Belleayre and NYS Budget Cuts

[MarkC]

You may want to reevaluate the source of that information leak.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

It's understandable that O.R.D.A. would not want to bring in another area--who really wants to "share the wealth?" But shouldn't such a decision rest with a higher authority, one that oversees the entire state budget? This would provide a better perspective than that of one agency trying to protect its turf. Further, if Belleayre offers no "Olympic value," how does Gore? It's a wonderful mountain for blue cruisers, but the only thing really challenging I've seen is Rumours. Whiteface appears to be first rate, at least the part I was able to see while looking up the mountain. For the two days I was there last season, only the bunny hill was open, then up to mid for a total of three hours. They still were charging full price though; perhaps this accounts for their surplus of cash this year?

Gore was added to the ORDA mix in 1984, but other then proximity I’m not sure way. Both Gore and WF prospered under it’s supervision especially during the years George Pataki was governor.

 

[catskills]

If this went through, the western Catskills wouldn't even need ski-based tourism to save its economy. But given the fortunes that could be made on one hand and the proximity to NYC reservoirs on the other, this would make the fight surrounding the Belleyare Resort look like small potatoes.

It's a long article, but stick with it:
http://nymag.com/news/features/50502/

Thanks for posting James. This is a very interesting article. Politics works in ways us mortals are oblivious to. Who ever said natural gas is clean energy. :blink: Belleayre may be the least of our worries in a few years. One note is that the Catskills is the water shed for NYC Water supply. Does NYC want clean healthy water or energy from Catskills natural gas. Time will tell.

The water for blasting open the shale and freeing the gas is treated with chemicals, to help break up the stone, and mixed with sand, to hold open the newly created fissures. Exactly which chemicals are used is not publicly known. The recipe was pioneered by Halliburton. The company considers the formula to be a trade secret and guards it like Kentucky Fried Chicken guards its batter recipe. One large independent study of fraced wells in the West, by the environmental scientist Theo Colborn, identified over 400 chemical toxins in contaminated groundwater and soil, including the carcinogens ethylbenzene, chromium, and arsenic.

No prosecutions were brought. I was astonished to learn that the Energy Policy Act of 2005, passed by Congress in part to reduce dependence on foreign energy, specifically exempts oil and gas companies from major environmental-protection laws. These include the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act.

Isn't arsenic one of those nasty elements that enters the body and never leaves? If you get enough of it you die.

 

[dmc]

And I just can't see myself getting a Hunter season pass because we mostly go on the weekends and that place sucks on the weekends.

I could show you picture after picture of an not so crowded Hunter on the weekends...


Hunter ROCKS!

 

[millerm277]

And I just can't see myself getting a Hunter season pass because we mostly go on the weekends and that place sucks on the weekends.

Not the past couple years....unless I only go on the weekends that it's empty somehow.

 

[dmc]

Not the past couple years....unless I only go on the weekends that it's empty somehow.

From what i was hearing and seeing last season Belleayre was more crowded then Hunter at times...

Holiday weekends were crowded... But it's that way everywhere... But still not so crowded it was any issue...

It's just so lame to blast a ski area like that... It's just more of the same from the newer Belleayre proponents... Make Belleayre look good by blasting Hunter... Great...

Sounds like you really care about the Catskills..

I find this debate from the new guys so disingenuous...

 

[RichT]

Dmc!!!!

DON'T BELEVE DMC! HUNTER IS PACKED EVERY WEEKEND, AND MOST WEEK DAYS TOO!!

 

[RichT]

I don't want Belleayre to close either!!

 

[andrec10]

Are you calling DMC a lier! :argue:The last several seasons. Windham and Belleayre are more crowded on most weekends than Hunter...

 

[4aprice]

Both Gore and WF prospered under it’s supervision especially during the years George Pataki was governor.

I think Belleayre did well under Pataki too. Pataki is a pretty avid skier. I don't think David Paterson ski's at all. From what I understand his eye sight pretty poor. May be a new day for all 3 areas.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I don't think David Paterson ski's at all. From what I understand his eye sight pretty poor.

legally blind = poor eyesight

 

[faceplant]

SADLY, probably 98% of the 5 or less day skiers of Belleayre are not even aware of this! SADLY, probably 80% of the 15 plus day skiers of Belleayre are not even aware of this! Not everybody is into it as much as we are (thankfully, because the slopes would be too crowded). But if they were, maybe there would be more pressure for it to be worked out in favor of Bellayre. I was in a ski shop last weekend leasing my daughter's ski boots for the winter, and they had no idea Belleayre was in serious straits. You would think people in the industry would have a clue.

Good point thinnmann--word aint out far enough yet. Friend tells me Jersey was gonna shut parks down behind a budget crunch last year but when the people found out they went up in arms. State backed it off. When it starts gettin colder and equipment comes outta storage the people will learn whats being done to them...... But will it be to late then?

 

[andrec10]

Gov. Patterson is Blind in more ways than one! We would be better off with Spitzer, too bad he lied.

 

[curlyfuzzie]

hmmmm, just wandering back into the ski forums as the weather begins to cool...
WHAT! Belleayre's shutting down!!!!??? (Reads thread...)
Geeze, just when I was in a position to consider a season pass...

I'm very confused at how they're going about this... Cancelling a money-making festival because of a budget shortfall? How does that work?

The area around Belleayre really is pitiful... closing or limiting operations at Belleayre would just be another nail in the coffin, IMHO. As an avid motorcyclist, I frequent the area in the warm months as well as winter, and all of the little businesses in the surrounding communities need all the customers they can get! It's a beautiful area, but my parents who live on Long Island (who are in their 70's and still ski) stopped going to Belleayre because the nearby (affordable) motels had gotten so seedy. They now go to Jiminy.

I'm also wondering why, of the three state-run areas, Belleayre's the one getting kicked in the nuts? Could it be that Whiteface and Gore are on the (off-the-budget) Olympic Regional Development Authority's juristiction, while poor Belleayre is run by a regular state department (DEC)? Just another example of crooked bookkeeping.

Hey! :idea:How about turning Belleayre over to the ORDA and propose it as a venue for the next sought Olympics? Wouldn't it be cool to see another "Lake Placid" in the Catskills? Of course, the environmentalists would never stand for that...

*sigh* Rant over... Carry on...

 

[dmc]

DON'T BELEVE DMC! HUNTER IS PACKED EVERY WEEKEND, AND MOST WEEK DAYS TOO!!

Funny... Love it...

But there's plenty of room for Belleayre "fugees"

 

[dmc]

Are you calling DMC a lier! :argue:The last several seasons. Windham and Belleayre are more crowded on most weekends than Hunter...

i can only speak to last season...

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Sounds like real estate might be a decent deal up there the way you locals are describing the economy up there. Any nice small farms for sale?

 

[Bandit2941]

OK, the Belleayre vs Hunter & Windham stuff has to stop on this thread. The budget cuts have NOTHING to do with Hunter, Windham or the lobbyists. The problems Belleayre is facing has to do with the overall state budget and the cuts that are being done. Most all state agencies are doing these cutbacks, do you guys read the articles in the paper next to the Belleayre ones?

State Police Troop F is losing 31 troopers.
Minnewaska State Park laid off 15 people that usually work through the winter, cut pay on remaining staffers and dropped them to 3 days a week!
SUNY New Paltz might have to raise tuition due to state-aid cuts from the budget. All SUNY schools are facing cuts.
The Department of Corrections faces a $168 million cut.
Health services (Medicaid etc) are being cut.

The list goes on and on. The state is cutting the $122 billion budget by $427 million, then slashing another billion next year. This issue goes much deeper than Belleayre vs Greene county and such. Times are getting very tough out there and things aren't looking like they're going to get better soon.

If we want the best shot at keeping a normal season at Belleayre this year we need to stop the time spent bickering here and continue to write those letters and ring those phone numbers.

End rant.

 

[skidbump]

Wow if you look at it that way why didnt Bush bail out the whole state instead of a couple busines's that failed.

 

[thinnmann]

OK, the Belleayre vs Hunter & Windham stuff has to stop on this thread. The budget cuts have NOTHING to do with Hunter, Windham or the lobbyists. ....

If we want the best shot at keeping a normal season at Belleayre this year we need to stop the time spent bickering here and continue to write those letters and ring those phone numbers.

Bandit is right, the letters and the phone calls are most important. Especially for your folks that live in NY.

But the lobbyists sure didn't help the situation..... And that A vs. B = DMC stuff is really fun. What else would he do all day without us?...

I think Belleayre did well under Pataki too. Pataki is a pretty avid skier. I don't think David Paterson ski's at all. From what I understand his eye sight pretty poor. May be a new day for all 3 areas.

Patterson might ski, ironically, if the new state funded adaptive ski center at Belleayre manages to be open this winter.... He is an athletic guy despite being legally blind. For example, he ran the Boilermaker 15K - the first governor to ever do so.