RustyGroomer
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Reggie!!!
-
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What the heck is going on at Magic?
- Thread starter slatham
- Start date
Reggie!!!
Juan? Lol
Newpylong
Well-known member
http://www.ropeways.net/rn/index.ph...tel=Magic Mountain Announces Ownership Change
ropeways.net | Home | 2015-08-20
[h=1]Magic Mountain Announces Ownership Change[/h]Deal is expected to close later this summer.
In an August 18 Alpine Update, Magic Mountain announced season pass sales have been temporarily suspended so that an ownership and management change can take place.
As originally reported on NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com on July 7, former Vice President of Marketing at Magic Geoffrey Hatheway formed Ski Magic LLC on May 6, 2015. Meanwhile, property owner Thomas Barker's Magic Mountain Resorts, LLC, which operated the cash-strapped area during the 2014-15 season, was quietly terminated as a Vermont business entity on March 16, 2015. Magic Mountain remained in operation through April 18.
Hatheway was Vice President of Marketing at Magic from June of 2011 through September of 2014 before departing for New York based Indelible Planet. According to his LinkedIn profile, the 1981 Dartmouth College graduate "uilt record skier visit and revenue years in both 2013 and 2014 by uniquely positioning Magic as an enthusiast mountain with a retro, laid-back, community ski vibe" as head of marketing and sales.
According to the Alpine Update, "the new owners will honor all season passes purchased this year," and "[w]hen the purchase happens, the new company will offer new passes for sale at what would traditionally be "early bird" spring pricing as a way of thanking you for your patience during this tranistion [sic]."
The Alpine Update goes on to state, "e assured that the new ownership group is committed to not only a purchase of Magic but a long-term investment in its infrastructure to improve your ski experience (more snowmaking and fully operational lift system)."
Located in Londonderry, Vermont, Magic Mountain was originally opened in 1960-61 by Hans Thorner. In recent decades, the area has been plagued by financial problems, including a 6 year closure during the 1990s. Magic currently advertises a 1,700 foot vertical drop serviced by two chairlifts.
ropeways.net | Home | 2015-08-20
[h=1]Magic Mountain Announces Ownership Change[/h]Deal is expected to close later this summer.
In an August 18 Alpine Update, Magic Mountain announced season pass sales have been temporarily suspended so that an ownership and management change can take place.
As originally reported on NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com on July 7, former Vice President of Marketing at Magic Geoffrey Hatheway formed Ski Magic LLC on May 6, 2015. Meanwhile, property owner Thomas Barker's Magic Mountain Resorts, LLC, which operated the cash-strapped area during the 2014-15 season, was quietly terminated as a Vermont business entity on March 16, 2015. Magic Mountain remained in operation through April 18.
Hatheway was Vice President of Marketing at Magic from June of 2011 through September of 2014 before departing for New York based Indelible Planet. According to his LinkedIn profile, the 1981 Dartmouth College graduate "uilt record skier visit and revenue years in both 2013 and 2014 by uniquely positioning Magic as an enthusiast mountain with a retro, laid-back, community ski vibe" as head of marketing and sales.
According to the Alpine Update, "the new owners will honor all season passes purchased this year," and "[w]hen the purchase happens, the new company will offer new passes for sale at what would traditionally be "early bird" spring pricing as a way of thanking you for your patience during this tranistion [sic]."
The Alpine Update goes on to state, "e assured that the new ownership group is committed to not only a purchase of Magic but a long-term investment in its infrastructure to improve your ski experience (more snowmaking and fully operational lift system)."
Located in Londonderry, Vermont, Magic Mountain was originally opened in 1960-61 by Hans Thorner. In recent decades, the area has been plagued by financial problems, including a 6 year closure during the 1990s. Magic currently advertises a 1,700 foot vertical drop serviced by two chairlifts.
skithetrees
Active member
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Interesting. Is the mountain actually being sold? It's basically had the same owners over the last decade, with management changes. Will there be a completely new slate of owners?
Yes, new owners altogether.
No. Time will tell all details though, so try to stay patient. Once things go through fully there will be a lot to discuss.
makimono
Member
So jonesin' to get rip-tastic at the new Mag-astic...know if any volly dates been set up yet DW?
So jonesin' to get rip-tastic at the new Mag-astic...know if any volly dates been set up yet DW?
Two dates should be up soon. Sept & Oct weekends. I can't wait!!
MMP
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Prioritize those flags please
makimono
Member
I'll bring a bosun's chair and block & tackle and rig those things right....I'm thinking if we run a clothesline to the office window then nobody would even have to go outside to take the flags down, then it wouldn't be so much work right?
makimono
Member
Nice me too, hope I can make them both!
I just hope the new owners bring in their own people to start fresh. There were so many blatant management issues through the years that were clearly noticeable to us all. A store that was closed peak times on weekends, skiers with no tickets, bar that sometimes charged and sometimes didn't, and no communication updates such as bands, activities, calendar updates, etc. All of this impacts the impression of the mountain for newcomers to give us those repeat visitors we need. Well, I guess millionaire owners should know all this so I shouldn't worry right.
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makimono
Member
Seriously!
At the last volunteer day last year we had to negotiate on our own for a free beer at the bar! In hindsight it should have been clear the end was nigh
Thinking back to Jim's first year in charge, on his first volunteer day he came with one of those 100 Quart coolers full of 6 different types of beer packed in slushy ice. :beer:
So I'll reserve judgement on this new crew until I see how they treat their volunteers (I hope they read AZ
)
At the last volunteer day last year we had to negotiate on our own for a free beer at the bar! In hindsight it should have been clear the end was nigh
Thinking back to Jim's first year in charge, on his first volunteer day he came with one of those 100 Quart coolers full of 6 different types of beer packed in slushy ice. :beer:
So I'll reserve judgement on this new crew until I see how they treat their volunteers (I hope they read AZ
)
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Seriously!
At the last volunteer day last year we had to negotiate on our own for a free beer at the bar! In hindsight it should have been clear the end was nigh
Thinking back to Jim's first year in charge, on his first volunteer day he came with one of those 100 Quart coolers full of 6 different types of beer packed in slushy ice. :beer:
So I'll reserve judgement on this new crew until I see how they treat their volunteers (I hope they read AZ
Of course they should roll out the red carpet for the volunteers, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Unless they change the daily nonsense we all saw and grumbled about, the outcome will not be good. But hey, I am a positive person and expecting great things from the new ownership. I am sure there will be plenty of us magic faithful to voice our opinion
Sorcerer
Member
I think the problems mentioned were, in ,good part, the reason for the sale and resulting new management.
The way the mountain was "run" last year was unacceptable.
I wonder if we'll get the flags straightened out :grin:
Tin
Active member
drjeff
Well-known member
I whole heartedly hope that the new owners succeed with Magic and what it sounds like are some plans for the next few years. It is great to hear from some Magic regulars on AZ that they want some changes after what they saw from management the last few years. I just hope that when some changes are made (and I highly doubt that one of those changes will be the "Black Line Express Quad" ) that we don't start hearing people complaining that the new owners ruined the vibe of the place, when all along they probably just made some changes that Magic likely would of just needed to stay open!! The same old Magic, but just with new owners, is a model that has shown to not work very well the last few years. A "new" Magic that retains much of it's old charm, but with some things like dependable lifts, a new lift to allow the old Green Lift and the lower ability terrain pod over there to be a reality that helps expand it's customer base through more lower level skiers and riders is needed, and some more, and also more reliable snowmaking needs to happen to greatly increase the odds that we won't be wondering each summer if Magic will spin it's lifts for the following season. Magic is in a location where you've already got a bunch of skiers and riders in the region at other mountains, with some needed tweaks, it isn't too far fetched from seeing them be able to attract some of those skiers/riders away for a day from the other mountains, and then more than likely they will become people who put Magic on their list of places to ski/ride a day or 2 a year, which would be great for Magic!
) that we don't start hearing people complaining that the new owners ruined the vibe of the place, when all along they probably just made some changes that Magic likely would of just needed to stay open!! The same old Magic, but just with new owners, is a model that has shown to not work very well the last few years. A "new" Magic that retains much of it's old charm, but with some things like dependable lifts, a new lift to allow the old Green Lift and the lower ability terrain pod over there to be a reality that helps expand it's customer base through more lower level skiers and riders is needed, and some more, and also more reliable snowmaking needs to happen to greatly increase the odds that we won't be wondering each summer if Magic will spin it's lifts for the following season. Magic is in a location where you've already got a bunch of skiers and riders in the region at other mountains, with some needed tweaks, it isn't too far fetched from seeing them be able to attract some of those skiers/riders away for a day from the other mountains, and then more than likely they will become people who put Magic on their list of places to ski/ride a day or 2 a year, which would be great for Magic!
makimono
Member
And just like magic!
Magic Volunteer Day #1 - Saturday, September 26
http://www.magicmtn.com/event.php?day=26&month=09&year=2015
Magic Volunteer Day #2 - Saturday, October 17
http://www.magicmtn.com/event.php?day=17&month=10&year=2015
And just like magic!
Magic Volunteer Day #1 - Saturday, September 26
http://www.magicmtn.com/event.php?day=26&month=09&year=2015
Magic Volunteer Day #2 - Saturday, October 17
http://www.magicmtn.com/event.php?day=17&month=10&year=2015
Ugh, figures... The most important thing I told them was to make sure to say NO CHAINSAWS ALLOWED ON VOLUNTEER DAYS. Not only do they not mention that, they use a pic of a guy with a hot saw. Lol.
In response to the above posters insisting that major changes in the way Magic has fundamentally "operated" in the past few years... Trust me when I say that's exactly why this all came about. Lots of people were fed up with the mismanagement, lack of communication and constant half-assing that seemed to be the norm and not the exception. I'll be the first to thank Tom for all his effort but he was in way over his head. I'm really looking forward to having a solid ownership group, new management and a fresh chapter for Magic.
It's so close and it just needs the right team paying attention to the right things and making the right allocations and I think they really have that going on. It's going to be a great year at Magic.
