Haystack article today

[ski_resort_observer]

News item in the Times Argus today about Haystack
Haystack article

 

[Talisman]

Interesting that developrs would risk so much on a mountain that condo investors never really warmed up to in the past. I skied at Haystack a few times and it was a quiet alternative to Mt Snow, but nothing too special.

 

[WWF-VT]

Demographic target:

"The club will have amenities that are in keeping with the affluent lifestyle of its members. Those amenities include an arrangement with a New York-based executive helicopter service.

"We have a helio-pad so if the family is up and the working spouse needs to come up for the weekend they can jump on a helicopter and be at Haystack in 58 minutes," Dillon said."

 

[ctenidae]

Based on that demo target, I'm guessing not many of us will be visiting Haystack any time soon.

 

[nelsapbm]

I guess what it comes down to is this.....would you rather see Haystack stay open, or on the NELSAP list?

 

[thetrailboss]

Interesting read...

 

[ski_resort_observer]

I guess what it comes down to is this.....would you rather see Haystack stay open, or on the NELSAP list?

In the purist sense of the word I think it's lost either way.

 

[Phildozer]

This hasn't got a prayer.

 

[marcski]

Why would you say that? It appears they have plenty of money, a good plan, civic approval already in place. I mean, I'm with you, if you're not interested in a place like this, neither am I. I was never a big fan of skiing the 'stack anyway.

However, what I found interesting was the last paragraph or so. About how Foisie, the guy who heads the outfit that purchased Haystack from Mt. Snow, "plans to donate 50 percent of the profits from Haystack Club to charity with the remaining profits earmarked for an employee fund." That is interesting.

 

[Big Game]

#1 These private places tend to open up mid-week for non-joiners. See Bear Creek for example. So if it turns out a nice product, my guess is that the public at large will still be able to enjoy a taste.

#2. If it fails, looks like new owners will have lots of fancy new infrastructure.

#3. The opening of this takes pressure of of other vacation housing stocks. My hope is that within 3 years I pick something up in southern Vt. This project increases supply. Price lowers as a result.

#4. Provides tax base, some of which will be used to fund schools in the really poor towns, like head out to Orleans county --- you know what I'm talking about.

#5. It is also my life-long dream to start/restart my own mountain ops (Danby Mountain in particular). I like seeing other people doing it. Seems pretty exciting. Good for them.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

Soo will this kinda be how a private golf course is? If you know a member you can get on that day with them?

 

[riverc0il]

I guess what it comes down to is this.....would you rather see Haystack stay open, or on the NELSAP list?

i guess it all depends on how you define lost. it is nice they are letting area residents score a few dozen tickets each day. but for all practical purposes, haystack is lost to the average skier. i don't mean to slack on the project, it is what it is and the area continues to operate as a resort community instead of a skiing area. but from a practical perspective, from my point of view, the only thing different between haystack and most nelsap areas is that i can still skin up most nelsap areas. i think this project will likely succed if they can turn it around in a timely fashion. there is an amazing amount of resort development occurring in VT and i think we are going to be getting close to a breaking point when the demand can no longer justify the continued development. haystack is in a unique circumstance to offer what no other new england ski area can offer: a private gated community with a legit ski area with decent terrain (bear/roundtop doesn't strike me as an area that can hold a candle to say the witches area at haystack). i am sure the helo pad will be well received as well from perspective buyers.

 

[maineskier69]

I have one thing to say about it.
FT!

 

[drjeff]

One few reasons I think that The Haystack club *might* work is that Fosie and crew that bought the place, well they've already had multiple larger, higher end successfull develops around the Mt Snow/Haystack area in the form of Kingswood and Greenspring developments, and some of the customer base they're looking to tap into to make The Haystack Club a reality is folks that are alreday owners at one of their developed properties, who are already aware of what type of product they can deliver as developers and would be looking to "upgrade" their property.

 

[snowconehead]

Marcskier, I can't see how you see this as a good plan. It may work, but it really hasn't been tried before in the East. It's a big expensive, risky project. How many skiers are this rich? Then again, how many of them are this rich and want to sink their dough into a mediocre mountain?

 

[DrSkimeister]

Haystack Realty/Reality

Hi Folks....
I find the Haystack story interesting and I'm surprised that it's taken this long for this concept to start in the east. Haystack is not a skier's mountain and I don't take this plan as an attempt to make it so. This is an attempt to make some very valuable real estate that much more valuable. The developers are looking to tap into the market of people in the northeeast that have ALOT of disposable income with an offering that has a little bit of everything. Of course, we're most interested in the skiing/riding. The luxury golf and gourmet restaurants and posh counrty club setting and the uber-expensive homes will be a bigger part of the appeal to the wealthy clientele that this project will attempt to attract. If any of the residents of a community like the one envisioned here want more skiing than Haystack provides, it's not unreasonable to travel to any of the other south or central Vermont locations for them.

Happy Trails