billski
Active member
Recession? What recession? Or so says Okemo. Sounds like they have a slam-dunk marketing strategy..
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NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING
LUDLOW, Vt. – Thank God for snowboarders.
That seems to be the sentiment of those who operate the Okemo Mountain Resort here in the Green Mountains. Years back, you see, when many New England ski areas kind of just tolerated those newfangled snowboarders, Okemo, in fact, embraced them. Today, with six separate terrain parks – and the East's longest superpipe – Okemo has grown to one of New England's largest resorts.
And who do you think the superpipe and terrain parks attract? The answer is snowboarders, of course.
Mad River Glen ski area further north on Route 100 in Waitsfield, for instance, bans snowboarders altogether.
"It's a big commitment on our part to construct and maintain terrain parks for snowboarders," says Bonnie MacPherson, Okemo's spokesperson. "We've already pumped 300 million gallons of water through our snowmaking system so far this season. Just because it snows a lot doesn't mean we stop making snow."
According to MacPherson, Okemo is hitting its season sales projections, even though it opened a week later than usual in early November. Two seasons ago, she says, despite the recession, Okemo posted 630,000 skier and snowboarder visits, and last season the resort hit 600,000 visits. "I think we were and still are insulated from the recession," MacPherson explains, "probably due to our reputation with skiers and snowboarders, our snowmaking quality, our grooming and our overall service. We're on track to beat that 630,000 figure." To support her statement, she points to a Ski magazine reader survey this season that lists Okemo as the best resort in the East for guest services. What's more, the same survey placed Okemo among the top three resorts here in the East for snow quality and snow grooming.
Okemo, a Native American name meaning "all come home," boasts 18 lifts, 95 percent snowmaking capability and a vertical drop of 2,200 feet (okemo.com). It's about a four-to-six hour car drive from New Jersey.
But it's this attention to snowmaking detail, MacPherson points out, that seems to be attracting a growing number of snowboarders.
"We were fortunate that we welcomed snowboarders when we did," she says. "The sport of skiing had an aging population, and the entire snow industry had been steadily declining since the go-go years of the 1970s and 1980s. Younger people being attracted to snowsports didn't want to be associated with whatever their parents did, and they kind of wanted their own sport. They liked skateboarding. Before long they discovered snowboarding. It certainly helped keep interest in the ski industry."
MacPherson said that teenagers Ethan and Erica Mueller were among the earliest youngsters attracted to the new sport. They continuously talked up their love of snowboarding with their parents, Tim and Diane – who just happened to own and operate Okemo. Before long, the elder Muellers figured that perhaps there was something to this snowboarding thing, so they began to welcome snowboarders with open arms, MacPherson explained.
Erica Mueller, now in her mid-twenties, competed in world class and pre-Olympic snowboard competition.
"Stratton was the first to rally embrace snowboarders a decade ago. Back then, Stratton required snowboarders to pass a test before they were allowed on the slopes. Then we came aboard, and today we require them to take an online safety course before they head for our terrain parks."
MacPherson says that Okemo this season has issued about 5,000 snowboarding passes. Next season, she says, riders must take the safety course for all terrain parks.
Snowboarders at Okemo aren't limited to terrain parks. They can use the entire five-mountain complex that covers 624 skiable – and snowboardable – acres.
Okemo's new superpipe isn't hurting the cause, either. The superpipe is 500 feet long, has 18-foot high walls is 50 feet across. Dimensions make it the East's longest superpipe.
"But weather trumps all," MacPherson says. "Snow on the ground in New Jersey, New York and Boston changes the whole mindset.""
source
"
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING
LUDLOW, Vt. – Thank God for snowboarders.
That seems to be the sentiment of those who operate the Okemo Mountain Resort here in the Green Mountains. Years back, you see, when many New England ski areas kind of just tolerated those newfangled snowboarders, Okemo, in fact, embraced them. Today, with six separate terrain parks – and the East's longest superpipe – Okemo has grown to one of New England's largest resorts.
And who do you think the superpipe and terrain parks attract? The answer is snowboarders, of course.
Mad River Glen ski area further north on Route 100 in Waitsfield, for instance, bans snowboarders altogether.
"It's a big commitment on our part to construct and maintain terrain parks for snowboarders," says Bonnie MacPherson, Okemo's spokesperson. "We've already pumped 300 million gallons of water through our snowmaking system so far this season. Just because it snows a lot doesn't mean we stop making snow."
According to MacPherson, Okemo is hitting its season sales projections, even though it opened a week later than usual in early November. Two seasons ago, she says, despite the recession, Okemo posted 630,000 skier and snowboarder visits, and last season the resort hit 600,000 visits. "I think we were and still are insulated from the recession," MacPherson explains, "probably due to our reputation with skiers and snowboarders, our snowmaking quality, our grooming and our overall service. We're on track to beat that 630,000 figure." To support her statement, she points to a Ski magazine reader survey this season that lists Okemo as the best resort in the East for guest services. What's more, the same survey placed Okemo among the top three resorts here in the East for snow quality and snow grooming.
Okemo, a Native American name meaning "all come home," boasts 18 lifts, 95 percent snowmaking capability and a vertical drop of 2,200 feet (okemo.com). It's about a four-to-six hour car drive from New Jersey.
But it's this attention to snowmaking detail, MacPherson points out, that seems to be attracting a growing number of snowboarders.
"We were fortunate that we welcomed snowboarders when we did," she says. "The sport of skiing had an aging population, and the entire snow industry had been steadily declining since the go-go years of the 1970s and 1980s. Younger people being attracted to snowsports didn't want to be associated with whatever their parents did, and they kind of wanted their own sport. They liked skateboarding. Before long they discovered snowboarding. It certainly helped keep interest in the ski industry."
MacPherson said that teenagers Ethan and Erica Mueller were among the earliest youngsters attracted to the new sport. They continuously talked up their love of snowboarding with their parents, Tim and Diane – who just happened to own and operate Okemo. Before long, the elder Muellers figured that perhaps there was something to this snowboarding thing, so they began to welcome snowboarders with open arms, MacPherson explained.
Erica Mueller, now in her mid-twenties, competed in world class and pre-Olympic snowboard competition.
"Stratton was the first to rally embrace snowboarders a decade ago. Back then, Stratton required snowboarders to pass a test before they were allowed on the slopes. Then we came aboard, and today we require them to take an online safety course before they head for our terrain parks."
MacPherson says that Okemo this season has issued about 5,000 snowboarding passes. Next season, she says, riders must take the safety course for all terrain parks.
Snowboarders at Okemo aren't limited to terrain parks. They can use the entire five-mountain complex that covers 624 skiable – and snowboardable – acres.
Okemo's new superpipe isn't hurting the cause, either. The superpipe is 500 feet long, has 18-foot high walls is 50 feet across. Dimensions make it the East's longest superpipe.
"But weather trumps all," MacPherson says. "Snow on the ground in New Jersey, New York and Boston changes the whole mindset.""
source
