killington closing day - sunday 4/25

[severine]

While I'm reading this thread, the ad at the top says:

"At the beast, a season pass is a badge of honor."

:lol:

 

[drjeff]

and consumers have every right to call out that bullshit. If you're a paying customer, you are indeed entitled. .

The simple fact is, that with the spring pass, from March 22nd when it went on sale to April 25th, that's 35 potential days of use for the pass which works out to $4.83 a day to ski/ride. Whether or not a spring pass holder used all those days isn't any issue in this discussion, and the break even point, even at their reduced spring rates, was basically 4 days of skiing/riding. Bottomline is, for whatever reason (sounds like natural weather phenomena is what they're saying), Killington is making a business descision, that while it may be a bit unpopular, still offered up a product at a very affordable price.

 

[ozzy]

I agree with Bob and Steve as well. The dealio is that they dont have any more reservations with the British tourists and all the staggering spring breaks have ended. next week would be a loss to run the superstar chair. There were however quite a few day ticket holders out on Tuesday.
I would be more satisfied if they said we're running out of visitors or things dont make sense to go on financially when there's tons of snow there then to be straight up lied to by say we're shuttin down due to the extended forecasts

over promising and under delivering = EPIC FAIL

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119422614735770&ref=nf

 

[powbmps]

My wife was in North Carolina over the weekend and saw something on the national news (GMA maybe?) mentioning that Killington was open until May 2nd.

I don't know what that has to do with anything.

I was planning on getting one last weekend day in on the 1st so I'll have to agree....EPIC FAIL :razz:.

 

[deadheadskier]

The simple fact is, that with the spring pass, from March 22nd when it went on sale to April 25th, that's 35 potential days of use for the pass which works out to $4.83 a day to ski/ride. Whether or not a spring pass holder used all those days isn't any issue in this discussion, and the break even point, even at their reduced spring rates, was basically 4 days of skiing/riding. Bottomline is, for whatever reason (sounds like natural weather phenomena is what they're saying), Killington is making a business descision, that while it may be a bit unpopular, still offered up a product at a very affordable price.

The simple fact is that they've been practically screaming from the Mountain top as recently as Sunday that they'd be open until May 2nd if they had the snow. By all accounts that I've read, they will have it. I really don't think the value of the Spring Pass is the big issue here and that Geoff's suggestion was more a 'stick it to the man' thought because once again it would appear that Killington has over promised and under delivered; something they've become reknown for since powdr took ownership. That's the problem people are having. They see companies like Peaks and Boyne being much more straight shooters.

I don't see a problem with people voicing this displeasure.

 

[RootDKJ]

I didn't read all the posts here, but I think the difference between Hunter closing early had to do with the fact that they made their decision after several days of pouring rain and 85* temps. Not before it.

 

[Riverskier]

The sense of entitlement surrounding this event is staggering!

Typically I would agree with this sentiment. I have never understood the sense of entitlement people seem to have regarding how their ski area is run. They are private businesses and the owners can run them how they see fit. If you don't like it, leave!

However, this situation is completely different. Killington sold passes on the premise they would operate through May 2nd weather and conditions permitting. They made a decision to close early purely for financial reasons. They have no idea what the weather and conditions will be 12 days out. Customers were mislead and this is bad business!

 

[moguler6]

I'm a big Killington supporter and I don't agree with most of the complaints on AZ about Killington, but I must say I'm disappointed by this. If it was getting sketchy up there, then fine, but there's is plenty of snow Superstar. There's still plenty of snow off the peak and the canyon. We were lapping OL this past Sunday which had plenty of coverage. This has to be financial because they have the snow.

OL on 4/18

View attachment 3524

 

[UVSHTSTRM]

Well, I have to ask, did the disclaimer when buying spring passes say "weather and conditions permitting", if so could Killilngton argue conditions mean just not slope conditions but also economic conditions?:razz:

 

[UVSHTSTRM]

I'm a big Killington supporter and I don't agree with most of the complaints on AZ about Killington, but I must say I'm disappointed by this. If it was getting sketchy up there, then fine, but there's is plenty of snow Superstar. There's still plenty of snow off the peak and the canyon. We were lapping OL this past Sunday which had plenty of coverage. This has to be financial because they have the snow.

OL on 4/18

View attachment 3524

Just curious as your photo doesn't show the runout, but does the runout to the lift on SS still have plenty of snow?

 

[SkiDork]

Just curious as your photo doesn't show the runout, but does the runout to the lift on SS still have plenty of snow?

That was a photo of OL not SS

But the SS runout had plenty of snow on Sunday

BTW - I like the "economic conditions" reference...

 

[bobbutts]

The sense of entitlement surrounding this event is staggering!

Since when are people not entitled to something they paid for?

I think you just like to say entitlement to take a stab at people. If you bought a big mac and in came with only one all beef patty instead of two would you keep your mouth shut or would you be upset about the missing patty? Are you not entitled to the two all beef patties that were advertised with the burger?

 

[Bubbartzky]

Since when are people not entitled to something they paid for?

I think you just like to say entitlement to take a stab at people. If you bought a big mac and in came with only one all beef patty instead of two would you keep your mouth shut or would you be upset about the missing patty? Are you not entitled to the two all beef patties that were advertised with the burger?

Well, if McDonalds advertised a Big Mac, all beef patty conditions permitting...

 

[shpride]

After all this Killington talk it's making me feel like driving up tomorrow. I guess their closing early promotion worked.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Some of you have been crying foul about the way Powdr operates kmart for 3 years now....why do you keep buying season passes??

Since Powdr bought kmart there have been several business decision that have upset people who then proclaimed that the Vermont AG will be contacted and redemption will be forthcoming.

One of the first things Powdr did was lay off a bunch of yearround employee. Senators Leahy and Sanders even got involved in this one. AG ignored the issue.

Next up was the lifetime pass brouhaha. Two lawsuits were filed. Judge both times ruled for Powdr. AG ignored the issue.

Now kmart planned to be open into May, not guaranteed to be open, but ended being one of the last resorts to be open. AG will ignore this as well.

Here's a sugestion...when Monster, last summer, threatned to sue a small Vermont beer maker Rock Art Brewery over a frivilous brand issue a Group was formed on Facebook and within a week 15,000 people joined up. Surely, not the only reason but the result, Monster backed off.

Kmart is a much bigger company than Rock Art so I would think with i's thousands of season passholders if your issues have merit a huge number of people would join providing real solid proof to the management of kmart that closing early was a bad business decision.

Put up Group page on Facebook. You could title it in regards to just the early closure issue or broaden the Group page for some of the other Powdr issues.

Just complaining, no action = Fail

 

[SkiDork]

Some of you have been crying foul about the way Powdr operates kmart for 3 years now....why do you keep buying season passes??

Personally I own real estate there and am very involved with KSC and ski programs etc.

Next up was the lifetime pass brouhaha. Two lawsuits were filed. Judge both times ruled for Powdr. AG ignored the issue.

Not true. Case is still in the courts and no judges have ruled yet

Put up Group page on Facebook. You could title it in regards to just the early closure issue or broaden the Group page for some of the other Powdr issues.

Plenty of FB groups already exist.

 

[severine]

Here's a sugestion...when Monster, last summer, threatned to sue a small Vermont beer maker Rock Art Brewery over a frivilous brand issue a Group was formed on Facebook and within a week 15,000 people joined up. Surely, not the only reason but the result, Monster backed off.

Kmart is a much bigger company than Rock Art so I would think with i's thousands of season passholders if your issues have merit a huge number of people would join providing real solid proof to the management of kmart that closing early was a bad business decision.

Put up Group page on Facebook. You could title it in regards to just the early closure issue or broaden the Group page for some of the other Powdr issues.

Just complaining, no action = Fail

How is a group on FB action? Really? Most of that is just nonsensical crap and doesn't really amount to anything other than whining or bragging. I <3 Facebook, but a group on it does not = action in my book. It's quite passive, rather.

For the record, though, there already is one for this complaint:
KILLINGTON = EPIC FAIL!

 

[Bubbartzky]

Not true. Case is still in the courts and no judges have ruled yet



.

Not only was the statement not true, I understand Judge Sessions has been critical of the defendents' approach in the case.

 

[drjeff]

Economics not weather - yes. Bottomline, they're a private company, and I think that it's safe to say that they're looking at the books on basically a daily basis. The reality likely is that they haven't had a day where day ticket sales + food and beverage revenue have shown a net daily profit in since the weekend of the 10th/11th given the poor weather conditions of last weekend, and the almost daily reports on Kzone of the place being empty mid week (and last weekend).

This weekend, given a good weather forcast, they'll likely make money (even with people taking away from the food and beverage revenue with their parking lot tailgating). Then, iffy long range forcast for next week (remember even with good weather now it's still empty midweek). So potentially they could be looking at a run from April 10/11 to May 2nd where their daily books might show a profit for at absolute best 50% of those days, but more likely about 25% of those days. The descision to close gets easier and easier based on the numbers.

Is this somewhat similar to their opening fiasco this year when they insinuated that they'd get open for the weekend early in the week, but then couldn't make it happen and had to announce they weren't opening a day or 2 later, yup, sometimes that's how business goes and I'm sure that the descision on an emotional level wasn't easy to make, but on a rationale one, it was the proper one to make.

 

[mister moose]

Economics not weather - yes. ...This weekend, given a good weather forcast, they'll likely make money

They opened this fall only on weekends for the first 2 weeks. They could just as easily run the last 2 weeks weekends only rather than close.