• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Big Burke announcement

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,821
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
"The facility is fully licensed once back at full employment this winter. Managers expect to employ more than 160 people again".


At a cost north of $50m for the hotel employment of 160 falls well short of the required 1,000+ employment that amount of EB-5 money requires to show.

Right. The jobs don't have to be directly created by the Hotel though. They can count construction, if the bedmaker has to hire 3 more FT people to make the beds, if the pillowmaker hires 4 more FT people, etc.
 

oldtimer

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
254
Points
16
The Q is gone party

The event on Saturday was extremely well attended. Many of the usual suspects, but plenty of faces I either didn't recognize or hadn't seen in a long time. The receiver spoke briefly. Between this conversation, talking with some BMA folks and several others (including one Bill Stenger), it is clear that the mountain will run this year and they will do many things to improve the product- not huge big splash dollar expenditures, but the stuff we all know would REALLY help:: I suspect there will be crews out patching and replacing snowmaking pipes this fall, & Northern Rentals will be short 2 big diesel compressors for the early part of the winter and they will run the pond fill pumps 24/7 as long as the river level allows- thus trying to keep the pond full. From several conversations it is clear that BMA is on board and doing all they can to assure that the team has support- huge.

The vibe throughout town is great- KT folks talking about how great these guys are to deal with, many of those fired in March looking forward to getting there jobs back in the fall etc- what a change. Many of the core staff attended the party on Saturday.

The receiver had a request-- it would be hugely helpful if folks bought season passes NOW- Jason, Brian and many others all report that this interim group is doing all that can be done with a relatively tight budget and they are thrilled. SO now, it is time for all of us who have been bitching to step up and help them show the judge et al that this asset is worth investment.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,821
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
The event on Saturday was extremely well attended. Many of the usual suspects, but plenty of faces I either didn't recognize or hadn't seen in a long time. The receiver spoke briefly. Between this conversation, talking with some BMA folks and several others (including one Bill Stenger), it is clear that the mountain will run this year and they will do many things to improve the product- not huge big splash dollar expenditures, but the stuff we all know would REALLY help:: I suspect there will be crews out patching and replacing snowmaking pipes this fall, & Northern Rentals will be short 2 big diesel compressors for the early part of the winter and they will run the pond fill pumps 24/7 as long as the river level allows- thus trying to keep the pond full. From several conversations it is clear that BMA is on board and doing all they can to assure that the team has support- huge.

The vibe throughout town is great- KT folks talking about how great these guys are to deal with, many of those fired in March looking forward to getting there jobs back in the fall etc- what a change. Many of the core staff attended the party on Saturday.

The receiver had a request-- it would be hugely helpful if folks bought season passes NOW- Jason, Brian and many others all report that this interim group is doing all that can be done with a relatively tight budget and they are thrilled. SO now, it is time for all of us who have been bitching to step up and help them show the judge et al that this asset is worth investment.

So here's my question: why was Bill Stenger there?


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone
 

MEtoVTSkier

Active member
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
1,234
Points
38
Location
Aroostook County, ME
Did they say anything about getting the dredging done on the snowmaking pond this summer? I'm sure that would go a long way with probably minimal investment, towards keeping the available snowmaking up and running, during low flow periods on the river.
 

oldtimer

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
254
Points
16
1) Stenger- this is a very complicated issue in the NEK- many. many feel that he had to know what was going on and was at least complicate. That said, he is the one and only reason that Jr acted with a modicum of restraint over his tenure. Were it not for Bill Stenger's very direct intervention the shit show that was Burke last year would have been much, much worse. He worked his ass off to get us the product we had. This I know for an absolute fact. Those just below Jr in the pecking order all have nothing but praise for what Bill Stenger did for the mountain. He is not persona non-grata amongst those who know how to make Burke Mountain run well.

2) pond- I forgot to ask while chatting, but it never came up so I expect it may have to wait a year. Last year's lack of water in the pond was a combination of low flow int he river and mis-management of the flow there was.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,821
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
1) Stenger- this is a very complicated issue in the NEK- many. many feel that he had to know what was going on and was at least complicate. That said, he is the one and only reason that Jr acted with a modicum of restraint over his tenure. Were it not for Bill Stenger's very direct intervention the shit show that was Burke last year would have been much, much worse. He worked his ass off to get us the product we had. This I know for an absolute fact. Those just below Jr in the pecking order all have nothing but praise for what Bill Stenger did for the mountain. He is not persona non-grata amongst those who know how to make Burke Mountain run well.

2) pond- I forgot to ask while chatting, but it never came up so I expect it may have to wait a year. Last year's lack of water in the pond was a combination of low flow int he river and mis-management of the flow there was.

As for Stenger, yes he (was) a great manager and business-guy, but he is facing federal charges. Innocent until proven guilty of course, but guilty conscience perhaps?
 

mbedle

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2013
Messages
1,768
Points
48
Location
Barto, Pennsylvania
I am guessing that the receivership saw the benefit of keeping him around during the transition. He is paid hourly at a rate equal to 100K per year. It will be interesting to read his response to to the SEC case. I think they are due by June 30th.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,821
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
I am guessing that the receivership saw the benefit of keeping him around during the transition. He is paid hourly at a rate equal to 100K per year. It will be interesting to read his response to to the SEC case. I think they are due by June 30th.

He certainly knows the business. There must be a plea deal/immunity agreement for him in this case.
 

oldtimer

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
254
Points
16
I have no inside info, but I too am starting to feel like he has some sort of deal going with the Feds. For all we know, he might of smelled the Q rat years ago and been quietly feeding info to the Feds. Time will tell- meanwhile, anyone who likes Burke should have a warm spot for the guy. He has taken nothing from us and he worked his ass off to save us from Jr. I will re-iterate- I KNOW that had it not been for Bill last winter would have been much, much worse. His relationship with most of the key players is all that kept them on board.

He certainly knows the business. There must be a plea deal/immunity agreement for him in this case.
 

from_the_NEK

Active member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
4,576
Points
38
Location
Lyndonville, VT
Website
fineartamerica.com
I have no inside info, but I too am starting to feel like he has some sort of deal going with the Feds. For all we know, he might of smelled the Q rat years ago and been quietly feeding info to the Feds. Time will tell- meanwhile, anyone who likes Burke should have a warm spot for the guy. He has taken nothing from us and he worked his ass off to save us from Jr. I will re-iterate- I KNOW that had it not been for Bill last winter would have been much, much worse. His relationship with most of the key players is all that kept them on board.

I know I had seen him quite often (at least driving) in Lyndonville. It had to be VERY frustrating trying to keep Q under some amount of control.
This is total speculation of course, but I wonder if Ary Jr running Burke into the ground may have helped lead to Stenger working out that deal with the Feds you are speculating about.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,821
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
I have no inside info, but I too am starting to feel like he has some sort of deal going with the Feds. For all we know, he might of smelled the Q rat years ago and been quietly feeding info to the Feds. Time will tell- meanwhile, anyone who likes Burke should have a warm spot for the guy. He has taken nothing from us and he worked his ass off to save us from Jr. I will re-iterate- I KNOW that had it not been for Bill last winter would have been much, much worse. His relationship with most of the key players is all that kept them on board.

I personally felt that he was a great manager. I personally have always felt that he was interested in helping Burke. I have heard that he feels terrible for what has happened with Burke and personally responsible. That said, I know a lot of folks who are saying, "show me, Bill."
 

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
28,179
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
I know I had seen him quite often (at least driving) in Lyndonville. It had to be VERY frustrating trying to keep Q under some amount of control.
This is total speculation of course, but I wonder if Ary Jr running Burke into the ground may have helped lead to Stenger working out that deal with the Feds you are speculating about.

Wasn't there also some talk of his ownership stake being reduced? Maybe the combination of Papa Q screwing him over and Baby Q tarnishing his brand pushed him over the edge and made him sing.

It would be great to hear if Bill is mostly innocent in all of this. He always came off as a genuinely nice guy with good intentions. Then again who knows. Lots of outwardly nice people have turned out to be corrupt.
 

BenedictGomez

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
12,360
Points
113
Location
Wasatch Back
1) Stenger- many feel that he had to know what was going on and was at least complicate.

Those few who are not among the "many" are idiots.

It is literally not possible, given what is already publicly known, that Stenger was completely unaware of wrong-doing. Zip, zero, zilch. He fascinated the ACH transfers for heaven's sake.
 
Top