KILLINGTON: The 2008 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge

[Highway Star]

- Increase the length of the ski season?

The 2008-09 season is schedule for Nov. 13 through April 19

- Expand terrain by building the Killington/Pico Interconnect?

No plans at this time

Does Killington understand that both those statements are extremely disappointing to most of their customers......?

If you were to build the interconnect and also return to an October to May ski season, by how much do you think your skier visits would increase compared to '07-'08?

20%?
50%?
100%?

 

[Highway Star]

Did Killington/Pico have 500,000 skier visits in '07'-08, as has been estimated?

Will you have to release your skier visit numbers to the town for their consultant's report on the village's financial impact?

Are you aware that Okemo did roughly 640,000 visits in '07-'08?

 

[Highway Star]

Does Chris Nyberg understand eastern skiers and skiing?

Does he understand the history of Killington?

Does Chris Nyberg actually ski at Killington?

 

[Highway Star]

Can you show us a map of the proposed trail changes surrounding the Skye Peak Express Quad?

Will we like them?

 

[Highway Star]

Is skiingsnow over on K-Zone actually a Killington employee?

Do you feed him information?

Do you pay him?

Have you or Dave posted under his username?

 

[Greg]

And you wonder why nobody takes you seriously.

 

[deadheadskier]

sick him Highway Star....sick him

:lol:

I knew I could count on you



....but seriously chill. I understand your frustration, but you need to learn to kill bees with honey. People/businesses will be much more inclined to listen to you doing so.

 

[Highway Star]

And you wonder why nobody takes you seriously.

These are actually serious questions....

 

[RENO]

Purchase a Blackout Pass and enjoy another great season!

:lol:

 

[RENO]

And you wonder why nobody takes you seriously.

It's entertaining though! :lol:

 

[Highway Star]

It's entertaining though! :lol:

Seriously entertaining?

 

[ski_resort_observer]

is skiingsnow over on K-Zone actually a Killington employee?
Do you feed him information?
Do you pay him?
Have you or Dave posted under his username
Does Chris Nyberg understand eastern skiers and skiing?
Does he understand the history of Killington?
Does Chris Nyberg actually ski at Killington?

It's like a cancer gone unchecked....please remove the cancer before the entire thread is infected and dies...or has that already happened. Bummer...had a few questions

Lets do Magic next and then Whiteface.....:wink:

 

[andyzee]

And you wonder why nobody takes you seriously.

Not for nothing, but quite frankly, I have to take him much more seriously then spinmaster. Spinmaster was cool until Powdr moved in. Sorry Tom, it is what it is.

 

[2knees]

what a train wreck this thread has become.

I'll ask my question anyway.

I was wondering if Powdr is going to reconsider the amount of snow that will be blown during the winter considering your announced closing date and what was left on the trails this past season after killington closed. I am not asking this in any way to be antagonistic or confrontational, but one has to wonder if the "bean counters" looked at this as money down the drain. Also, considering the coverage on superstar, to name one trail, after april 20th, did Killington paint itself into a corner as far as a closing date last year in regards to having enough staff to stay open or was it truly just a matter of profit that made you close?

Pat

 

[Highway Star]

I've got more, but...

"I'm done here"*

...for now....







*Classic Dave Rathbun quote...

 

[Tin Woodsman]

When Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners took over the resorts on May 11 of 2007 we implemented our business plan, which was completely different than the operational model used by the former owners. In order for the resort to be profitable over the long term, and to allow us to reinvest in the mountain, facilities and improve the overall guest experience, we needed to make some changes. Some of those changes, including a five-day operating schedule for the Skyeship Gondola, limited services at the K-1 Lodge and closing in April did cause some discontent among our guests and members of the community. However, we needed to make those modifications in our operations in order to operate a fiscally responsible business.
Throughout the season, however, we did modify some changes, including, offering bar service daily at the K-1 Lodge, opening Bear Mountain and the Skyeship base area a week ahead of schedule and extending the season a week beyond our scheduled closing date.
Overall, these changes did result in increased profitability for us and as a result we are now spending $8.4 million on upgrades this summer.

Really? So you had to make those changes to operate a fiscally responsible business, but ended up changing course when you realized that you had gone way too far w/o the necessary information you needed to make those decisions? That's really what you're saying here, b/c you made such great increases in profitability to support your cap ex program. It's like you had to destroy the village to save it. How stupid do you think people are?

It is true that last season we did eliminate a number of complementary tickets and deeply discounted ticket programs, including those that allowed ski clubs and councils deeply discounted bulk ticket opportunities. However our paid visits were not only on par with where we budgeted, but also showed an increase over the 06/07 season. For the upcoming season, we will be offering a new discounted ski club/council product.
In regards to the Village PUD, the town of Killington is currently undergoing a number of different processes to gauge the economic impact of the proposed village. Once the studies are complete, SP Land and the town will have the opportunity to address the development concerns in an open public forum through the planning and Select Board process.

Classic. Don't answer the question asked. Provide the answer you want instead. You've been well trained. No one asked about paid visits - unpaid visits are every bit as importnat for putting butts in seats on the Access Road. As for the PUD process, your information is already in the public domain - there's nothing new or relevant there.

Participating in this forum, which we have done for the past few years, is another example of how we are communicating. In addition, we address the many local property owner’s association, town meetings (the minutes of which are available on the town’s website) and through community activities such as the Killington Chamber. As for the BMMC, the policy put in place last season regarding the alcohol issue will remain the same moving forward. In regards to skier numbers, as a privately held company, we do not release that information. In addition, other than one other Vermont resort, I have not heard of any other privately held resorts releasing their skier number information.

So let's review.

You won't own up to the purposely misleading statements about the BMMC and the 07-08 capital program, among other lowlights.

Your participation in this forum is nothing more than cherry picking the questions you want to answer in the manner you want to answer them. The answer to my questions indicates that holding out hope for real information and insight in those posts is a fool's errand.

Your participation in the local govt or business meetings is spotty at best, as evidenced by your complete inability to head off the 1% tax. Your silly push polling prior to that vote is still further evidence of your deafness to the community.

And as for your cop out on the skier visits issue, a very quick Google search will lead you to about 15 hits on the top 20 responses for "mount bachelor skier visits" including varying amounts of data on your privately owned sister resort in Oregon (ya know, where your former boss works). PCMR has released % increases in recent years. Many other private resorts regularly announce their totals. The Internets are great for finding this stuff out. Seriously, how stupid do you think we are? It's insulting.

 

[Shortski]

Can you expound on some of the comments in Ski Area Management Magazine of March 2008. These comments were made by Dave Rathbun who has left for Mt Bachelor.

I believe the following excerpts from the article and the follow up questions I'm asking represent some of the concerns voiced by other people after reading through the questions in the Ski Area Challenge. I would appreciate your view and same and anxiously await your response.

Thank you in Advance
Shortski

"Our approach to communications is another way we've changed. We used to make bold statements and promises, now we prefer to talk about what we've accomplished."

What are the top 5 accomplishments since Powdr/KSRP has taken over Killington's operation?

"There is a new communications style and culture developing at the ski area and the community especially is having a difficult time understanding the difference."

If the new communications style is such that the community is having a difficult time in understanding it, how exactly do you plan on getting your message across?

 

[deadheadskier]

What exactly changed regarding the alcohol policy of the BMMC? I haven't attended in 15 years, so just curious what has changed.

 

[SkiDork]

What exactly changed regarding the alcohol policy of the BMMC? I haven't attended in 15 years, so just curious what has changed.

No alcohol was allowed to be taken into the base area (they had guards at the parking lot who were checking coolers etc. as you walked in). The only alcohol allowed (technically) was what you could purchase from the Bear base lodge.

 

[Geoff]

Really? So you had to make those changes to operate a fiscally responsible business, but ended up changing course when you realized that you had gone way too far w/o the necessary information you needed to make those decisions? That's really what you're saying here, b/c you made such great increases in profitability to support your cap ex program. It's like you had to destroy the village to save it. How stupid do you think people are?

Classic. Don't answer the question asked. Provide the answer you want instead. You've been well trained. No one asked about paid visits - unpaid visits are every bit as importnat for putting butts in seats on the Access Road. As for the PUD process, your information is already in the public domain - there's nothing new or relevant there.

So let's review.

You won't own up to the purposely misleading statements about the BMMC and the 07-08 capital program, among other lowlights.

Your participation in this forum is nothing more than cherry picking the questions you want to answer in the manner you want to answer them. The answer to my questions indicates that holding out hope for real information and insight in those posts is a fool's errand.

Your participation in the local govt or business meetings is spotty at best, as evidenced by your complete inability to head off the 1% tax. Your silly push polling prior to that vote is still further evidence of your deafness to the community.

And as for your cop out on the skier visits issue, a very quick Google search will lead you to about 15 hits on the top 20 responses for "mount bachelor skier visits" including varying amounts of data on your privately owned sister resort in Oregon (ya know, where your former boss works). PCMR has released % increases in recent years. Many other private resorts regularly announce their totals. The Internets are great for finding this stuff out. Seriously, how stupid do you think we are? It's insulting.

As I said on page 1 of this thread:

I refuse to participate in this charade.

My opinion has been pretty consistent for the last 9 months. I'm OK with their midwinter weekend and holiday product. They managed to detox Saturdays and holiday weekends at the resort. Closing the resort with edge-to-edge cover on April 20th was a travesty. If Killington merely announced that their closing policy was that they would spin at least one lift as long as they could splice together a top-to-bottom run and people kept showing up, I'd be happy.