STEPHEN KIRCHER of BOYNE USA! (AZ Challenge Special)

[Greg]

Stephen Kircher, President and President, Eastern Operations of Boyne USA has agreed to take the 2007 Alpine Zone Challenge! This is your opportunity to ask questions, offer suggestions, or say some praise to the men and women who are in charge of the Northeast's Ski Areas. Please post some suggested questions in this thread and we'll select ten to present for official response.

Also please don't be offended if we edit/change your question for grammar, tone, or some other minor thing. In order to get in all of the questions we MAY merge some questions but we'll do our best to keep the substance of your question. If we don't get your question in, feel free to post a follow up after we get the results...we are encouraging the representatives follow the threads.

As always, please be respectful of Mr. Kircher and keep it civil. Also, please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. Boyne needs to be discrete about certain information.

This is a special Challenge in that we hope that you will ask Stephen about their recent purchase of Sugarloaf/USA and Sunday River as well as questions dealing with the overall Boyne philosophy. We are honored to have Stephen join us for this Challenge! Please take advantage of this special opportunity!


Ask away!

Sugarloaf/USA's Profile
Sunday River's Profile

 

[Vortex]

Thankx you for taking the Challenge. Your communication via various oulets is a very pleasant surpise. It also helps that most of what you have had to say is good news.

Questions. 1) Can we have Nastar at Sunday River? A few of the Regulars made the finals last year and represented other mountains.

2) Can there be a full length park similar to other resorts in the region? Hopefully on the North Peak to go along with the night turns we hope to see soon as well.

3)Can we have a an idea of planned upgrades to the mountain and its programs in the short term? ie this year and next.

4) Can you join us a one of our Sr and AZ combined outings At the River.? ie ski and BBQ.Your invited.

Thankx again and Welcome to the North East. Lastly thankx for leaving the employees in place for know. The people of the River make it a better place.

 

[snoseek]

1. what (if anything) do you plan on doing differently to attract more skiers?

2. what's the philosophy on snowmaking. is a lengthy season in the forecast for coming years. do you plan on carrying on the tradition of consistent sunday river snow (i forget their marketing term)?

3. is a whitecap overhaul in the future?

4. with increasing fuel prices, how do you plan on scoring more folks from the major metro areas that can probably get to n.h. or vermont easier?

5. where do you see both sunday river and sugarloaf in 10 years?

i'm so glad your taking this challenge. there is no doubt boyne has already made lots of positive moves to win over existing customers and i'm very optimistic for the future of maine skiing.

 

[Greg]

With Killington's announcement that they will shorten their season from mid-November to mid-April, which is now in line with just about every other major Northeast resort, will you attempt to extend the seasons (either early or late) at Sugarloaf and/or Sunday River?

 

[ga2ski]

SK - Thanks for taking the challenge. Your voice as President of a major ski company on the SL, SR and AZ boards are always welcome.

Why did Boyne decide to venture in the eastern ski market? Why SR/SL and not other resorts? Besides the obvious that they were for sale.

I have heard of plans for night skiing at Sunday River? Do you care to elaborate on the plans? When would it happen (i.e. this season or next)? What trails? Do you have night skiing plans for Sugarloaf?

With your partnership with CNL Income Properties, will additional resorts such as Loon and Bretton Woods be added into the eastern pass next season?

Any thoughts of aquiring Saddleback and making the Maine Pass a true Maine Pass?

How do you plan to attract skiers and riders who purchase the Silver pass to visit your resorts and your competitions on the five black-out Saturdays between the MLK and President day holidays?

I have noticed that the Boyne resort has a couple of decent web cams, do plan to install any at SR/SL?

What is your favorite aspect of SR? SL?
What is one thing you hope to improve at SR? SL?

Last season SR/SL started to become "Green" by trading electric credits for wind power. What is Boyne/CNL's company vision on "greening" the resorts?

The September 2007 edition of SKI magazine has an article on seeding the clouds. I noticed that Alta/Snowbird participate in the seeding, but Boyne Resorts such as Big Sky and Brighton (only a few miles away as the crow flies) do not. What is your take on seeding the clouds? Do you think it would work on the east coast?

 

[Razor]

As an owner at one of the hotels at Sunday River, I'm interested to know what plans or improvements you might have for them. In the past we enjoyed the reciprocal Space Available option at all the other ASC resorts and took advantage of it often. Will there be any similar arrangement with more resorts other than the Maine ones? I've heard mention of the Boyne Vacation Club. Can you elaborate on that and how that will work with the Maine hotels? Any perks for owners beyond those that currently exist? Congratulations on obtaining two of the finest resorts in the East and thanks for being so open and accessible.

 

[snowdog]

SK

Boyne has a fantastic reputation for creating 4 season resorts. Is it possible to have a four season resort at sunday river without having the town of bethel improve and upgrade as well as the resort itself?

At Mt Abram years ago they put in a monorail to attrack summer tourists and it didnt go well. I know you have reopened the Mt biking, but even that has been tried before. I look at North Conway NH with tiny Mt Cranmore and Attitash close by as a 4 season area and it doesnt have anything to do with the Mt's but more to do with the community there.

Just wondering how you see the local communities fitting into your long term strategic plan for the area?

Thanks for your time.....snowdog

 

[ga2ski]

What improvements to the drainage around the mountain were this summer to help prevent future washouts? Although I think it might be hard to construct any structures that would not sustain damage if another storm like were to occur again. I have not checked, but it sounded close to a 50 or 75 year storm.

 

[Newpylong]

I saw the pictures of the washout damage at Sunday River... is the lift on the far left of White Cap going to be able to be repaired?

 

[Vortex]

What parts of the mountain are planned to be opened 1st this year. ie will the Barker damage force a move towards the North peak and have folks start from South Ridge?

There has been mention of more activities for families and Children. Are there specific plans for afternoon or evening activites for the young ones up to the teen range? Ie movie nights, Teen socials, Things of that nature.

 

[wa-loaf]

I'd like to know some of the future lift plans for Sugarloaf. We know the gondi midstation is coming down. Do you plan on replacing at least parrt of the gondi line with some sort of lift. Any plans to move/replace some of the other lifts?

Thanks

 

[deadheadskier]

Not really a question, more of a simple request. How about glove/goggle baskets on the back doors of the stalls and above the urinals. The only time I head into the lodge is to use the restrooms and this simple, cheap, but very convenient amenity is lacking at SR, while common at most ski areas. That is all.

 

[ga2ski]

Below is a question from Jordanskier on the SRMB:

Hi ga2ski,
If you wouldn't mind I have a question for SK, could you post it on the AZ? Please feel free to edit it as you see fit.
Thanks a bunch!
With out question Sunday River consistently has the best snow conditions of any major resort in the North East. Their snow making and grooming are second to none in my opinion. The early part of the 2006/2007 ski season was especially tough for snow making with warm days and little or no natural snow until mid January. For the first time since we've owned at the Jordan Grand (1998) it was not open for ski in/ski out by the Christmas/New years holiday. I'm sure the snow makers did the best they could with the "resources" at hand but the people staying at the hotel only know that they had to shuttle down the Mt. to ski.
Do you think Sunday River needs more snow making capacity and if so how much of an upgrade do you think is required? When would you like to have the two hotels ski in/ski out by?
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions and welcome to Maine!

 

[thaller1]

SK-

1. What if anything is planned for improving the food quality and variety at the mountain?
2. What is your Marketing angle..where do you plan your focus and ideas to attract new skiers and maintain the existing base?
3. Will SR & SL be featured in an upcoming WM film?
4. What types of improvements are you planning for the existing lodging options? Additionally, will you be working on pass holder lodging deals or just good prices for everyone?
5. Racing???
6. Night racing?
7. Ski Club - membership and special deals to visit the other mountains and write reviews?

Could come up w/ more..but the neighbor's kid is SCREAMING and it's very distracting.. have a nice night!!

T

 

[crystalmountainskier]

There is a rumor on this forum that Boyne has leased Cranmore, Waterville Valley, and The Summit at Snoqualmie from CNL Properties. Apparently Booth Creek wants to leave Washington and New Hampshire. Can you confirm or deny this at the present time? If true, would you include these resorts in the Maine Pass or offer a combined Crystal Mountain/Snoqualmie pass?

Some highlights of the rumors:

"I heard Booth Creek sold them to some company called CNL, but I've also heard the Boyne either has an interest in CNL or bought the areas from them. "

"Aparently there were some minor issues involved with finalizing the paperwork, but this is a done deal. Crystal employees have been given the okay to talk about it publically now. "

"True. Booth Creek is trying to get out of Washington and New Hampshire."

"I heard from a source up at Crystal that Boyne was leasing Snoqualmie as well. He also mentioned the two back East."

"Confirmation- Boyne is leasing the operation of the Snoqualmie areas from CNL, a similar setup to what Intrawest and the City of Denver have at Winter Park."

 

[ichn2go]

Thanks Steve,
Any plans to purchase other areas in the Northeast...Thanks

 

[jimskime]

SK, any chance that you'll get rid of Boston Concession Group? Hint, we wouldn't mind.
Secondly, have plans been made yet for people who volunteer at competitions? In the past we would receive a voucher or credit for our next year's pass for each day worked.
PS, I've always had fun at Brighton, Crystal and Big Sky.

 

[thebigo]

Can 'Maine Pass' holders expect any reciprocity betwee Moonlight Basin and Big Sky? The western discounts are a major perk and a deciding point for those of us that live halfway between the Maine resorts and the Vermont resorts.

 

[Greg]

Okay. Gonna lock this one and try to digest all this! :-o