Belleayre and NYS Budget Cuts

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Well I guess Belleayre will operate pretty much normally so everybody fussed about nothing..lol..wow this sure turned out to be an epic thread..It does stink about no April skiing..since that's when I usually visit Belleayre

 

[Rambo]

Well I guess Belleayre will operate pretty much normally so everybody fussed about nothing..lol..wow this sure turned out to be an epic thread..It does stink about no April skiing..since that's when I usually visit Belleayre

I do think that to save money the DEC will probably close Belleayre skiing at the very end of March. In April, especially midweek there just are not that many skiers left. That Calendar on the Belleayre website that list events throuh April 12th was posted a while ago. OH well... will probably have to find some place else for Mid-April skiing - Maybe Gore or Mount Snow.

 

[edgeworker]

Belleayre may be a great place to earn your turns in April. And then there's Tux...

 

[skidbump]

You all realize they cut 25%"1.5 million" of the 6 million dollar budget and the cuts include snow making and grooming

 

[Rambo]

You all realize they cut 25%"1.5 million" of the 6 million dollar budget and the cuts include snow making and grooming

I read that a State Representative got $750,000 added back in. So is the Belleayre budget down 1.5 million or $750,000?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I do think that to save money the DEC will probably close Belleayre skiing at the very end of March. In April, especially midweek there just are not that many skiers left. That Calendar on the Belleayre website that list events throuh April 12th was posted a while ago. OH well... will probably have to find some place else for Mid-April skiing - Maybe Gore or Mount Snow.

Maybe they can operate weekends only in April as a compromise..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

You all realize they cut 25%"1.5 million" of the 6 million dollar budget and the cuts include snow making and grooming

Better than it being added to NELSAP....

 

[skidbump]

State cutting back some at Belleayre
Staff and wire reports
10/02/2008
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ALBANY - The state Department of Environmental Conservation is cutting back some operations at the state-run Belleayre Mountain Ski in Highmount to cut spending, but the facility will remain open seven days a week during the ski season.

Snowmaking and lift use at Belleayre Mountain will be reduced this year, along with advertising for the center. Opening several less frequently used trails and the "half pipe" terrain will depend on the weather, but snowmaking and grooming on most of the mountain will be unchanged.

State environmental officials also said some ski lifts next to more heavily used lifts will be closed and the price of daily lift tickets will be slightly increased.

All programming will remain available at the mountain, which will be open seven days a week for the season. Belleayre opens the day after Thanksgiving and runs through March 2009.

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., who in September wrote the state agency urging it to commit to a full ski season at the ski mountain after it was reported there were plans to sharply reduce the operating budget, hailed the decision to keep the facility open seven days a week.

"Once again this winter, chair lifts will be humming and the powder fresh at Belleayre Mountain," Schumer said. "This is a big win for Ulster County. In an economic terrain studded by moguls, we have to do everything we can to keep jobs in the area. I am so glad that the DEC and Commissioner (Pete) Grannis did what had to be done to keep the mountain open so that the region could reap the benefits of jobs and revenue that Belleayre brings."

State Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, was less pleased with the announcement, saying in a press release, "Belleayre was left about $1.5 million short for the upcoming ski season. I have secured $750,000 to help Belleayre this year, thereby allowing Belleayre to open the number of trails they now say they will. Still, Belleayre is short of the cash needed to operate in the manner it should be."

Bonacic urged Schumer, Ulster County leaders and state Assembly members to come up with more money to support the ski center.

"I urge (Gov. David Paterson) and Commissioner (Pete) Grannis to rethink this decision and urge those who speak highly of Belleayre to step up just once, as the Senate has done for the past eight years and help Belleayre now," Bonacic said.







©Daily Freeman 2008

 

[skidbump]

Here how it works in real world.
If you don't supply what the customer wants they will not come back.
Less snow means less trails open.Less trails means more people on less trails.More people on less lifts mean more people on lift lines.This will only last for awhile then it will be.
Less people on mountain means less people on lifts mean less people in towns means less people needed fto support those less people.Then end of year its...less skiers then its less money is needed for next years budget means less money for snow making means less skiers on mountain ..This is almost a death spiral and unless there is 100% operational budget we will be back into the 80's at the area.Plus who really wants to go to a ski resort"future destination" that may or may not operate at 100% due to a state budget cut.
Sorry if i don't sound real happy but i see this as a half ass attempt by the Governor and the DEC that will only lead to a negative outcome.Budget looks like there will still be labor cuts and those cuts will directly affect surrounding areas.

I may be wrong.
I really hope i am wrong.But i have seen it in the private sector and it ain't pretty

 

[edgeworker]

How about this: Less Drama & More Skiing

Get you hands away from the PANIC button and go tune your skis:-o

 

[k2 four]

Here how it works in real world.
If you don't supply what the customer wants they will not come back.
Less snow means less trails open.Less trails means more people on less trails.More people on less lifts mean more people on lift lines.This will only last for awhile then it will be.
Less people on mountain means less people on lifts mean less people in towns means less people needed fto support those less people.Then end of year its...less skiers then its less money is needed for next years budget means less money for snow making means less skiers on mountain ..This is almost a death spiral and unless there is 100% operational budget we will be back into the 80's at the area.Plus who really wants to go to a ski resort"future destination" that may or may not operate at 100% due to a state budget cut.
Sorry if i don't sound real happy but i see this as a half ass attempt by the Governor and the DEC that will only lead to a negative outcome.Budget looks like there will still be labor cuts and those cuts will directly affect surrounding areas.

I may be wrong.
I really hope i am wrong.But i have seen it in the private sector and it ain't pretty

Keep this point in mind when reading press releases; A press release from Belleayre must represent the "Worst Case Scenario" in order to sell seasons passes and programs without the fear of refund requests. Tony will open everything that he can and blow as much snow as possible. I don't think we will notice a big difference. The lifts will be strategically shut down as they can. I would expect things to be better than the picture that is painted right now.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

Mountain creek sux, my home mountain is Hidden Valley, it already sux that I have to drive 15 minutes to HV versus 10 minutes to MC.:smile:

Of course, if Belleayre isn't worth the drive and is not open early and late season that's 6 to 10 less trips to NY for me as Belleayre is the closest Catskill mountain. Which means not spending my money in your state and region and not paying Thruway tolls, gas and sales taxes in NY.

Ah come on ERJ I live at the top of the trip (HL) worked coached instructed at HV and I also ski bellayre.
And It is worth the trip.
my question is to Gov. Patterson is What is Tony Lanza doing on his new days off?
LOL!
Ski fast Take Chances Tuck Hell'in Back while your at it...I do.

 

[hardline]

i wasn't at bell this past year on closing day but the year before there was a good amount of people. most where from out of state. i could see them closing durring the week but i would imagine they where making money on the weekends as they where the only game in town.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

i wasn't at bell this past year on closing day but the year before there was a good amount of people. most where from out of state. i could see them closing durring the week but i would imagine they where making money on the weekends as they where the only game in town.

made it the third to last day (Friday)hooked up with some hunnah skiers and riders.
got mushy after noon but the snow was not bad!

 

[catskills]

Awhile back I predicted that this thread would pass the 10,000 views on Oct 8. There is still time. Help make this thread a 10k view thread. ;-)

 

[thinnmann]

To help the 10000 hit cause...

This mountain is directly competing with Belleayre...

 

[k2 four]

Ah come on ERJ I live at the top of the trip (HL) worked coached instructed at HV and I also ski bellayre.
And It is worth the trip.
my question is to Gov. Patterson is What is Tony Lanza doing on his new days off?
LOL!
Ski fast Take Chances Tuck Hell'in Back while your at it...I do.

HV was our home mountain from the 02-03 to the 06-07 season. I was a race coach from 04-05 season untill we migrated to Bell last year. Do you have kids in th HV race program? My kids - Jake and Jenna.

How is HV with the new owners? Are you a "Club" member?

Coach Brad

 

[ERJ-145CA]

Ah come on ERJ I live at the top of the trip (HL) worked coached instructed at HV and I also ski bellayre.
And It is worth the trip.
my question is to Gov. Patterson is What is Tony Lanza doing on his new days off?
LOL!
Ski fast Take Chances Tuck Hell'in Back while your at it...I do.

I wasn't saying Belleayre isn't worth the trip, I usually hit it about 6-10 times a season, I was saying that if it only had one lift and a few trails open then it wouldn't be worth the trip. Of course early season one lift and a couple, or even one trail, is worth the drive. Now that we know it will be almost fully open it will be worth it.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Awhile back I predicted that this thread would pass the 10,000 views on Oct 8. There is still time. Help make this thread a 10k view thread. ;-)

Wow it's just a worthless number..anyway..off to post in another thread so I can get closer to 10,000 posts..lol

 

[jtothewang]

Scotch Valley - Group Tried to Reopen Ski Resort

http://www.savescotchvalley.com/

Went home upstate this weekend was excited to hear there is a group trying to get Scotch Valley back up and running. As for Belleayre, I agree with the lease to a private organization idea. Put a 50-yr lease together and let Hunter/Windham and Plattekill bid for it. If none of them want the 50-yr lease, open it up to another resoponsible third party. No reason at all for Belleayre to be state run.