AZ Challenge 2009: Stephen Kircher, Boyne Resorts

[bigbob]

As an owner at SR, I echo many of Monkey Brook's concerns. I'd be interested to know how much of the "Vision" is in the works and how much the current economic conditions have impacted your plans. As for skiing, I'd like to see more natural areas and glades developed, both within the current footprint and perhaps out past Jordan.

Being year round visitors, we'd like to see the mountain biking increased and improved, although I will say that you've done a good job with it thus far. My frame of reference is Kingdom Trails in East Burke, VT. I think that Sunday River has the potential to become a mountain biking Mecca, but you need more trails for people like us who like single track but aren't ready for full body armor. Cutting new trails for biking is mainly labor-intensive and could be done relatively cheaply, I would think, especially as compared to something like an indoor water park. Also has anything been done with the proposed bike/recreation trail from the mountain into Bethel?

One additional thought concerns the roads up into the SR area from the turnpike. RT. 26 has seen much improvement over the years, but it still could be much better. Road improvement seems like a project that would be tailor-made for economic stimulus money, as would the recreation trail.

Good job so far with SR, SL and Loon.

4 miles of Rt 26 south of Poland are being upgraded now.

 

[Highway Star]

Hi, I ski at Killington. If you could get a proper highway put in to central Maine, I would consider your resorts.

 

[AndyEich]

Has the Chondola lived up to expectations? What about night skiing?
What improvements to either are planned, if any?

Post-Chondola, what is your assessment of Sunday River's lift infrastructure?

How to improve Sugarloaf's lift system is a point of considerable debate. Is a path forward becoming clear?

At various times over the last couple years, Boyne's eastern resorts appear to have been caught off guard by financial/bookkeeping "surprises." Is this accurate, and if so, what is being done to address it?

With respect to terrain expansion, is Boyne's approach to "lean forward" and create terrain to motivate increased skier traffic, or wait for skier visits to reach a point where terrain expansion is required to preserve a satisfactory experience?

How does Boyne choose whether to repair or replace lodges?

What role, if any, does Boyne play in advocating for transportation improvements to improve the accessibility of its Maine resorts?

 

[ga2ski]

Steve - thanks for participating and communicating with the folks that enjoy your resorts. I would like start by saying thanks for all the improvements that been implemented at Sunday River since you took ownership. Now for some constructive criticism.

1. You may have heard the grave disappointment from Perfect Turn, beginners, and parents of children who have out grown the magic carpet, when it was learned that Lift 5 was removed last season. Many of the beginners and younger children are not ready to ski the full length of South Ridge. What is Boyne's plan to satisfy its loyal customers who have progressed beyond Lower Sundance and are not ready for the " Broadway Headwall"? Will an additional magic carpet be installed above the existing one on Sundance? Will regrading actually occur this off season to Upper Broadway and the top of Mixing Bowl to minimize the intimidation factor that steep slopes present?

2. Does Boyne have energy management plans (i.e. operation, maintenance, review of electrical usage, review of peak power demands, etc.) for each of its resorts? If not, shoot me a PM and let's talk.

3. Valet parking (aka premium parking at a price) seems to be underutilized at Sunday River. Has Boyne done a cost benefit analysis to see if it is worth paying 1 or more employees to watch a whole empty row for 8 hours or more in front of its main lodge?

4. Bus traffic serves an important niche to transporting groups to the resorts. Instead parking the buses in multiple rows in front the main lodge where more than 48 other cars could be parked, has Boyne considered creating a bus unloading station near the Mountain Grocer and parking the buses in the back lots near the Snow Cap Inn or near the Summit? This would minimize the number of disgruntled people who had to walk up the hill to see empty rows reserved for the possibility of the buses?

5. What is the plan to reconfigure the unloading stations of the Little White Cap and Tempest chairs? The current configurations of each chair is too close to the bottom of the chairs resulting in eating your knees or your boot getting jammed by the chair?

 

[snowmonster]

Nothing to add except to thank you and your staff for making the Sunday River experience great. I echo bigbob's invitation for you to join us at one of the meet-n-greets at that Barker parking lot. Nothing says "thank you" better than beer-soaked brats and cannolis.

 

[Greg]

Wow! Plenty of great questions already. Gonna lock this one up. Thanks everybody!