Jay Peak bombshell

[BenedictGomez]

Lodging is only 50% at par, IIRC.

Does that mean if you have a $200 room rate, you pay $100 USD and $100 CAD for a net $176 room?

 

[HowieT2]

Last I knew, they take CAD at par with USD. So they may take a slight loss depending on their client ratio given the weak CAD.

Not so slight right now. Guess they have to, but that's a significant hit.

 

[VTKilarney]

Does that mean if you have a $200 room rate, you pay $100 USD and $100 CAD for a net $176 room?

If you show proof of Canadian residency.


.

 

[BenedictGomez]

If you show proof of Canadian residency.
.

Was this ever definitively established?

I've never seen anyone asked. And is it legal to accept a currency as legal tender from one group of people, but deny it to another?

 

[VTKilarney]

It's definitely their policy:
http://jaypeakresort.com/about/jay-peaks-exchange-rate-policy/

 

[BenedictGomez]

It's definitely their policy:

So there it is; thanks.

Canadian guests must provide proof of current residency to pay in Canadian cash.

I've seen many people pay in CAD over the years, and I've never heard anyone ask. Perhaps they don't like to ask people as it's somewhat accusatory and intrusive to do so?

This is a really esoteric subject, but it interests me (the money policy itself, not Jay Peak specifically), because I'm not convinced it's legal to do this. You're free to accept Indian Rupees or Polish Zlotys as payment if you wish of course, but I don't know if you're allowed to deny payment to one cohort of people while simultaneously accepting it from others. Might have to contact a friend with BLS with this incredibly dorky question.

 

[fbrissette]

So there it is; thanks.



I've seen many people pay in CAD over the years, and I've never heard anyone ask. Perhaps they don't like to ask people as it's somewhat accusatory and intrusive to do so?

This is a really esoteric subject, but it interests me (the money policy itself, not Jay Peak specifically), because I'm not convinced it's legal to do this. You're free to accept Indian Rupees or Polish Zlotys as payment if you wish of course, but I don't know if you're allowed to deny payment to one cohort of people while simultaneously accepting it from others. Might have to contact a friend with BLS with this incredibly dorky question.

In most of the third world countries I've been too, foreigners pay a lot more than locals for a whole bunch of services. What's interesting in this case is that it is the non-residents who get the better deal (from the viewpoints of the residents). As a Canadian it is still the same price as last year so I don't feel like I'm getting a deal. I get hit real bad in US condo fees and taxes however.

 

[thetrailboss]

It's definitely their policy:
http://jaypeakresort.com/about/jay-peaks-exchange-rate-policy/

Huh. That's relatively new.

 

[wtcobb]

This is a really esoteric subject, but it interests me (the money policy itself, not Jay Peak specifically), because I'm not convinced it's legal to do this. You're free to accept Indian Rupees or Polish Zlotys as payment if you wish of course, but I don't know if you're allowed to deny payment to one cohort of people while simultaneously accepting it from others. Might have to contact a friend with BLS with this incredibly dorky question.

If it's considered a marketing tactic to woo visitors from CA, as they're essentially giving a discount on lodging, I don't see how it would be illegal. There are plenty of offers with the qualification "open to US residents only" - most sweepstakes/shipping offers have this stipulation.

Living in Grafton county I get deals at many mountains ("locals only" deals) or the NH state resident pass to Cannon. Same type of discount, just offered to a different group.

 

[dlague]

Was this ever definitively established?

I've never seen anyone asked. And is it legal to accept a currency as legal tender from one group of people, but deny it to another?

Canadian guests must provide proof of current residency to pay in Canadian cash. (From their website)

 

[dlague]

So there it is; thanks.



I've seen many people pay in CAD over the years, and I've never heard anyone ask. Perhaps they don't like to ask people as it's somewhat accusatory and intrusive to do so?

This is a really esoteric subject, but it interests me (the money policy itself, not Jay Peak specifically), because I'm not convinced it's legal to do this. You're free to accept Indian Rupees or Polish Zlotys as payment if you wish of course, but I don't know if you're allowed to deny payment to one cohort of people while simultaneously accepting it from others. Might have to contact a friend with BLS with this incredibly dorky question.

I tried about ten years ago and got denied - wanted ID. I have not tried recently.

 

[steamboat1]

You get the same discount if you ski in Canada & exchange your U.S. dollars for Canadian dollars. That $60 lift ticket will only cost you $40. A $100 a night room will only cost you $65. You don't have to be a Canadian citizen to get these discounts. In fact Canadian citizens don't see any discount. So if you feel ripped off by Jay go to Canada.

 

[BenedictGomez]

There are plenty of offers with the qualification "open to US residents only" - most sweepstakes/shipping offers have this stipulation.

That's a different animal though.

This question relates specifically to the legal tender you'll choose to accept, and from whom (i.e. can I accept a currency from one group while denying it to another). I don't know the answer.

One might assume Jay Peak has done this research, and it's in fact perfectly legal. However, in light of recent events, I'm not in the habit of "assuming" anything regarding Jay Peak's business practices. lol.

You get the same discount if you ski in Canada & exchange your U.S. dollars for Canadian dollars.

Well, that's not remotely what we're talking about at all, but....uh...okay.

 

[Brewbeer]

US citizens can choose to pay for their tickets and lodging in CAD, they aren't being restricted to only using USD. The exchange rate discount only applies to Canadian residents. Doesn't seem to be materially different than the locals only discounts.

 

[DoublePlanker]

Jay Peak is not the only ski area that does this. I don't have a problem with it.

 

[BenedictGomez]

US citizens can choose to pay for their tickets and lodging in CAD, they aren't being restricted to only using USD. The exchange rate discount only applies to Canadian residents.

I guess that makes sense as long as your not restricting use, though I doubt this happens in practice (i.e. I doubt Americans show up and pay $91 CAD for a $60 USD lift ticket).

 

[AdironRider]

How many people are going to go out of the way to CAD to save a couple bucks on a lift ticket? I suspect the number is minimal.

 

[VTKilarney]

How many people are going to go out of the way to CAD to save a couple bucks on a lift ticket? I suspect the number is minimal.

I'm not quite sure what you are asking, but if you are asking how many Americans would pay in Canadian to get the at-par deal, I am willing to bet that the number would be very high. If you are going to Jay Peak, it's not that hard to pop across the border to get cash out of an ATM. And the local Vermont banks all convert American to Canadian - albeit at a worse rate than an ATM.

 

[AdironRider]

You would be wrong. I unfortunately can't show you proof without getting my better half fired, but the ratio you think exists is actually the opposite.

People are going an hour out of their way to save 20% on a lift ticket. Doubtful. These are skiers, a pretty economically well off group of people as a whole, and probably know a thing or two about the time value of money and opportunity costs.

I don't disagree in principle its not difficult, but when most folks go skiing, they aren't burning an hour of their weekend doing a currency exchange.

Look at how many people still pay walk up window rates at any ski resort, despite liftopia, season passes, or any other of the 1000 ski for cheap deals that exist. Us ski message board folks make up a small contingent of ski area customers.

Now if I was a local I'd be all over it, but the average NEK local isn't getting lodging, or buying lift tickets at the window.

 

[DoublePlanker]

Its a PITA to cross the border. My wife lived in a border town. Lots of businesses take CAD at par. She said she would use CAD just to "get rid of it".

I suppose if one regularly crosses the border, one could withdraw CAD for use at ski areas.

But to spontaneously go out of one's way to do that seems unlikely.

Who carries cash these days anyways?