Haystack / Hermitage news

[mbedle]

Obviously though a lot don't want to pay the 15k

I would guess that its wasn't just about the 15K, but also about the plan they were proposing to keep the club viable.

 

[sull1102]

Obviously though a lot don't want to pay the 15k

Then it is time for them to see themselves out obviously. When push comes to shove and those people on the fence decide not to renew their membership they can come on down to Sneaux. I have a funny feeling anyone that can maybe kinda sorta afford the $15k will very quickly regret leaving the Club when they have to drive down to the lower lots and ride the magic carpet back up then wait in 10-15 minute lift lines all day for runs that they will consider INCREDIBLY crowded. It will come down to how comfortable people have gotten with the ski on ski off heated 6 pack with no one one the slopes, corduroy at 3PM on Saturdays, untracked powder five days after a storm and even longer in the woods.

If you are a member there now, with a handful of exceptions, then you can swing the $15k if you want to continue there.

 

[drjeff]

Then it is time for them to see themselves out obviously. When push comes to shove and those people on the fence decide not to renew their membership they can come on down to Sneaux. I have a funny feeling anyone that can maybe kinda sorta afford the $15k will very quickly regret leaving the Club when they have to drive down to the lower lots and ride the magic carpet back up then wait in 10-15 minute lift lines all day for runs that they will consider INCREDIBLY crowded. It will come down to how comfortable people have gotten with the ski on ski off heated 6 pack with no one one the slopes, corduroy at 3PM on Saturdays, untracked powder five days after a storm and even longer in the woods.

If you are a member there now, with a handful of exceptions, then you can swing the $15k if you want to continue there.

The other factor too about if members would want to go back to Mount Snow or not, is many of them, before the Hermitage, were members of the Mount Snow Ski Club (it's the building next to where the Moover pick up/drop off area is in the main base area. The ski club, for members, offers a less crowded lodge, with a kitchen and grill that members can use whenever they want, as well as a limited number of lockers. It is a nice alternative over the chaos that the main base lodge, the Sundance Base lodge, and the old Carinthia Lodge was (who knows how the new Carinthia Lodge will actually be chaos wise this season???) The Mount Snow Ski Club is a maximum member capacity, with a sizable waiting list currently, so that wouldn't be an option for Hermitage "refugees" should they choose not to continue their membership....

 

[Blowhard]

this is chapter 2 of the beginning of the end. Look for an outright foreclosure, or some of the hedge/PE owners to come up with their own plan to buy the place after the banks and anyone with a hand on the assets gets desperate. The smart money wouldn't be there this early and not with Barnes. That said, It's surprising that OzCap would even consider it with Barnes, so he must have something that keeps him an owner regardless.
The real issue as pointed out isn't for the members, but for those that Ski Mt Snow. How much more crowded will it be with these folks coming back over? Even if they had a plan and approval today. Opening up in 90 days is unlikely. A proper shut down and clean up of the facilities didn't happen in the spring. No summer cleanup/ maintenance was done. It's a lot more than what normally goes into opening a place, particularly to the standards these members demand.

 

[sull1102]

this is chapter 2 of the beginning of the end. Look for an outright foreclosure, or some of the hedge/PE owners to come up with their own plan to buy the place after the banks and anyone with a hand on the assets gets desperate. The smart money wouldn't be there this early and not with Barnes. That said, It's surprising that OzCap would even consider it with Barnes, so he must have something that keeps him an owner regardless.
The real issue as pointed out isn't for the members, but for those that Ski Mt Snow. How much more crowded will it be with these folks coming back over? Even if they had a plan and approval today. Opening up in 90 days is unlikely. A proper shut down and clean up of the facilities didn't happen in the spring. No summer cleanup/ maintenance was done. It's a lot more than what normally goes into opening a place, particularly to the standards these members demand.

Not totally true about off-season work, but yes they need to get going pretty soon here if they plan to open. Don't forget they were not an early player and usually got going after Thanksgiving and into December. If work began tomorrow you could safely say they could open in 9-10 weeks. There has been maintenance and security on the grounds this summer. They were mostly over at the golf course keeping it mowed and just general upkeep. They did pull down the Hermitage Club Golf Club signs, they now read Haystack!

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[icecoast1]

Not totally true about off-season work, but yes they need to get going pretty soon here if they plan to open. Don't forget they were not an early player and usually got going after Thanksgiving and into December. If work began tomorrow you could safely say they could open in 9-10 weeks. There has been maintenance and security on the grounds this summer. They were mostly over at the golf course keeping it mowed and just general upkeep. They did pull down the Hermitage Club Golf Club signs, they now read Haystack!

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They haven't done any maintenance on the chairlifts which as they continue to sit require more and more work and also requires certified lift mechanics which they currently dont have. The reciever has been keeping the place ok to sell but has not been getting it ready to operate this winter. Getting the place ready isnt quite as easy as you're making it out to be. They also missed a deadline for getting h2b workers for the winter which takes me back to a question earlier in this thread, who do they expect to work at this place even if they pull off this miracle? Places that dont have the track record Hermitage does have enough problems finding help

 

[sull1102]

They haven't done any maintenance on the chairlifts which as they continue to sit require more and more work and also requires certified lift mechanics which they currently dont have. The reciever has been keeping the place ok to sell but has not been getting it ready to operate this winter. Getting the place ready isnt quite as easy as you're making it out to be. They also missed a deadline for getting h2b workers for the winter which takes me back to a question earlier in this thread, who do they expect to work at this place even if they pull off this miracle? Places that dont have the track record Hermitage does have enough problems finding help

Hermitage Club working on $30 million loan for reopening this season
https://vtdigger.org/2018/09/20/hermitage-club-working-30-million-loan-reopening-season/

Well then... Interesting seeing as the place minus the stunning Clubhouse is not worth $30 million and will take years, likely decades, to make a $30 million profit.

The lifts have sat since April, not exactly the worst thing in the world. And lest we forget the 6 pack carriers are sitting protected in a barn at the base. They need 1 lift spinning, which has all of 3 seasons, to operate at 70% capacity. Otherwise, plop a guy in a mower give him 40 hours a week for two weeks and the mountain will look like a regular preseason.

As for employees, pay people a liveable wage and you'll get employees. Other mountains, even my favorite in the Deerfield Valley, LOVE to cry and whine about how tough it is to find good employees. I'm so sick of hearing that crap. Ask them how much they wanna pay these employees and you'll see why. They want to pay these people maybe a buck above minimum wage at a whopping $11.00 an hour half the time. It's laughable. Oh and they sure as hell don't want to give you 40 hours a week in the winter with vacation weeks being the exception, year round employment, a summer job to pair with the winter work, or any benefits at all beyond a season pass. If they tried paying people oh idk $15 an hour and be competitive with the local Walmarts they'd be shocked at the line forming to get a job.

If the Hermitage keeps the staff very small, but pays the adequately, they will have a very good team working for them. The locals around here need the work.

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[Glenn]

Funding may be on the horizon: https://www.reformer.com/stories/closing-on-loan-imminent,554182

 

[Glenn]

Judge to make call on lift maintenance at Hermitage Club

https://www.reformer.com/stories/judge-to-make-call-on-lift-maintenance-at-hermitage-club,554339

 

[sull1102]

The lack of professionalism in the part of pretty much everyone involved really comes across in that article. Sounds like the bank was beyond ambitions thinking they could wrap this up before winter and is now a little prickly about everything, rightfully so. Even if the lifts are running, what about snowmaking?

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[icecoast1]

The lack of professionalism in the part of pretty much everyone involved really comes across in that article. Sounds like the bank was beyond ambitions thinking they could wrap this up before winter and is now a little prickly about everything, rightfully so. Even if the lifts are running, what about snowmaking?

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Theyd have better luck with the snowmaking than they will with the lifts. Sitting idle all summer with no work done to them is the worst thing for them. Getting them going is going to be a costly and extensive endeavor. Not to mention not just anybody can work on them, you need certified lift mechanics, not just whatever person wants to pretend to be one. It's getting down to the point of them not even being open at all this winter. I'd be shocked if they even get barnstormer and a main run off the summit open, even that would be a miracle at this point.

 

[sull1102]

Theyd have better luck with the snowmaking than they will with the lifts. Sitting idle all summer with no work done to them is the worst thing for them. Getting them going is going to be a costly and extensive endeavor. Not to mention not just anybody can work on them, you need certified lift mechanics, not just whatever person wants to pretend to be one. It's getting down to the point of them not even being open at all this winter. I'd be shocked if they even get barnstormer and a main run off the summit open, even that would be a miracle at this point.

Well I'm wondering if Techno-Alpin pulled most of their equipment that was on lease off the mountain or disabled it in some way.

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[drjeff]

Well I'm wondering if Techno-Alpin pulled most of their equipment that was on lease off the mountain or disabled it in some way.

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Lots of snazzy looking yellow fan guns still there when I last drove through their access road and up to the clubhouse a few weeks ago. And with a fair number of their Techno Alpin fans tower mounted up on the hill, their removal isn't an easy, quick process by any means. If anything, the HKD towers they also installed would be much easier to remove as relatively quickly they can be detached from their mounts and moved

 

[tumbler]

IN order to make snow they will need to pay a big power bill- $$$$

Could see it being cat skiing only for the winter.

 

[njdiver85]

From today:

"Judge Denies Hermitage Request for Lift Inspections"

"In a decision issued late last week, Judge Robert Gerety denied Hermitage's request to increase off season maintenance in order to reopen the private ski area. Among the requests included facilitating the annual lift inspections and increasing snowmaking maintenance.

The receiver is currently funded "to preserve the equipment from deterioration," putting the 2018-19 ski season in jeopardy."

 

[sull1102]

From today:

"Judge Denies Hermitage Request for Lift Inspections"

"In a decision issued late last week, Judge Robert Gerety denied Hermitage's request to increase off season maintenance in order to reopen the private ski area. Among the requests included facilitating the annual lift inspections and increasing snowmaking maintenance.

The receiver is currently funded "to preserve the equipment from deterioration," putting the 2018-19 ski season in jeopardy."

Well, that's that. They're gonna need to get that $30-MILLION (how will they ever ever ever pay that back) loan done ASAP. If you miss even one season it's not going to be good AND how long can that detach six sit around before someone makes an offer and moves it a mile up the road

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[icecoast1]

Well, that's that. They're gonna need to get that $30-MILLION (how will they ever ever ever pay that back) loan done ASAP. If you miss even one season it's not going to be good AND how long can that detach six sit around before someone makes an offer and moves it a mile up the road

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One of the previous articles mentioned OZ being made the majority owner if this deal went through, which could explain how they expect to make the money back. If it's a straight up loan to Barnes, theres no chance of them ever seeing the money back

I'd be shocked to ever see that lift at Mount Snow. It's the wrong brand and Peak Resorts is pretty brand loyal. Would have been a nice fit at Stratton though.

 

[drjeff]

One of the previous articles mentioned OZ being made the majority owner if this deal went through, which could explain how they expect to make the money back. If it's a straight up loan to Barnes, theres no chance of them ever seeing the money back

I'd be shocked to ever see that lift at Mount Snow. It's the wrong brand and Peak Resorts is pretty brand loyal. Would have been a nice fit at Stratton though.

Unless of course Peak bought it, and shipped it to one of it's North Conway area resorts. All of their highspeeds are Dopp's....

Not that I think that would happen anytime soon, if it all. I still think that in some form or another the Hermitage will find a financing source

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[sull1102]

Oh I don't actually think the Barnstormer will end up at Snow, I just really really really wish it would. It woul totally upstage the Bluebird it's just a nicer lift overall and more luxury. I could see one of the Skytrac quads or one of the Poma Triples going to Snow though. Stratton would be the absolute perfect fit for the Barnstormer to go in where Amex but likely ends up far away somewhere.

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[drjeff]

Oh I don't actually think the Barnstormer will end up at Snow, I just really really really wish it would. It woul totally upstage the Bluebird it's just a nicer lift overall and more luxury. I could see one of the Skytrac quads or one of the Poma Triples going to Snow though. Stratton would be the absolute perfect fit for the Barnstormer to go in where Amex but likely ends up far away somewhere.

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Having ridden both Barnstomer as well as the Orange Bubble Dopp at The Canyons/Park City Resort, and the Leitner/Poma bubbles at Mount Snow and Okemo, as a taller guy, I like L/P's bubbles better than Dopp's bubbles as the Dopp bubble seem to be closer to both my face and also the top of my helmet than the L/P bubbles to me. Just my personal opinion

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