $ so whatever that Gondi cost may be recouped in coming seasons.

 

[catskills]

Everyone I talked to on the Belleayre Gondi said they love the Gondola. One mother with her 9 year old daughter on a cold 10F degree day said she would not even have considered skiing that day if the Gondola was not there. Obviously the intermediate crowd likes the Gondola, which is very different than the expert skiers and riders that hang out here. Then there is the summer events that are probably planned around the Gondola. The best part of the Gondola is it rarely stops for people having problems loading or getting off like they do for chair lifts. Walk on and walk off. No problem.

 

[JimG.]

www.rtands.com/index.php/passenger/...h-plans-overhaul-of-white-plains-station.html

$135 million renovation. I don't commute so I'll never benefit from it. Compared to this the Gondi at Belle is a small drop in the bucket.

But you will never hear me say it is a waste of money even though part of me says it is. I'm sure there will be benefits to commuters who use the WP station. Just like the Gondi at Belle benefits those who ski there.

 

[180]

Not sure what WP Train station has to do with Bell, but as a 25 year commuter on that line, this is long overdue. Of course my monthly will undoubtedly rise again which is not a good thing.

 

[cdskier]

www.rtands.com/index.php/passenger/...h-plans-overhaul-of-white-plains-station.html

$135 million renovation. I don't commute so I'll never benefit from it. Compared to this the Gondi at Belle is a small drop in the bucket.

Except the $135M is for the entire project covering multiple stations based on what I'm reading. A better equivalent comparison for Belleayre would be the entire cost of ALL the planned expansion/upgrades at Belleayre (or perhaps even ORDA in general).

I'm not familiar at all with Metro North's stations so can't say whether any parts of that project are wasteful or not. Belleayre on the other hand I have personal knowledge of, so feel I can have an opinion on that one (whether you agree with my opinion or not is fine as people are allowed to have differing opinions and debate them).

 

[benski]

Not sure what WP Train station has to do with Bell, but as a 25 year commuter on that line, this is long overdue. Of course my monthly will undoubtedly rise again which is not a good thing.

I have never been to the White Plains Metro north station but it can't be as bad as many dilapidated non ADA compliant subway station they could repair.

 

[JimG.]

Except the $135M is for the entire project covering multiple stations based on what I'm reading. A better equivalent comparison for Belleayre would be the entire cost of ALL the planned expansion/upgrades at Belleayre (or perhaps even ORDA in general).

I would agree with 180's comment that the White Plains station renovation is long overdue. My bad using the $135M figure, I believe the portion I saw on the news last night specific to WP was $92M. Still a lot of money. And still needed.

Regarding ORDA, in my view both Gore and Whiteface have received more in the way of upgrades over the years than Belle which seems like ORDA's lost child. So my feeling is that the investments there are also long overdue.

Which brings us back to the fact that we disagree that the Gondola is wasteful. As Belle is now, it is a waste if the redevelopment ends there. I don't think that will be the case, I certainly hope not in any case.

If part of your viewpoint is that the project is screwed from the start because NYS government runs it, I won't argue with you on that front.

 

[cdskier]

I would agree with 180's comment that the White Plains station renovation is long overdue. My bad using the $135M figure, I believe the portion I saw on the news last night specific to WP was $92M. Still a lot of money. And still needed.

Regarding ORDA, in my view both Gore and Whiteface have received more in the way of upgrades over the years than Belle which seems like ORDA's lost child. So my feeling is that the investments there are also long overdue.

To be fair, Belleayre has only been under ORDA control for a few years. Prior to that it was the DEC that ran it and could more-so be blamed for being neglected for quite a while (although it may have also been harder for the DEC to secure budget for improvements than it is for ORDA).

Which brings us back to the fact that we disagree that the Gondola is wasteful. As Belle is now, it is a waste if the redevelopment ends there. I don't think that will be the case, I certainly hope not in any case.

I certainly hope that is not the case as well. The terrain expansion in particular would be huge for Belle (especially as it would in a sense offer a direct connection to that new resort that's supposed to be built).

If part of your viewpoint is that the project is screwed from the start because NYS government runs it, I won't argue with you on that front.

That is certainly a factor.

 

[180]

ALmost everyone I know says the Gondola is a game changer for Bell, even those that didnt want it.

 

[abc]

ALmost everyone I know says the Gondola is a game changer for Bell, even those that didnt want it.

I used it for the first time last week, when the Tomahawk was on mechanical hold. Can’t say I care for it. It’s redundant when the Tomahawk runs

 

[JimG.]

I used it for the first time last week, when the Tomahawk was on mechanical hold. Can’t say I care for it. It’s redundant when the Tomahawk runs

Tomahawk breaks down constantly. Slow when it runs.