MRG's Single Chair Set for Renovations (?)

[Talisman]

I have heard there is disagreement at MRG with share holders as to wether the replacement should be a single or a double chair. There is a cadre of share holders that want a double. The big lines of people waiting for the single on weekends is one of the reasons I don't ski MRG very often, but the snow is preserved so those who point out 'it is worth the wait' have a point.

 

[thetrailboss]

To continue on with the Castlerock story....I've heard few people grumble now about the new lift. It was just reality that the lift was too old and it was either new lift or no Castlerock at all(though the extremists advocated a "hike-in, ski-out" experience). When given that choice, it was a no-brainer. :wink:

 

[dmc]

When has MRG ever cared about marketing???? :lol:

Ouch. I hope Eric doesn't read that...

If they market too much then become what the shareholders do not want..

It's a catch 22..

 

[thetrailboss]

When has MRG ever cared about marketing???? :lol:

Ouch. I hope Eric doesn't read that...

If they market too much then become what the shareholders do not want..

It's a catch 22..

I see your point. They're kind of marketing now is very modest and grassroots based. As a result, they have a good reputation of being honest and down to earth. Will they ever have glitzy, TV ads? No. Will they ever be trucking snow to Boston "Les Otten Style" and dumping it in Boston Commons to make a point? No. That's what makes it a nice change of pace :wink:

 

[Mr MRG]

Greetings from Sunny Mad River Glen

It's my day off today and I just stopped into the office on my way out to enjoy some serious spring skiing. Can I pick my days off or what?

Felt like I needed to respond to a few things;

MRG does "care" about marketing, as do I as the Marketing Director. I don't get much to "care" about cuz' I don't get enough money to spend on it anyway. But isn't it nice to know that we care about other things more that marketing. Things like preserving and protecting our unique ski experience.

On another note;
Trail Boss got it right when he said, in regard to teh snowboard ban, that's the way the sharehodlers like it. They do and so do lots of other people. The "safety" issue was part of the bans origin but is a moot point today. The shareholders voted in a non-binding straw vote a few years back with the overwhelming majority supporting the maintenance of the ban. All it takes is 3 of our trustees or 10% of our shareholders to bring it to another vote. Don''t hold your breath waiting for that day.

I gotta go ski some corn, See ya........ :beer:

 

[dmc]

At least Mr MRG is honest...
Lots of people I know that ski MRG will not be honest - they blame the BAN on the chair...

I can handle honesty..

 

[ctenidae]

It wil be interesting to see if they come up with a new excuse if/when they put in a new chair. If they put in a single, they can use the same line, a double would make that more difficult. I'm with dmc on the honesty issue- it'd be nice if the shareholders made a statememnt that they uphold the ban because they don't like boarders.
How many shareholders are there, anyway? getting 10% together to force a vote could be an interesting excercise.
(BTW, I understand the safety issue is a moot point, but it is still a bit of an enabler-type reason. It's much easier for people to hold a position if there's some "factual" basis, no matter how dodgy)

 

[dmc]

It wil be interesting to see if they come up with a new excuse if/when they put in a new chair.

Hopefully they will just say - "We just don't want to share trails with snowboarders"..

Then at least I know where they stand...

 

[Greg]

It wil be interesting to see if they come up with a new excuse if/when they put in a new chair.

I don't think they have to. Again, they're not hiding behind the safety issue as an excuse:

http://www.madriverglen.com/press/Media_Kit_04/?Page=snowboard.html

Even Eric stated above that it's just "the way the sharehodlers like it" and "the 'safety' issue was part of the bans origin but is a moot point today." It's simply a majority's decision...

Then at least I know where they stand...

It's obvious where they stand. Read above.

 

[dmc]

Then at least I know where they stand...

It's obvious where they stand. Read above.

I'm not talking about the famous MRG snowboard statement on the webpage...

I'm talking about the people that I meet personally that lie to my face and tell me it's everything except what it is.....

 

[Greg]

I'm not talking about the famous MRG snowboard statement on the webpage...

I'm talking about the people that I meet personally that lie to my face and tell me it's everything except what it is.....

Gotcha. Well, that's between you and them, I guess. Perhaps some people are just reluctant to tell you directly for fear of insulting you. Look, my suggestion is to just get over it and move on with life cuz there are no signs of them lifitng the snowboarding ban, and I'll tell you that to your face next time I see you if you want...

 

[dmc]

I'm not talking about the famous MRG snowboard statement on the webpage...

I'm talking about the people that I meet personally that lie to my face and tell me it's everything except what it is.....

Gotcha. Well, that's between you and them, I guess. Perhaps some people are just reluctant to tell you directly for fear of insulting you. Look, my suggestion is to just get over it and move on with life cuz there are no signs of them lifitng the snowboarding ban, and I'll tell you that to your face next time I see you if you want...

Never!!!!
I really want to snowboard that place... It's a dream...

Man if I had a dollar for everyone that suggested I get over it - I could buy 100 shares...

 

[thetrailboss]

Yes that is a good question...what will happen to the old chairs? Sell them off and raise money for the new lift or a charity (not 'chair-ity'...no pun intended :lol

 

[thetrailboss]

I'm not talking about the famous MRG snowboard statement on the webpage...

I'm talking about the people that I meet personally that lie to my face and tell me it's everything except what it is.....

Gotcha. Well, that's between you and them, I guess. Perhaps some people are just reluctant to tell you directly for fear of insulting you. Look, my suggestion is to just get over it and move on with life cuz there are no signs of them lifitng the snowboarding ban, and I'll tell you that to your face next time I see you if you want...

Never!!!!
I really want to snowboard that place... It's a dream...

Man if I had a dollar for everyone that suggested I get over it - I could buy 100 shares...

If you want to ride it, hike the Long Trail (public access) and ride it all the way down after they close. Just don't tell them we sent you :wink:

 

[dmc]

I'm not talking about the famous MRG snowboard statement on the webpage...

I'm talking about the people that I meet personally that lie to my face and tell me it's everything except what it is.....

Gotcha. Well, that's between you and them, I guess. Perhaps some people are just reluctant to tell you directly for fear of insulting you. Look, my suggestion is to just get over it and move on with life cuz there are no signs of them lifitng the snowboarding ban, and I'll tell you that to your face next time I see you if you want...

Never!!!!
I really want to snowboard that place... It's a dream...

Man if I had a dollar for everyone that suggested I get over it - I could buy 100 shares...

If you want to ride it, hike the Long Trail (public access) and ride it all the way down after they close. Just don't tell them we sent you :wink:

I hope to be good enough on tele's next year to enjoy the place more...

 

[thetrailboss]

I'm not talking about the famous MRG snowboard statement on the webpage...

I'm talking about the people that I meet personally that lie to my face and tell me it's everything except what it is.....

Gotcha. Well, that's between you and them, I guess. Perhaps some people are just reluctant to tell you directly for fear of insulting you. Look, my suggestion is to just get over it and move on with life cuz there are no signs of them lifitng the snowboarding ban, and I'll tell you that to your face next time I see you if you want...

Never!!!!
I really want to snowboard that place... It's a dream...

Man if I had a dollar for everyone that suggested I get over it - I could buy 100 shares...

If you want to ride it, hike the Long Trail (public access) and ride it all the way down after they close. Just don't tell them we sent you :wink:

I hope to be good enough on tele's next year to enjoy the place more...

That's a better idea. In fact, if you show up with a board, they give you a free ski/tele rental per their policy. Not a bad idea.

 

[dmc]

I'm not talking about the famous MRG snowboard statement on the webpage...

I'm talking about the people that I meet personally that lie to my face and tell me it's everything except what it is.....

Gotcha. Well, that's between you and them, I guess. Perhaps some people are just reluctant to tell you directly for fear of insulting you. Look, my suggestion is to just get over it and move on with life cuz there are no signs of them lifitng the snowboarding ban, and I'll tell you that to your face next time I see you if you want...

Never!!!!
I really want to snowboard that place... It's a dream...

Man if I had a dollar for everyone that suggested I get over it - I could buy 100 shares...

If you want to ride it, hike the Long Trail (public access) and ride it all the way down after they close. Just don't tell them we sent you :wink:

I hope to be good enough on tele's next year to enjoy the place more...

That's a better idea. In fact, if you show up with a board, they give you a free ski/tele rental per their policy. Not a bad idea.

At telefest a snowboard friend was at Sugarbush and took the shuttle over to join in the telefest fun...
He got some seriously rude comments from people when he was locking his snowboard to the deck...

 

[Mr MRG Jr]

RE: snowboarders

There seems to be some question of Shareholder honesty here, and I gotta tell ya I think the issue is being slightly misinterpreted.

To begin with there are nearly 1700 shareholders and you'd be astounded how many different opinions that yields. One of my tasks at MRG is to keep the listservs up and running and lemme tell ya, the shareholder lists can get quite heated at times.

To that end it is true that there is still a safety issue with riders and the single: mainly that the due to the flat ground at the return station, most boarders have to push off the chairs, which swings them hard enough to rock the single off its track.

Still as Eric and others have said, even were this not so, it is doubtful that a 66% majority of shareholders would vote to lift the ban. That does not mean, however, that all shareholders would do so, and some of them might be quite honest in telling you that it's safety related; that they'd welcome snowboarders. Not a whole lot, but I've certainly spoken with some who would welcome riders (and the corresponding income they'd bring). There are others who claim that allowing riders would alter the character of the hill and increase crowding to the point that it would be financially detrimental to the coop. And yes, there are those who don't want boarders 'cause they still have the impression of most riders as that whole "Whoa, Sorry Dude," thing.

So I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it lying, just another demonstration of how many different opinions are found among our shareholders.

Cheers,
-Neal

 

[dmc]

Re: RE: snowboarders

And yes, there are those who don't want boarders 'cause they still have the impression of most riders as that whole "Whoa, Sorry Dude," thing.

Maybe I'm not past the whole "Man, snowboarders suck" thing...

 

[ski_resort_observer]

The co-op members will decide about the single chair based on financials with a small interest on the tradition. The chair does get them some free marketing.

The snowboard thing is a non issue...things will not change...you can discuss this subject till the cows come home...waste of breath.

Skiing at MRG has reached almost mythical status...just look at the posts about MRG on this and other forums....makes Eric's job alot easier.