Big Burke announcement

[from_the_NEK]

Concerning the Spates Block in Newport. A Act250 demolition permit request was filed at the end of January:

http://www.anr.state.vt.us/imaging/planning/7R1355/Supporting Materials/Supporting Materials.pdf

 

[from_the_NEK]

I agree to a certain extent. The one difference is that East Burke is busy in the summer thanks to Kingdom Trails. Jay Peak would be completely dead in the summer without Jay Peak's investment in the golf course, hockey rink, water park, etc. Q Burke is not entirely dependent on their own internal projects to drive summer business. But... your point is well taken that they most likely would be unable to rely solely on Kingdom Trails.

Kingdom Trails is indeed a big draw, however I think Q also wants to pull in business during the shoulder seasons and when the weather doesn't cooperate for MTB. Again the Tennis/Aquatic Center is "Weather Proof" and can also be an attraction for family members that don't MTB.

However, I don't see a lot of MTBrs headed to the tennis courts on a rainy day :razz:.

 

[VTKilarney]

Concerning the Spates Block in Newport. A Act250 demolition permit request was filed at the end of January:

http://www.anr.state.vt.us/imaging/planning/7R1355/Supporting Materials/Supporting Materials.pdf

There is some information about construction in the application. Andy Stenger says this: "The start of construction isn’t known yet. Best case would see a start in the late summer/fall of 2015, but a 2016 start is also possible."

 

[VTKilarney]

Kingdom Trails is indeed a big draw, however I think Q also wants to pull in business during the shoulder seasons and when the weather doesn't cooperate for MTB. Again the Tennis/Aquatic Center is "Weather Proof". Although I don't see a lot of MTBrs headed to the tennis courts on a rainy day :razz:.

The shoulder seasons are definitely brutal, so whatever they can do to help during that time of year is very welcome.

 

[from_the_NEK]

There is some information about construction in the application. Andy Stenger says this: "The start of construction isn’t known yet. Best case would see a start in the late summer/fall of 2015, but a 2016 start is also possible."

Sounds like he is becoming more realistic on the pace that these projects are going to roll out.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I'm sure the Quiros' have some plan in mind but they too are waiting to see how Phase 1 pans out. Phase 2 is likely very much a pie in the sky.

My assumption is Phase 2 is, "sell for a profit based on the upgrades & improvements paid for by free money".

 

[VTKilarney]

Sounds like he is becoming more realistic on the pace that these projects are going to roll out.

It's about time someone is!

 

[the original trailboss]

Is there something I am missing here ? What is the big draw in a tennis/aquatic complex in East Burke?

 

[deadheadskier]

I've seen more indoor tennis facilities close than open in recent years. I love the game, but it is not a crowing sport in the Northeast. Someone should remind the Qs that E. Burke is not a suburb of Miami.

 

[from_the_NEK]

I've seen more indoor tennis facilities close than open in recent years.

But did those facilities have any other attractions in the area?
The key at Burke is that it would be a great place to have tennis camps, and possibly even tournaments. Camps for sure. There is a lot of other stuff to do in the downtime at a camp (e.g. MTB, skiing, hiking, swimming). Emphasis on skiing which is also a somewhat "upper class" sport along with competitive tennis.
Maybe they even start to create their own market here. How many kids go off to soccer camps at far flung parts of New England in the summertime? I know my cousins from MA did.

 

[deadheadskier]

I would think they'd have a hard time stealing business from places in the state that are well established such as Windridge

 

[VTKilarney]

Let's be honest about this. Tennis has waned significantly in popularity in the United States despite gaining in popularity internationally. This is why you have once prestigious tournaments, such as the Farmer's Classic, moving from Los Angeles after 86 years to Bogota, Columbia. There are now only about one-third of the top men's tennis tournaments held in the U.S. than there were in the 1980s.

There are a lot of reasons behind this, but one of the biggest reasons is that we don't have the dynamic American tennis stars that we used to. This may change someday. But it is far from certain that this will be enough to revive the sport.

Can Burke make a go of it? Maybe. But it is definitely a high-risk endeavor.

Swimming is definitely popular. The Vermont Swim Association's 2014 championship had 20 teams enter. But... those 20 teams already have 20 pools, some of which are first-class facilities such as the Aquatic Center in White River Junction. Another concern is that the teams are clustered in the southern half of the state and Chittenden County. When Jay Peak built the hockey rink, it was the only rink in all of Orleans and Essex counties. But Caledonia County already has pools at the St. Johnsbury Academy and Lyndon State College. How much demand will there be for a third pool for competitive events? Frankly, I think they would be much better off building a more recreational-orientated facility. Make the Pump House the adrenaline attraction, and make Burke's pool a more laid back attraction. Burke's pool could really compliment the hotel that way, especially since you can't actually swim at the Pump House. A family friendly wave pool would be a really cool feature for Burke.

Now if Q Burke was really smart, they would build a facility for the number one growing sport in the United States: http://www.bradfordera.com/news/article_535c766e-a8cd-11e4-8eda-3f1e5e575554.html

 

[ablb]

What happened to the indoor mountain biking park?

 

[deadheadskier]

Yup. Tennis used to be huge in the 80s. As a kid my family would go to the Volvo tennis tournament every summer. We saw it at Cranmore a few years, then Stratton and eventually at a big ass stadium in New Haven, CT.

I don't know if a new American male stars will change much. Roddick was the closest thing in recent years, but he only won one major, though he did make it to several finals and quarterfinals. There's arguably the greatest collection of top players in the sport right now that there's ever been and few take notice. Maybe they got board of Roger, Rafa and Novak winning everything for years. Serena Williams is arguably the greatest female player ever and she's not drawing in new players from what I can tell compared to the young Euro stars.

 

[VTKilarney]

What happened to the indoor mountain biking park?

The one that was supposed to begin construction this past summer and be open in 2015? You're supposed to forget that it ever existed. ;-)

 

[thetrailboss]

The meeting is open to the public.

Video please.

 

[thetrailboss]

Sweet! The aquatic center is opening next year!

I found it odd that Ary said that they have about 100 construction workers on site when the NEK Economic Development Initiative reported in October that: "At present there are 100-200 employees on the job each day primarily doing concrete work. As the project goes forward, the number of workers on site will increase to approximately 400."

Ary looked and sounded stoned. I thought his comments about the "not so warm" welcome were funny. His answer about KT relations was evasive at best....and it sounded like he is going it alone. Phase II is private? What does that mean? I'm not sure that the staff are "teaching" him much because he doesn't listen. And I like WCAX, but the interviewer was terrible.

Sorry, call me negative, but I did not get much from that interview.

 

[thetrailboss]

As for amenities at Burke, a nice indoor water leisure pool (NOT an Olympic pool....look at LSC to see how busy that is) and an indoor bike park makes sense IMHO.

 

[whiskey jack]

Sweet! The aquatic center is opening next year!

I found it odd that Ary said that they have about 100 construction workers on site when the NEK Economic Development Initiative reported in October that: "At present there are 100-200 employees on the job each day primarily doing concrete work. As the project goes forward, the number of workers on site will increase to approximately 400."

I dont see anything real odd about there being around 100 jobs at this date which when he said it was February 4th 2015, and you are referring to an article from October. Time lines and work force change on construction sites on a daily basis.

 

[VTKilarney]

I dont see anything real odd about there being around 100 jobs at this date which when he said it was February 4th 2015, and you are referring to an article from October. Time lines and work force change on construction sites on a daily basis.

I guess I am not sure why there can't be interior work going on, especially in the west wing.