VAIL SUCKS

[thebigo]

MTN stock was up another 1% today. So this is not scaring away investors.

I care more about skiers than investors.

 

[thetrailboss]

And profit now at expense to next quarter/year/etc too

MTN stock was up another 1% today. So this is not scaring away investors.

I mention the profit/cost point because the way Vail does business (as well as a lot of the industry) is to front-load the revenue through season pass sales and then try to make some more revenue during ski season on the ancillary businesses without losing their shirts. So, in the case of Stowe, Vail has already booked the sales and is trying to minimize how much of that $$$ they need to spend to operate. Does that mean that preventive maintenance goes by the wayside? I cannot say for sure. But I would expect downward pressure on operational costs to try to show better revenues.

And, with this being the START of Vail's fiscal year with the sales booked for all those pass sales with minimal operating expenses hitting the bottom line, of course Vail's stock is going to look good right now. I say take a look at that again in about three months or so.....

 

[crystalmountainskier]

I mention the profit/cost point because the way Vail does business (as well as a lot of the industry) is to front-load the revenue through season pass sales and then try to make some more revenue during ski season on the ancillary businesses without losing their shirts. So, in the case of Stowe, Vail has already booked the sales and is trying to minimize how much of that $$$ they need to spend to operate. Does that mean that preventive maintenance goes by the wayside? I cannot say for sure. But I would expect downward pressure on operational costs to try to show better revenues.

And, with this being the START of Vail's fiscal year with the sales booked for all those pass sales with minimal operating expenses hitting the bottom line, of course Vail's stock is going to look good right now. I say take a look at that again in about three months or so.....

Vail actually allocates lift revenue during the season when passes are redeemed, not sold. Case in point they only reported $59 million in lift revenue for the quarter just ended but $715 million in February-April last year.

 

[2Planker]

Bearing maintenance costs almost nothing..
It's the easiest thing to do. And how many bearings in total do they have?
I had hundreds and all it took was quarterly lubing..
You would have to ignore it completely to have catastrophic failure. That's why I'm wondering how old these things are...eventually they need to be rebuilt...that's expensive...but still not as expensive as total failure. Preventative maintenance is much cheaper than reactive maintenance.

Kinda hard to do IF you're always hiring seasonal employees....
I'm pretty sure their Lifts Ops Manager/Director was vacant for the last few summers.
I'll bet there was very little preventive maintenance done soon after Vail took over.

Peaks did less than minimal @ WC & AT, why would Vail do anything different ??

 

[Kingslug20]

Also a big problem with inexperienced mechanics is ...doing things wrong. Over greasing bearings is worse than under greasing them..It was one of my challenges teaching this. Along with simply not knowing how to deal with machinery in general.
Lift maintenance looks like a brutal job...we did a lot of outside maintenance and it was a nightmare in the winter...

 

[joshua segal]

I care more about skiers than investors.

So do I, but if skiers were that unhappy, it would show up in the corporation's bottom line. While this thread is clearly fed by those who hate everything Vail, there appear to be 2.3 million Vail passholders who are OK with the product they are receiving.

 

[MidnightJester]

SO Epic sales are down 12% hmmmmmmm. A lot of other Vail number with breakdowns by areas of income or loss and sales

Vail Resorts' 1st Qtr 2023 Results | Made $137 Million Loss, Total Epic Pass Sales Down 12% on Last Season - SnowBrains

Vail Resorts yesterday reported financials for the 1st quarter of fiscal 2023, which ended October 31st, 2022. The company has sold 2.3million

snowbrains.com

 

[Vter]

Never forget the “Zip Line” failure !
People, friends and family lost a good one.

Ya, let’s talk it up about Vail economics on that piece…never forget, man.

I’m sick to my stomach how this resort/sport has changed.

Happy Hollidays, it going to snow and the $ will be flowing !

I’m Sad about the resort sport, but I love my Wife everyday, without her I’d missing a greased bearing.
Skiing 1967-to ?

 

[Edd]

 

[Kingslug20]

Well that beats my epic fail sticker

 

[hovercraft]

Funny part they are still going there. Couldn’t be that much of an epic fail…….

 

[ThatGuy]

More Stowe parking drama…

 

[Smellytele]

Vail sucks!

 

[Kingslug20]

Wanted me fired due to uproar on social media...hmm
Did he talk about this on fb or twitter ?

 

[Smellytele]

Wanted me fired due to uproar on social media...hmm
Did he talk about this on fb or twitter ?

Sounds like people were bitching about him as he towed the company line.

 

[Kingslug20]

Then that really sux...

 

[thetrailboss]

That is a terrible job. Probably worse than driving a trash truck.

 

[Smellytele]

That is a terrible job. Probably worse than driving a trash truck.

Driving one seems better than hang off the side of one

 

[RichT]

Vail still sucking 2022.

 

[thetrailboss]

Driving one seems better than hang off the side of one

True. Although the ones I see don't have people heaving cans anymore.

And FWIW Interstate is the same company that manages Alta's parking system. Let's just say that the language on their website is not so cheery and friendly: https://www.altaparking.com/violations

It is very interesting that an outfit popped up in Breckenridge, of all places, to manage parking reservations at ski resorts.