More fuel for the SL/SR fire...

[ski_resort_observer]

According to a friend of mine who's actively involved in this, LL Bean is not a part of Team Otten.

Assuming LBO wins, you'll see things move very quickly.

Is he interested in just SR or both?

 

[jerryg]

Announcement should come tomorrow for Otten, Cook, and the all-important financial backers from Maine. Presumably Otten will head SR, Cook will head SL, and LLB will bankroll the deal.

 

[snowmonster]

jerryg, I hope you're right. It's good for this ownership issue to be settled once and for all. Then, I hope they come out with reasonable pass prices.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Originally Posted by ski_resort_observer View Post
People are still saying that LL Bean will somehow be invovled with Otten at SR. LL Bean for a couple of seasons produced all the ASC resort clothing so they have a history of working together.

According to a friend of mine who's actively involved in this, LL Bean is not a part of Team Otten.
Assuming LBO wins, you'll see things move very quickly.

AHEM! :wink:

Warren Cook went before Kingfield officials over a month ago outlining his plan to purchase the Loaf so that part of the puzzle has been public for awhile. I was told the sale would be announced soon after, wonder what the hold-up was?

LL Bean IMHO has set the standard for customer service which hopefully will rub off on SR/SL plus the marketing of their stuff and I mean alot of diferent stuff should make this a great partnership for everyone .

90% of all my clothes is LL Bean, employees/spouses get 40% off in the retail stores and access to the incredible employee store in Freeport where you can buy returns for almost nothing, it's all great stuff. Hell, even our sheets, towels and a couch is LL Bean. Once I asked the wife if our house was from LL Bean... Hey....maybe our kids are from LL Bean which means we can return them...

LL Bean also treats their employees very well so I hope some of that rubs off as well.

Came across this litle tidbit awhile back. The Ernst&Young(one of the most prestigious ad agencies on the planet) Entreprenuer Awards went to, LL Bean for Entreprenuer of the Year in 1992, Les Otten, Turnaround Entreprenuer of the Year in 1989.

 

[Vortex]

Like some info to be firm. Curiours what is real.

 

[Razor]

This may be the best of all possible worlds. You'd get people with intimate knowledge and interest in the two resorts, dedication to the state of Maine in all parties, solid financial backing from a reputable institution, and a continuation of the synerginistic tie-in between the resorts which would allow for seasonpass sharing, golf package sharing, etc. With solid ownership and intimate knowledge, they could move quickly on any improvements. As a SR owner, I'd be elated if this happened.

 

[snowmonster]

If LL Bean is in the mix, then good. They have huge pockets and are probably in this acquisition for funding purposes. An ideal arrangement for SR would be to have Otten running ski operations and have LL Bean in the background just monitoring its investment (and getting some ancillary business).

I am a loyal LL Bean customer and most of my gear is from them. I am happy about their service and a running joke jerryg and I had was whether the "iron-clad" guarantee will extend to season passes (that is, do they give us our money back at the end of a "bad" snow year). Anyway, the only thing I wonder about is how this investment makes good business sense for that company. While they have wiser people who have figured this out on their end, it still boggles me why they would want to be in the ski business since it is not part of their core business.

 

[wa-loaf]

LLBean is planning on building a 700 acre outdoor center/park in Freeport. Might be a good tie in with a mountain and their outdoor programs or it could be distraction from it as well. It seems to me however that they are planning on putting their eggs in another basket.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Ever since Bean turned over the reins of the business to a non family member a few years ago they have been aggressive in doing things to increase their brand and growth. As it has been mentioned they have been involved with the ski resort business before, they operate a skeet facility, an outdoor school, more retail/outlet stores, x-c centers etc.

Competition in the retail sector is dog eat dog(in Maine it's those wierd "red dogs") and the pressure has been turned up in Maine with the recent announcement that Cabella's will be building a big store in Scarborough.

 

[snowmonster]

Call me conservative but I get a little jittery when companies get involved in business areas outside their core competencies. Ski resort operation is a big jump from retail. I can't blame LL Bean for becoming more aggresive and diversifying but in my experience, company's end up doing one or both businesses badly.

Anyway, we digress.

 

[Phildozer]

Is he interested in just SR or both?

He's interested in both.

 

[Phildozer]

Not sure why things haven't been announced yet.

My money is on lawyers doing things to run-up their hourly billing.

Sadly, I'm under a non-disclosure so I can't say what's going to happen.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

He's interested in both.

:lol: Definately a good call on the lawyer thing.

 

[snowmonster]

:lol: Definately a good call on the lawyer thing.

Can't blame them. They also have to find a way to pay for season passes! =)

 

[Phildozer]

Can't blame them. They also have to find a way to pay for season passes! =)

Of course you can blame them. It is always good to blame lawyers.

(Trailboss, I'm looking at you....)

 

[thetrailboss]

Of course you can blame them. It is always good to blame lawyers.

(Trailboss, I'm looking at you....)

HA!

 

[Razor]

Just a crazy thought but how would it be if Saddleback/Rangeley Lakes area could be brought into the marketing fold? Anyone who's spent any time up there in the summer and fall knows that the Rangeley area is incredible. It could be an LLBean 4-season outdoor nirvana with downhill and cross country skiing, snowmobiling, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, golfing, etc. The state could put in a decent highway and the towns of Bethel, Rumford, Farmington, and Rangeley would boom.

 

[nycskier]

Looks like ASC continues to melt away.

 

[thetrailboss]

The state could put in a decent highway and the towns of Bethel, Rumford, Farmington, and Rangeley would boom.

How would they pay for this?

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Just a crazy thought but how would it be if Saddleback/Rangeley Lakes area could be brought into the marketing fold? Anyone who's spent any time up there in the summer and fall knows that the Rangeley area is incredible. It could be an LLBean 4-season outdoor nirvana with downhill and cross country skiing, snowmobiling, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, golfing, etc. The state could put in a decent highway and the towns of Bethel, Rumford, Farmington, and Rangeley would boom.

Interesting thought and would definately help Saddleback but I think it would just end up screwing up the very thing folks go up there for.

The place in Maine that makes me keep scratching my head is how underused and not really known outside of northern NE is Baxter SP.

Milinocket which is the gateway community is very depressed, due to paper mill problems. You can buy a decent house in town for $40,000. Baxter/Katadhin is huge and really beautiful with amazing wildife and mountains. If you talk to the locals they would love more business from the increased usage of BSP.