Ascutney Said to be in Financial Turmoil

[billski]

the resort has oddly been consumed with non-snow related activities:

Rugged Maniac 5K draws 2,200 to inaugural event http://www.masslive.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/10/rugged_maniac_5k_draws_2200_to.html

 

[billski]

Ascutney ain't happening this year

I just spoke with the hotel operator/owner.

The ski operation was foreclosed on this summer. The current owner has no interest in ski operations and no buyer is presently in the offing.

The hotel is separately run and operated and IS OPERATING. They are trying to help their guests with ski and stay packages for Sunapee and other nearby mountains. Their relationship with Holiday Inn Vacations will persist.

Too bad.

 

[djspookman]

too bad indeed. I know where I'll be skinning this year though!

 

[billski]

too bad indeed. I know where I'll be skinning this year though!

I should have told the hotel owner to start to package up some "skinnin vacations!"

 

[snowmonster]

Bad news, indeed. I hate it when an area gets NELSAP-ed.

 

[Glenn]

That's terrible. I'd like to think someone will buy it, but given the economy.....

 

[billski]

Sad, sad sad. The Ascutney quad is on the market.

 

[threecy]

Sad, sad sad. The Ascutney quad is on the market.

Has been for awhile.

 

[Smellytele]

The latest - which really isn't much new news

http://www.onthesnow.com/news/12/a/13754/ascutney-wont-operate-this-winter

 

[mondeo]

Bad news, indeed. I hate it when an area gets NELSAP-ed.

Silver lining is, as contraction occurs, the areas left standing become more stable and have more resources. You'd like to keep unique places, but there's probably (realistically) too many ski areas in Northern NE. The visits Ascutney would have seen this season will go to other places, helping pay for snowmaking improvements, lift replacements, lodge renovations, etc., rather than just paying the bills at Ascutney.

 

[rocojerry]

too bad indeed. I know where I'll be skinning this year though!

Let me know when you're heading up, I hope to skin it during the busy holiday season weeks/weekends when my vouchers, coupons, etc are not valid! Of course some new snow will be in the forecast too --

 

[roark]

Silver lining is, as contraction occurs, the areas left standing become more stable and have more resources. You'd like to keep unique places, but there's probably (realistically) too many ski areas in Northern NE. The visits Ascutney would have seen this season will go to other places, helping pay for snowmaking improvements, lift replacements, lodge renovations, etc., rather than just paying the bills at Ascutney.

You buy into the whole capitalistic thing a bit too much methinks.

So much money is spent at places like Kmart, okemo, sunapee, stratton, bromley... no wonder skier visits are declining if that is what people think 'skiing' is... people don't realize they have a choice!

 

[djspookman]

Let me know when you're heading up, I hope to skin it during the busy holiday season weeks/weekends when my vouchers, coupons, etc are not valid! Of course some new snow will be in the forecast too --

will do!

 

[mondeo]

You buy into the whole capitalistic thing a bit too much methinks.

So much money is spent at places like Kmart, okemo, sunapee, stratton, bromley... no wonder skier visits are declining if that is what people think 'skiing' is... people don't realize they have a choice!

You ignore the whole reality thing a bit too much, methinks.

It's not that Ascutney closing means that Mt. Snow will put in an extra lift next year. They might buy an extra fan gun or two. But to think it doesn't improve the financials of the other resorts is pretty blind; whatever visits Ascutney got pretty much have to go somewhere, it's not just going to disappear. Biggest benefactors will be the smaller players, the mounains where every ticket sold matters. Like Magic. Other places that are consistently profitable will increase margins, some of which will come back as larger cap ex budgets. If they had the unlimited resources that people like to think big businesses do have, why is Snowdon still waiting for a HSQ? Why don't all the big players exclusively use low-e guns/fan guns, that pay immediate dividends in reduced energy consumption?

 

[roark]

You think skier demand is a constant. That's funny.

 

[mondeo]

You think skier demand is a constant. That's funny.

Where did I say demand was constant? I said people that would have gone to Ascutney will go somewhere else, in general. Maybe a small number of visits disappear. 5-10%. Everyone else still gains. The market's overcrowded with too much investment over the last 15 years without actual growth to pay off the investment. Something's gotta give.

 

[sull1102]

You ignore the whole reality thing a bit too much, methinks.

It's not that Ascutney closing means that Mt. Snow will put in an extra lift next year. They might buy an extra fan gun or two. But to think it doesn't improve the financials of the other resorts is pretty blind; whatever visits Ascutney got pretty much have to go somewhere, it's not just going to disappear. Biggest benefactors will be the smaller players, the mounains where every ticket sold matters. Like Magic. Other places that are consistently profitable will increase margins, some of which will come back as larger cap ex budgets. If they had the unlimited resources that people like to think big businesses do have, why is Snowdon still waiting for a HSQ? Why don't all the big players exclusively use low-e guns/fan guns, that pay immediate dividends in reduced energy consumption?

Seems like thats exactly what your saying, no?

 

[mister moose]

It's not that Ascutney closing means that Mt. Snow will put in an extra lift next year. They might buy an extra fan gun or two. But to think it doesn't improve the financials of the other resorts is pretty blind; whatever visits Ascutney got pretty much have to go somewhere, it's not just going to disappear. Biggest benefactors will be the smaller players, the mounains where every ticket sold matters. Like Magic. Other places that are consistently profitable will increase margins, some of which will come back as larger cap ex budgets. If they had the unlimited resources that people like to think big businesses do have, why is Snowdon still waiting for a HSQ? Why don't all the big players exclusively use low-e guns/fan guns, that pay immediate dividends in reduced energy consumption?

The Ascutney day traffic will likely go to Mt Snow, the only other significant VT mountain within the same driving time. The weekend traffic will get sprinkled over southern Vermont. A large chunk of the business is the condo and home owners. They will want to use their 2nd home, and will day trip from there. That means the biggest chunk goes to Okemo or Killington, maybe a little to Suicide Six. If you're a homeowner at Ascutney, you have to be thinking about a season pass somewhere, day tickets add up in a hurry. I can't see them buying a season pass at Suicide Six, so that leaves Okemo and Killington again.

Ascutney has something many smaller NELSAPed areas didn't have - the condo population. That group, plus the town, plus the lienholders have a very large vested interest in keeping the mountain running, even if on a reduced basis. I can see where they reopen next year on a Pico/Magic/Bear Creek style Thursday-Sunday plus holidays schedule. That's if no wars break out between those different groups.

 

[mondeo]

Seems like thats exactly what your saying, no?

Well, the alternative is Ascutney skiers stop skiing. I doubt that's going to happen.

 

[Geoff]

The Ascutney day traffic will likely go to Mt Snow, the only other significant VT mountain within the same driving time. The weekend traffic will get sprinkled over southern Vermont. A large chunk of the business is the condo and home owners. They will want to use their 2nd home, and will day trip from there. That means the biggest chunk goes to Okemo or Killington, maybe a little to Suicide Six. If you're a homeowner at Ascutney, you have to be thinking about a season pass somewhere, day tickets add up in a hurry. I can't see them buying a season pass at Suicide Six, so that leaves Okemo and Killington again.

Ascutney has something many smaller NELSAPed areas didn't have - the condo population. That group, plus the town, plus the lienholders have a very large vested interest in keeping the mountain running, even if on a reduced basis. I can see where they reopen next year on a Pico/Magic/Bear Creek style Thursday-Sunday plus holidays schedule. That's if no wars break out between those different groups.

Sunapee is 30 miles. I doubt the typical Ascutney skier is going to shell out $82.00 to ski Killington or Okemo.