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When do you think Vail Resorts will expand to the east?

BeefyBoy50

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Until recently, I could've been certain that Vail was about to make its move into the northeast by buying some fairly major ski area. Say what you will about Vail Resorts, but I know I would certainly have a greater incentive to buy an epic pass if there was a ski area within 5-6 hours driving distance where I could go to use it on weekends. As it is, I would have to take a plane to any of the ski areas on the pass.
Anyway, I thought Vail was going to make a move into the market, but their $1.3 billion buyout of Whistler Blackcomb makes me think they might not be looking to purchase another ski area for a couple years.
What do you guys think?
 

Jully

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They might just view the east as not profitable enough. They've bought areas in the Midwest, Minnesota etc, but East might just not be in the cards.
 

Jully

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I wouldn't be so sure about the couple of years gap. They bought Perisher not long ago as well.
 

4aprice

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The Epic pass model which works so well at the destination resorts in the west may not work as well in the "weekend warrior" east is the only reason I can think of stopping them. How much "ski week" business do eastern resorts get? Those passes are designed to entice the "ski weeker's" to make a second visit as most probably ski no more then the vacation week they are there. Most of the people around here that I know that have bought the Epic spend at least 2 separate vacations out there. I don't see Vail coming east anytime soon.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ
 

dlague

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I could see a resort like Tremblant being in the mix. Far enough away to fit in the lodging model.
 

benski

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I could see a resort like Tremblant being in the mix. Far enough away to fit in the lodging model.

It's an easy drive from Montreal. I assume that's its main customer base. The Midwestern resorts vail own seem to be small hills near major markets. I guess idea is the small hills entice people into going to the destination resorts.
 

Jully

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They treat their employees like dirt.

Yeah if Vail is buying anything back east it would either be somewhere that is a 'destination' resort, but I feel that anyplace like Tremblant or Sugarloaf would just suck business away from western resorts where there's more money to be made per skier visit.

They'd likely buy a small hill or two. Problem is, the small hills in NE are all really profitable. No one wants to sell Wachusett or Nashoba Valley anytime soon.
 

p_levert

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They treat their employees like dirt.

Yeah if Vail is buying anything back east it would either be somewhere that is a 'destination' resort, but I feel that anyplace like Tremblant or Sugarloaf would just suck business away from western resorts where there's more money to be made per skier visit.

They'd likely buy a small hill or two. Problem is, the small hills in NE are all really profitable. No one wants to sell Wachusett or Nashoba Valley anytime soon.

They would go small. So it's place like Nashoba Valley and Woodbury that are attractive. These are feeders and solidly profitable.
 

Breeze

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What the hell would Vail purchase in the Northeast ? And why ? Proximity to airport ? Village ambiance and pillow count specifically tailored to the market ? A 50-50 chance of r*** with every passing low ? Routine air inversions over highest elevations with every breath of air from the south ? Very few higher elevations ?

Why ?
 

dlague

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What the hell would Vail purchase in the Northeast ? And why ? Proximity to airport ? Village ambiance and pillow count specifically tailored to the market ? A 50-50 chance of r*** with every passing low ? Routine air inversions over highest elevations with every breath of air from the south ? Very few higher elevations ?

Why ?

Because inquiring minds want to know or speculate!
 

Jully

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What the hell would Vail purchase in the Northeast ? And why ? Proximity to airport ? Village ambiance and pillow count specifically tailored to the market ? A 50-50 chance of r*** with every passing low ? Routine air inversions over highest elevations with every breath of air from the south ? Very few higher elevations ?

Why ?

I agree that there are many downsides, but the resort in NE would not be to earn tons of money at that resort it would be to attract people to buy the Epic pass and travel out west.

If Nashoba Valley was on the Epic pass how many more people would buy a pass there and then go out west for one trip. I bet it would tip the scales for a great many people. Only downside being that Nashoba is not for sale and likely won't be anytime soon.
 

deadheadskier

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If Nashoba Valley was on the Epic pass how many more people would buy a pass there and then go out west for one trip. I bet it would tip the scales for a great many people. .

I think Nashoba is way too small to tip the scales for many people. It would for some, but most people would still be looking for another EC pass product. Not to sound snobbish, but unless I lived within 20 minutes of Nashoba, I wouldn't bother skiing there and even at that maybe only a few night sessions a season.

I think the feeder hill model in the MidWest works for Vail for two reasons. For one, that's all there is out there for the most part. Secondly the skiing at such places typically sucks both in terms of snow quality and terrain, so those folks are going to be looking to travel anyways.

Now if they were to purchase something in the midsize range that's an easy day trip from Boston like Ragged or say Windham is to NYC, that I could see driving a lot of Epic Pass purchases. Same affect if they purchased a larger eastern resort though maybe a bit less if it's a considerable commute from a metro area and will use up a lot of their lodging budget and vacation time.
 

snoseek

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Said by someone who probably has more experience with them then any of us. I would love to hear the reasoning.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Maybe im being a little harsh....
But really if you are looking for competition in the length of season out of them its not happening. Despite everyone thinking they have deep pockets remember they are only willing to invest in the actual mountains if it is a guaranteed roi. ...in vails ideal world there's massive slope congestion with traffic police everywhere and employees are generally paid lower than industry standard....straight up through MGMT not just the unskilled folks. Those cheap epic passes are awesome but come with a price.

Don't get me wrong they are great at what they do, im just not a huge fan overall of what that is.
 

4aprice

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Maybe im being a little harsh....
But really if you are looking for competition in the length of season out of them its not happening. Despite everyone thinking they have deep pockets remember they are only willing to invest in the actual mountains if it is a guaranteed roi. ...in vails ideal world there's massive slope congestion with traffic police everywhere and employees are generally paid lower than industry standard....straight up through MGMT not just the unskilled folks. Those cheap epic passes are awesome but come with a price.

Don't get me wrong they are great at what they do, im just not a huge fan overall of what that is.

Interesting. I've been to Vail, (and its satellite Epic Resorts in Colorado) and I'm not saying I didn't like them but I was always biased toward Aspen. OTH they pretty much started these "Pass Wars" of which I feel I'm getting to take advantage of with the Max Pass. The only Vail Resort I really want to ski with any consistency is Arapahoe and I can Liftopia that if need be. Otherwise Copper and Winter Park are the equal to Breck and Keystone IMHO. Can't speak of the Tahoe Resorts, but I don't see them coming east.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ
 
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