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Saddleback Mountain Cooperative - Information Thread & Survey

salsgang

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There is a significant effort underway to organize a Saddleback Mountain Cooperative - similar in structure to Mad River Glen.

The organizers of the Saddleback Co-op need to rapidly gauge interest in making Saddleback a skier owned mountain. This survey is open to everyone interested - including all the condo owners, local Rangeley area residents, business owners, and the general public. It's essential that they get as many responses as possible so they can truly understand if we can raise the capital needed to open for the 2016-2017 season and make Saddleback a viable, thriving skiing cooperative!


You can take the survey here:


https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6M5NXGN

Feel free to discuss and share. I am not a direct organizer, but I would be happy to answer questions as best I can.
 

Mapnut

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Would this be similar to the cooperative that got Big Tupper operating for a couple of seasons, while waiting for the owners to actually do something? Of course Saddleback people would be able to do much better because the lifts have not been out of service for 10 years, and the mountain gets enough snow to operate for much of the winter without snowmaking. Do they really hope to raise enough money to buy the whole property?
 

salsgang

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Would this be similar to the cooperative that got Big Tupper operating for a couple of seasons, while waiting for the owners to actually do something? Of course Saddleback people would be able to do much better because the lifts have not been out of service for 10 years, and the mountain gets enough snow to operate for much of the winter without snowmaking. Do they really hope to raise enough money to buy the whole property?

As I understand it this is an "all-in" co-op meaning the intention is to buy the entire ski area and operate it under the co-op. It will be in chunks but the first chunk of money would be used to buy the ski area itself, then as more fundraising comes in buy other land and put under the cooperative umbrella.
 

salsgang

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Any word on what the Berry family thinks of this?

I do know the lead organizer has had conversations with members of the Berry family. They are open to it and certainly would need to be supportive of the initiative in order for it to succeed. In the end the co-op has to come up with the funds. Time will tell.
 

WWF-VT

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"Overall,we need to raise $20 million over four years to make the ski areaself-sustaining. In the first year, toget the mountain up and running in 2016-2017, we need to raise between $3million and $6 million, and fast. Thisconcept is based on other successful operating cooperative or club models around the country"

Where did they get these numbers ?
 

salsgang

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"Overall,we need to raise $20 million over four years to make the ski areaself-sustaining. In the first year, toget the mountain up and running in 2016-2017, we need to raise between $3million and $6 million, and fast. Thisconcept is based on other successful operating cooperative or club models around the country"

Where did they get these numbers ?

Organizers worked with Saddleback Management to ascertain operating budget numbers and pricing on the ski resort and land.
 

joshua segal

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I can pretty much confirm what salsang said. The plan is well thought out and has been developed over a period of many months. A few details cited above were taken out of context.
 

Jully

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I wonder what the cost of the ski area and the surrounding land is for the co-op. Will the Berry family give them a slightly more favorable deal?
 

mbedle

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Question on the survey - I don't have a family, so how should I answer those questions? Should I put none or other and explain that I don't have a family or am not interested in something like that?
 

joshua segal

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Question on the survey - I don't have a family, so how should I answer those questions? Should I put none or other and explain that I don't have a family or am not interested in something like that?

From the Saddleback Foundation: "They can just put none under that question or not answer it."
 

Smellytele

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While I love Saddleback, I only get to ski there 1 or 2 times over any 2 year period. It is just too far to make a season pass work. As with MRG I just don't see the reward of buying a share. Yes if I was one of the condo owners or a business owner in the area I can see why they are grasping at anything that can make it work. Giving even $500 to me is just not worth it.
 

joshua segal

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While I love Saddleback, I only get to ski there 1 or 2 times over any 2 year period. It is just too far to make a season pass work. As with MRG I just don't see the reward of buying a share. Yes if I was one of the condo owners or a business owner in the area I can see why they are grasping at anything that can make it work. Giving even $500 to me is just not worth it.

The Foundation is trying to gauge the level of public support beyond the obvious beneficiaries (local businesses and condo owners) and while $500 might not be justifiable in your case, they would feel some love even if you chipped in with as little as $25.
 

joshua segal

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There will be a meeting (open to the public) on Sunday August 21 at Gorham Ski and Bike, 693 Congress Street, Portland at 7PM. Jamie Wright, the owner, will be hosting the meeting.
 

salsgang

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Updated Portland Area Informational Meeting Locations and Times:


- Thursday Aug 18 - 7pm at the Hayes Residence 5 Indian Hill Lane in Scarborough. Call 207.885.5512 if you need directions.
- Sunday Aug 21 - 7pm at Gorham Ski & Bike 693 Congress Street, in Portland.


At both meetings Peter Stein will be presenting the latest Co-op plan and answering questions. Thank you to the Hayes family and Jamie Wright for hosting these meetings. No RSVP needed. Please come and learn more!
 

doublediamond

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Would this be similar to the cooperative that got Big Tupper operating for a couple of seasons, while waiting for the owners to actually do something? Of course Saddleback people would be able to do much better because the lifts have not been out of service for 10 years, and the mountain gets enough snow to operate for much of the winter without snowmaking. Do they really hope to raise enough money to buy the whole property?

As far as I konw, Big Tupper was not a co-op like MRG. It is/was a non-profit much like how Big Squaw is run.
 
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