VAIL SUCKS

[Mainer]

What a fluff piece that article was. The fact that they even talked about the terrain park being better is nuts. Not even one jump last year. Wonder how much vail paid for that article.
But if they can run attitash at least as good as peak could. I’d be happy. That’s not a high bar. But the new bar sounds cool, “if they can find staff” doesn’t sound promising though. Time will tell. Fingers crossed

 

[machski]

What a fluff piece that article was. The fact that they even talked about the terrain park being better is nuts. Not even one jump last year. Wonder how much vail paid for that article.
But if they can run attitash at least as good as peak could. I’d be happy. That’s not a high bar. But the new bar sounds cool, “if they can find staff” doesn’t sound promising though. Time will tell. Fingers crossed

What does last year have to do with what the new Attitash manager mentioned about the parks THIS year?

 

[Mainer]

He was the gm at attitash last year too. I didn’t see his expertise since the park was the worst its been there in 30 years.

 

[thetrailboss]

Red Sox already own the Penguins.

So they bought the team? I heard that they were in the hunt.

 

[Cobbold]

OK until they' run low of patrollers up top, ready to respond to calls coming in

It was early season, when not a lot was open and before the j1 ( not sure if I have the right phrase) showed up, not sure when the j1 show up. Mt snow was escorting a bunch around last Sunday so I guess they are beginning to arrive.

 

[2Planker]

So they bought the team? I heard that they were in the hunt.

Yes, Deal went thru 11/30
https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireS...ch-agreement-buy-pittsburgh-penguins-81446780

 

[thetrailboss]

He was the gm at attitash last year too. I didn’t see his expertise since the park was the worst its been there in 30 years.

A 33-year old GM means one thing for VR: he came cheap. The article certainly plays up the positives of having young upstarts as GMs, but to have them running venerable New England areas such as Stowe or Okemo does not sound good to me. It says that VR sees New England skiing as the JV Team. A big mistake in my mind. Granted they are not as big as, say, Vail or Whistler, but the weather, very competitive daytrip and weekend market, high cost and tough regulatory environment require someone with experience to successfully navigate.

 

[Edd]

A 33-year old GM means one thing for VR: he came cheap. The article certainly plays up the positives of having young upstarts as GMs, but to have them running venerable New England areas such as Stowe or Okemo does not sound good to me. It says that VR sees New England skiing as the JV Team. A big mistake in my mind. Granted they are not as big as, say, Vail or Whistler, but the weather, very competitive daytrip and weekend market, high cost and tough regulatory environment require someone with experience to successfully navigate.

My thought exactly, it’s just more cost cutting.

 

[Cobbold]

My thought exactly, it’s just more cost cutting.

You have to start somewhere, guy running Whistler started at either mt Brighton or Wilmington ski area

 

[Cobbold]

Ugh.

I could see them, buying jiminy peak for the Albany market, fits in between Hunter and mt snow, it’s a western Massachusetts resort, then Bristol for the Rochester/Syracuse markets then holiday valley for the markets holiday valley is in. Time will tell

 

[MadKitty]

Hopefully the Vail implosion occurs before they get Holiday Valley/Bristol. Those are both super well run resorts with excellent snowmaking.

 

[MadKitty]

Not sure if mentioned yet but Vail paid 125 million for the 3 PA areas:

https://www.post-gazette.com/busine...Valley-Laurel-ski-resort/stories/202112080145

 

[Cobbold]

Hopefully the Vail implosion occurs before they get Holiday Valley/Bristol. Those are both super well run resorts with excellent snowmaking.

Vail stock down 6 bucks, I guess Wall Street does not like it, the beginning of the end?

 

[Kingslug20]

For some reason..I think this is heading in the wrong direction...

 

[thetrailboss]

My thought exactly, it’s just more cost cutting.

The only thing that might sway me into thinking that this is an advantage is the comment in the article about the role of analytics. Younger business folks are taught that. Older dogs not so much.

 

[thetrailboss]

You have to start somewhere, guy running Whistler started at either mt Brighton or Wilmington ski area

True, but for many folks in here they want a good experience skiing and riding at their NE ski area and not to train a new GM or tolerate the missteps. As I said, the NE ski industry is complicated.

 

[2Planker]

My thought exactly, it’s just more cost cutting.

At least he has worn ski boots and came up thru the ranks of ON SNOW positions.
Rather than another Cafeteria Manager becoming the GM

 

[FBGM]

You have to start somewhere, guy running Whistler started at either mt Brighton or Wilmington ski area

If Geoff still is over a whistler he actually started at PC as the CFO when Powder had it. Then when Vail came he moved to oversee all the Midwest ones then went to Whistler. He’s a good dude.

 

[kendo]

I could see them, buying jiminy peak for the Albany market, fits in between Hunter and mt snow, it’s a western Massachusetts resort, then Bristol for the Rochester/Syracuse markets then holiday valley for the markets holiday valley is in. Time will tell

Bristol checks all the boxes for Vail acquisition. Longtime owner/GM has been there since 1975 and purchased it outright in 1984 - likely ready to consider offers. He also hired the current Vail Executive VP Mountain Ops / COO Rockies Region to his first ski industry job at Bristol Mtn. Bristol owns the Roseland waterpark complex for summer biz to complement their on-mountain activities. Continual investment in lifts & snowmaking has kept them in better shape (needing less capital infusion upon acquisition) than other western NY areas. Typical Bristol skier has always been willing to pay higher lift and pass prices (season pass $935) for 1200' vert and HSQ's ... versus the local alternative Swain. Gets a lot of locals from Roch's eastern suburbs and FLX region with higher income demographics...

 

[Smellytele]

Bristol checks all the boxes for Vail acquisition. Longtime owner/GM has been there since 1975 and purchased it outright in 1984 - likely ready to consider offers. He also hired the current Vail Executive VP Mountain Ops / COO Rockies Region to his first ski industry job at Bristol Mtn. Bristol owns the Roseland waterpark complex for summer biz to complement their on-mountain activities. Continual investment in lifts & snowmaking has kept them in better shape (needing less capital infusion upon acquisition) than other western NY areas. Typical Bristol skier has always been willing to pay higher lift and pass prices (season pass $935) for 1200' vert and HSQ's ... versus the local alternative Swain. Gets a lot of locals from Roch's eastern suburbs and FLX region with higher income demographics...

Vail does not care much for summer activities in the northeast…