Big Burke announcement

[VTKilarney]

This article confirms that the 70,000 skier visits that Q achieved in great snow years with ramped up marketing is definitely poor.

http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/12/jay_peak_ski_area_hopes_to_use.html

Of particular note, is this comment about pre-Q skier visits:
“Burke has had four to five owner groups in the past few years the reason for that is they have had 70,000 to 80,000 skier visits a year and you cannot do that and be sustainable,” Toland said.

A study of the area shows it will take about 120,000 visits a year to be financially viable and Tolland said they believe a hotel and other amenities will do that.

 

[thetrailboss]

Hopefully Q lets those two new managers do their jobs.


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[BenedictGomez]

The last two years their skier visits has been in the low 70's(k), this year with the hotel they project skier visits to be in the 90-95k area.

Simply adding a hotel is going to increase your skier visits by 30% over what you did during two very long seasons with great-snow?

Put me down for $200 on the Under.

 

[thetrailboss]

Sounds like an interesting meeting.

First question: who did the talking? Stenger? Q? The new managers? If it was Q, I would not give what he said much credence at all.

Second point:

Simply adding a hotel is going to increase your skier visits by 30% over what you did during two very long seasons with great-snow?

Put me down for $200 on the Under.

Ambitious goal, indeed. I have said all along that merely building a hotel does not solve their problems. If I had to guess as to my first question, I'd say that Q, Jr. was the one who said that all is now well. The stars will all have to align for them to get that 30% increase--a good snow year (not off to a good start there), the hotel operating without a hitch (also doubtful since I don't think they can adequately staff it and there are always problems the first year), and no more drama. It is not realistic to think that you can start a new hotel without some time to work out the bugs.

Here's the kicker: say they do get a modest bump, but not 30%. I'd imagine they'd can these new managers and then we'd be right back where we were. Great. :roll:

 

[VTKilarney]

Hasn't Jay more than doubled their skier visits with three new hotels?


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[deadheadskier]

Jay had 300k skier visits in 2003 prior to hotels

http://www.newenglandskihistory.com/Vermont/jaypeak.php

Same website doesn't give today's totals, but I believe it's around 400k tops

 

[VTKilarney]

Jay had 300k skier visits in 2003 prior to hotels

http://www.newenglandskihistory.com/Vermont/jaypeak.php

Same website doesn't give today's totals, but I believe it's around 400k tops

My bad.

Can someone explain to me how Stenger said that Jay got 4.4 million skier visits per year in this article?
http://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/dkaufman/157pdfs/jaypeak.pdf

The interesting part is at the very end of the article.


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[Smellytele]

Hasn't Jay more than doubled their skier visits with three new hotels?


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Also they have a waterpark.

 

[deadheadskier]

My bad.

Can someone explain to me how Stenger said that Jay got 4.4 million skier visits per year in this article?
http://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/dkaufman/157pdfs/jaypeak.pdf

The interesting part is at the very end of the article.


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No idea. Maybe that's total visitors to the resort including water park, hockey, golf etc?

There's not a ski area in North America that does 4.4M visits a year. That number is probably about what the entire state of VT does in skier visits.

Clearly bad editing in the article.

On a side note, I had Dave Kaufman as a professor at UVM. He was one of my favorites.

 

[River19]

I hope they are smart about the snowmaking this week as Wed-Friday can undo everything they do before then.

 

[VTKilarney]

I hope they are smart about the snowmaking this week as Wed-Friday can undo everything they do before then.

The good news is that after Friday, temps look very favorable for snowmaking. But the hotel is opening on December 11th, and they really need to get trails open for the opening. This is especially important given the lack of snowmaking for the past couple of Christmas holidays. Hopefully the upgrades to snowmaking will prove their worth in the next couple of weeks.

 

[River19]

Of course, I am enjoying the heck out of the "Indian Autumn" as it is perfect conditions for hunting with our dogs......so we ahve been enjoying the extra woods time without dealing with "snow balls" on/in paws etc.

Could have a lot of people skiing down one trail opening weekend......oh sorry, I forgot ski areas name every 100yds down the mountain another "trail" to increase trail count......lol

 

[VTKilarney]

I wonder to what extent electricity rates are going to impact their snowmaking efforts. My understanding is that they are allotted a certain number of kilowatt hours at a lower rate, and if they exceed this cap their rate goes WAY up.

 

[River19]

I wonder to what extent electricity rates are going to impact their snowmaking efforts. My understanding is that they are allotted a certain number of kilowatt hours at a lower rate, and if they exceed this cap their rate goes WAY up.

Better hope that single turbine spins like a bastard all winter then.....

 

[Masskier]

I wonder to what extent electricity rates are going to impact their snowmaking efforts. My understanding is that they are allotted a certain number of kilowatt hours at a lower rate, and if they exceed this cap their rate goes WAY up.

At the meeting they did say the KW hours were increased again this year. However I don't remember the amount.

 

[thetrailboss]

My bad.

Can someone explain to me how Stenger said that Jay got 4.4 million skier visits per year in this article?
http://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/dkaufman/157pdfs/jaypeak.pdf

The interesting part is at the very end of the article.


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It's not apples to apples. 300k skier days vs 4.4 million visitors. 4.4 million skier days is about what the entire state gets a season.


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[VTKilarney]

It's pretty cold outside. Does anyone know if Burke is blowing snow?

 

[SIKSKIER]

It's pretty cold outside. Does anyone know if Burke is blowing snow?

The only thing I could find is this:
Last evening's Ski Patrol duties. Hanging trail signs and getting ready for winter. Snowmaking will begin this weekend with a favorable window looking like Sunday(11/22) night through Wednesday. Our projected opening date will be Saturday, Dec. 5th as temps won't allow us to get enough snow pack down for Thanksgiving.

Besides that they had pics of tree/cutting on their nordic trail on Sunday but no sm.

 

[Gman]

It's pretty cold outside. Does anyone know if Burke is blowing snow?

Of course they are not blowing snow
....according to my local source.

 

[River19]

So far today looks like the folowing have been posting snowmaking pics

Gore Mountain
Smugglers Notch (I refuse to call it "Smuggs")
Attitash
Wachusett