N.H. ski resort’s expansion hopes prompt bills

[Stephen]

http://www4.fosters.com/January2005/01.10.05/news/ap_nh0110h.asp

-Stephen

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

I’m glad to read that State House will join the debate over the expansion of Mount Sunapee Resort this session. I’m not sure that leaving policy of privatizing public land solely in the hands of an appointed official is a sound idea.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

Gov Rejects Sunapee Mountain Expansion

The Concord Monitor is reporting that "despite a meeting with Mount Sunapee Resort owners earlier this month, Gov. John Lynch remains steadfast against the resort's proposal for expansion, according to a spokeswoman for the governor. During his campaign, Lynch said he is opposed to the request from resort owners Tim and Diane Mueller to expand their lease agreement with the state onto 175 more acres of public park land. The expansion would connect the resort with private property the Muellers own in Newport and Goshen, where they hope to extend a third summit chairlift and build up to 250 slopeside condominiums. While some ski enthusiasts and local business owners support the plan, town planners and others concerned about conserving the rural character have spoken out against it. ..."

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050315/REPOSITORY/503150320/0/FRONTPAGE

 

[ctenidae]

"Conserving the rural character" translates loosely to "maintaining a depressed economy" in my book. of course, I'm biased- I ski there, but don't live there. 175 more acres would rock, though 250 more condos of skiers on those acres wouldn't.

 

[57stevey]

"Rural character?" Words fail me.

 

[riverc0il]

sweet!

not sure how the economy is depressed there... but there is more than one way to kickstart an economy. one of my favorite sayings: "just because you could, doesn't mean you should." i think it's great that NH has so many mountains without the typical sprawl resort setup seen elsewhere. cannon, gunstock, and sunapee all come to mind: all owned by institutions that are not ruled by the bottom line, two of them being the state. long live these alternatives to resort style skiing.

 

[57stevey]

But Steve, Sunapee is well on the way to resorthood... try it on a weekend sometime if you can get near it. I miss the old Sunapee, questionable snow, crappy lifts, Soviet-style cafe and all. I miss picking up my lift ticket at the Hooksett drink-n-drive, driving up and parking literally next to the snow, boot up and hit the lifts for a day of uncrowded skiing.

I've been divvying up my time between Ragged and Cannon lately for just the reasons you cite.

 

[ctenidae]

Like I said, I'm maybe biased, I like Sunapee. It's got teh snowmaking, decent food, and space of a resort, without quite all the crowds. Like at Hunter (apparently), you have to know where to ski to avoind the crowds.
If there were anything I'd change, I'd tell them to quit grooming quite so much.

 

[riverc0il]

yea, sunapee is a lot more modern than it used to be but certainly not resortish in the sense it still lacks slope side and the village atmosphere. even cannon has had insane amounts of improvements and higher crowds over the last few years...

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

The Mueller's management of the ski area is an improvement over the State Park Operations, just as they agreed too...Sunapee skiing is nearly identical to Okemo Skiing, groomed cruisers...which is the kind of skiing conditions their "average-target-skier" wants...

And the real estate area is not depressed...

 

[57stevey]

You guys make some valid points. I don't dislike Sunapee and yes, I can have a good time there if I ski it alone and "work the system." At any rate, the fiscal realities are what they are, and I suppose if this arrangement allows Cannon to continue operating relatively unscathed then it's worth the sacrifice for those of us evidently not in the target group.