President’s Message
Your Executive Committee will have met in Denver on October 1, 1975, followed by a full Board Meeting on October 2nd. These dates were selected to coincide with Senator Floyd Haskell’s hearings on his Bill, S.2125, scheduled for Aspen on October 4, and Denver on October 6, 1975. The Economic Study Committee will meet at the University of Colorado in Boulder on October 3, and the Task Force of ANSI’s B.77.1-1973 Committee will convene in David Flemings office in Denver on October 4, and 5, 1975. A busy week!
I believe I reported to you, at the Annual Meeting at Seven Springs in May, the proposed 1975 Revisions to the B.77. 1 Standard, totalling 73 items, had been submitted to ANSI’s Board of Standards Review and called for comment by August 6 of this year. We received but one comment — that having to do with Item 18, 2.1. 10.1 — Fuel Storage. We believe that Comment has been successfully countered and now the next step will be a call for Public Comment and Review. Following that — and it certainly is a long-drawn-out process, we expect to have published an Addenda to the Standard — possibly before the end of the year.
As you know — your Association, through its Ski Safety Committee, is involved in and financially supports the on-going work of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F-8 Committee. This group is comprised of the bulk of skiing equipment manufacturers-both U.S. and Foreign. The Committee is attempting, in good faith, to produce a Standard acceptable to all segments of the industry although their efforts will affect the area operator only peripherally. Our Ski Safety Committee Chairman, second Vice-President, Phil Gravink, was unable to attend the most recent meeting held in Boston on August 26, and 27, 1975, but we were competently represented by Rufus Barringer, the NSAA Insurance Plan Manager. To Rufus — many thanks for his attendance. A lot more on this subject later for it now appears European Members of the F.I.S. Congress are most eager to have some method of testing and approving Ski Equipment. NSAA’s F.I.S. Representative, Ex-President L. Perry Williams, is sitting right on top of this one.
In Vienna on June 23 -27, 1975, the OITAF Congress met and NSAA was represented by John Fetcher, a former Director of the Association and a Member of the Task Force. For your information — we are not official members of OITAF, the only official member, from the United States that I am aware of, is the United States Forest Service. However — and I am now quoting from a fine Report submitted by John Fetcher — “There were present 17 representatives from North America. OITAF embraces several areas of membership — (1) Regulatory Agencies; (2) Lift and Tramway Manufacturers; (3) Operators; (4) Engineering Consultants; (5) Industry Suppliers; (6) Wire Rope Interests. It was generally agreed at the meeting held with representatives from North America and members of the OITAF Administration to form a North American Continental Section (NACS). Consensus of opinion: OITAF-NACS can make a significant contribution to our Industry.
Whowee! Between OITAF -NACS -ANSI -ASTM -FIS Testing — the time is not too far distant when your President will have to speak Italian, French, German and English. And then — the Japanese and Russians will want into the Act!
You will not hear from me again until you are in the middle of the 1976 Skiing Season. Best wishes are extended for a successful, prosperous, and bountiful snowfall year.
Sincerely,
William A. Norton, President NSAA
Regional Trade Shows
This coming winter, NSAA is sponsoring three trade shows to be held concurrently with meetings of Regional Ski Area Associations. These on-the-snow shows allow ski area operators and their staffs the opportunity to test drive all of the various makes of slope grooming vehicles and see the latest snowmaking equipment in operation. All shows will have indoor display areas where one can talk with company representatives and see their products.
The 1976 shows are being held at excellent ski area facilities and all are easy to travel to and from. Plan to attend the Show near you.
- East — January 19, 20, 21, 1976 — Stratton Mountain, Vt.
- Central — Jan. 27, 28, — Scotsland Resort, Oconomowoc, Wis.
- Farwest — March 16, 17, and 18, 1976 — Tahoe Donner, Cal.
Plan ahead and don’t miss the 1976 NSAA National Convention & Trade Show, May 5, through May 9, 1976 at the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is an outstanding location in the heart of the Rockies.
Excellent Response
In a recent survey of 140 areas throughout the country, NSAA obtained a 92% return. The information being compiled was for use at Senator Floyd K. Haskell’s (D-Colorado) Public Hearings on S.2125. A bill, which among other things, calls for public hearings whenever a ski area on Forest Service Land wishes to increase the price of their lift tickets.
Growth or No Growth
In every region of the country where snow and weather conditions were good, the 1974-1975 season ended up as “a best ever” for most ski area operators with attendance rising from 10-25 per cent above the previous best season. Ski areas in the Pacific Northwest and Rockies recorded the greatest increases, while the Eastern areas were pleased to discover that all it took was good snow to bring the skiers back out in force. If last season was any indication, it appears that the ski business is recession proof and the fears we had about our declining growth of the skier market have “bottomed out.”
While we have been making strong industry efforts over the past two years to crank up programs to increase the skier market, we have also witnessed a dramatic downturn in the expansion of existing facilities and the development of new ski areas. Ski area construction is at it’s lowest point since the ski boom started in the early 1950’s.
If skier demands on existing facilities do in fact continue to increase (invariably on weekends and holiday periods), we will find it very difficult to continue to offer our customers a “quality skiing experience.” There are two ways to correct this situation:
- Restrict attendance by increasing lift ticket prices, or
- Expand existing facilities and allow private enterprise to develop new ski areas to comfortably handle the expanding market.
We opt for number 2 as the solution.
Why has development dropped off so dramatically, particularly in those regions of the country where the demands and needs for new facilities are so great? It’s not the high interest rates on investment capital that is the major reason; it’s the purist environmentalist that has been successful in creating a political climate in which politicians feel the only “safe policy” to follow is one of no growth at all. Ski area operators and developers want very much to protect the environment and have demonstrated that they can and want to work with “enlightened” environmentalists and government agencies to comply with all reasonable requests for the protection of the environment.
The development of some very large new skiing facilities in this country have been held up by government agencies and environmental groups for the past several years. They have not been held up because the developers did not comply with everything that was asked of them (environmental studies alone cost up to several hundred thousands of dollars), but because the purist environmentalist, whose chief characteristic is that he is against everything, has gained a degree of control over the decisions of government policymakers.
The purist believes that those who do not agree with him desire to “rape the land” — a favorite phrase whose significance can only be found in purist mythology. Ski area operators are more than willing to work hand in hand with open-minded environmentalists, but the time has come for our industry to start hitting back hard at the unreasonable, and in some cases irrational purist.
There is no reason why our mountains should not be carefully developed (by private enterprise) for everyone to enjoy. All one needs to do is look at Switzerland, where virtually the entire country is accessible, used, and enjoyed by people of all shapes and ages. Where the cog train cannot go, you can catch an aerial tramway to the top of the loftiest peaks, and usually find a restaurant. Their land is not abused or raped, but it is tastefully developed and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. There is absolutely no reason why this cannot be done in our country, once the government policymakers start listening to the open-minded environmentalists, the responsivle developers, and not the purist obstructionist.
(Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect official policies of NSAA).
New Ski Industry Film
“Invitation To Skiing”, produced by Warren Miller for the NSAA Marketing Committee is a totally new approach to a ski film which has been designed specifically to appeal to the non-skiing public, answer the perceived negatives we know many of them have about skiing, and entice them to get out to your slopes, try skiing, and see what it’s all about.
The twenty-three minute color movie is a first class production that shows all of the beauty and fun of skiing. The narration is down to earth in language which the non-skier can understand. The movie does not mention the name of any ski area in particular, nor does it in any way look like a promotion for any one area. As far as the film’s location is concerned, it could be any ski area in the East, Central, or Western regions of the country.
For most ski areas the cost of producing a first rate promotional film is too high for their marketing budget. Now every ski area operator can have his own film, “Invitation To Skiing”, for his promotional programs at schools, clubs and groups etc. The NSAA Marketing Committee has also contracted to have the film widely distributed to TV stations and schools across the country.
The total cost of production and distribution for the project came close to $60,000 with expenses being shared equally by NSAA, SIA, and Coca-Cola USA. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is a sound investment that will create new customers for the entire industry. Members of NSAA and SIA can purchase a print at cost for slightly over $100, whereas non-members will have to pay a 50% markup fee. Order blanks for purchasing the film can be obtained by calling or writing the NSAA office.
U. S. Ski Team Days
Our Ski Team that will compete in the Olympic Games at Innsbruck, Austria, in February is one of our very best. The team is strong, it has depth, and our skiers are out to win.
As I’m sure you know, the U. S. Ski Teams unlike our European competitors receive no government subsidy. It is entirely dependent upon the contributions of private individuals, corporations, and the ski industry. The bulk of its support has always come from individuals.
December 27 and 28, have been designated as U.S. Ski Team Days, and we are asking all ski area operators to cooperate by allowing the solicitation of donations at their areas on these two days. You will be contacted by the U. S. Ski Team headquarters with details on the fund drive, and members of local ski clubs and ski teams are being requested to give you the necessary manpower.
In this Olympic Year the publicity the team will be getting in the national press will be the best promotion your ski area can get. NSAA requests that you extend your full support to U. S. Ski Team Days.
