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Saddleback Maine

thetrailboss

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The restaurant folk they're bringing in are very talented people
These folks mean business. I'm happy for the locals who had to suffer through the closure. It seems that this is a much better ownership/management group than the Australian EB-5 scammer who was going to take it over.
 

machski

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The restaurant folk they're bringing in are very talented people
Honestly, if they are going into that space, they need to go this route. SR raised the bar with The Mountain Room in The Peak Lodge and the Last Run Room at the summit hotel (both are Harding Lee Smith establishments partner with SR). Still, for a freshly rekindled resort, they are going full steam ahead and making smart decision IMHO too. Seems very sustainable this time around.
 

deadheadskier

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I used to sell to Harding too.

Harding is a great chef in Portland too, but knowing them both pretty well, the motivation is a little bit different.

Harding is all about big traffic, massive revenue and shorter margins. So a ski area factory like SR makes a lot of sense for his business model.

Andrew is a little different. More focused on a more mellow restaurant experience with higher quality and margins. That's changed some since when he started out. Just a more low key approach. So Saddleback makes perfect sense.

I'm loving every single move the new owners at SB are making. From the new HSQ , their approach to real estate, and now reading this about the new lodge and partnering with Andrew.
If I lived an hour closer, they'd have my pass business hands down over any ski area in the East between the terrain, snow and how they're running the place. Exactly what I want out of a New England ski experience.
 

JimG.

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Sounds like Saddleback is going to take the anti-megapass route and cater to folks who are looking for that business model. Less hype, more substance. Emphasize a genuine skiing experience and charge more for it. There are many people such as myself who would go for that without hesitation.

That's a smart move. Wish I lived closer.
 

ScottySkis

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"Notice! The GoldenOak concert scheduled for this evening has been cancelled. We’ve had an employee test positive for Covid this afternoon. That employee has been vaccinated, but is still capable of transmitting the virus, so out of an abundance of caution we are cancelling tonight’s concert and will be closing the pub. We know how excited everyone has been for this event and regret the inconvenience. If you purchased a ticket ahead of time through Eventbrite, you will recieve a full refund.""
 

x10003q

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Sounds like Saddleback is going to take the anti-megapass route and cater to folks who are looking for that business model. Less hype, more substance. Emphasize a genuine skiing experience and charge more for it. There are many people such as myself who would go for that without hesitation.

That's a smart move. Wish I lived closer.
Wish I lived closer, too.
All this new stuff does not matter if they can't convince people to make the drive.
 

deadheadskier

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True about the drive. At minimum it's our February family ski vacation destination moving forward. Had an awesome time this year there
 

machski

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I used to sell to Harding too.

Harding is a great chef in Portland too, but knowing them both pretty well, the motivation is a little bit different.

Harding is all about big traffic, massive revenue and shorter margins. So a ski area factory like SR makes a lot of sense for his business model.

Andrew is a little different. More focused on a more mellow restaurant experience with higher quality and margins. That's changed some since when he started out. Just a more low key approach. So Saddleback makes perfect sense.

I'm loving every single move the new owners at SB are making. From the new HSQ , their approach to real estate, and now reading this about the new lodge and partnering with Andrew.
If I lived an hour closer, they'd have my pass business hands down over any ski area in the East between the terrain, snow and how they're running the place. Exactly what I want out of a New England ski experience.
Interesting on the differing styles and it does sound like they match up to each nicely. Still, SR set the bar in terms of partnering with lest I say premier establishments to raise the on hill dining game. Saddleback was wise to do similar for their new location even if the styles of the partner are different (but correct for each resort). Have a feeling you will see more of this across the industry in the East going forward
 

ScottySkis

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""
A message to the Saddleback Family -

On Thursday, August 5 an employee dined at the Saddleback Pub at approximately 1PM. Because of the presence of symptoms, that employee was tested for COVID-19 on Friday, August 6 and the results came back positive on Saturday August 7 early in the afternoon. Due to the nature of the employee’s interactions with mountain staff and patrons, it is highly unlikely that they were exposed to the virus. The employee did not feel that he / she came in, “close contact,” with any patrons or other staff members. The CDC defines, “Close contact, “ as “within 6 feet for a duration of 15 minutes or longer.”

Out of an abundance of caution, we closed all services and events at the mountain for Saturday, August 7 and Sunday August 8, to allow time to conduct interviews and gather all relevant data. In collaboration with a CDC expert we will continue to closely monitor the situation and will provide information as needed. As always, Saddleback Mountain will continue to follow CDC guidelines and recommendations, we remain committed to providing a safe environment for staff and guests.

- Andy Shepard, CEO & General Manager""
 

Smellytele

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Right where I want to be
The junk is everywhere around here right now and a lot of vaccinated folks I know are getting it, many for their second time.
But are symptoms less severe in the vaccinated? While even so kind of defeats the theory of it not being able to mutate because people are vaccinated as it still could in the vaccinated that catch it…
 

dblskifanatic

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This is all rather chaotic! I think there is so much guessing going on and part of the reason people have been reluctant. There are people that had Covid and getting Covid a second time and one of the more visible is Lamar Jackson. Then there are people who have been vaccinated and are getting Covid. That being said how many may go undetected if asymptomatic or are getting confused as if they are allergies. The numbers being reported are only those that have been tested or treated, so culd be way worse than led to believe. My neighbors are vaccinated but are back to wearing masks all the time do to the fears that Delta variant is very contagious and they are not the only ones doing so. Concerts and large public events are starting to get canceled. Vaccination requirements are starting to become a requirement but does not prevent spread necessarily. There were riots in France over the implementation of the green pass. Lots of conflict over the start of classes this fall - no masks / masks/remote learning etc,

It is a mess!
 
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