ASC Reviews Options for Steamboat
The board of directors of American Skiing Company has retained investment advisors Bear Stearns to initiate a strategic review of business options for the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation, including the potential sale of the resort.


Wolf Creek Decision Upheld
The Regional Office of the Forest Service upheld the Rio Grande National Forests’ April 3rd decision to allow two access roads across Forest Service land that will access developer Red McCombs’ proposed village site at Wolf Creek Mountain.

Administrative appeals were brought by Colorado Wild, the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council and San Juan Citizens Alliance among others. The decision will force opponents to either let the decision stand or pursue legal action. Colorado Wild has vowed to pursue legal action.


Minturn Resort Gets Nod
The Minturn Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved plans for a new four-season resort between Vail and Beaver Creek. The approval is just a first step and the developers, The Ginn Company, still need to study housing, traffic, and other issues. Not to mention, get through state, federal and environmental agencies. Plans call for 1,700 housing units, ski resort and golf course.


A New Major Resort for B.C.?
In mid-June, the stage was set for Mt. Baldy to evolve into a major four-season resort. The Premier of B.C., the Osoyoos Indian Band and Mt. Baldy signed a landmark agreement that sets out a revenue sharing framework for the development of the land—which could include eight new lifts serving over 2,000 acres, 7,800 beds and a golf course. Immediately after the signing, the Master Development Agreement was approved.


Killington Loses Partner
Killington’s long-awaited ski village suffered a setback when its developer pulled out of the project. Centex Destination Properties, which signed on a year ago to build out a village at the base of Killington that would have included 1,400 vacation homes and condominiums, has chosen not to move forward with the project, and has instead chosen to focus its efforts on a build-out at Loon.

Killington is still planning on going ahead with the project (they are continuing the permitting process) and will be seeking a new financial partner.


Obituaries
Frank Snyder, Stratton co-founder, died at the age of 84. Snyder was president and chairman of Stratton until his retirement in 1984. He also served as chairman of National Ski Areas Association. . . Another industry founder, John Elvrum, who created Snow Valley in California, died at the age of 97. Elvrum ran the area for 30 years before selling it in 1971.


People
At Sunday River in Maine, Daniel Crooker Jr. was hired on as conference sales manager.

At the Mount Washington Resort, N.H., Candra Canning was appointed director of marketing and communications.

In Vermont, Liz Dohrmann was named marketing manager at Vermont Ski Areas Association.

At Wachusett Mountain, Mass., Don Stoddard joins the team as the area’s new environmental coordinator.

Whitetail Golf Resort, Pa., announced the appointment of Rich Hogan as director of golf.

Moving west, Durango Mountain, Colo., has handed out several promotions: Hank Thiess was named president of resort operations; Duke Eggleston is senior VP and general counsel of both Durango and Kirkwood, Calif.; EJ Schanfarber became senior VP of community services; John Reiter was promoted to VP of real estate development; Judy Wachob is now senior director of village services; and Loryn Kasten was named marketing and communications manager.

Up in Idaho, Bogus Basin announced six staff changes: Pam Parker joins the resort as VP of development; Jennifer Johnson was promoted to marketing director; Nathan Shake is the HR director; Peg Havlovick is the new director of program development; Sarah Campbell is the new F&B director; and Bob Dinwiddie was named director at Black Diamond Sports. . .At Schweitzer, Tom Chasse became the new president and CEO.

Moving over to Oregon, Kevin Stickelman is the director of skier services at Mt. Bachelor.

In California, Chip Seamans was named GM and COO at Kirkwood. Nate Whaley was promoted to VP of real estate development and Bob Peacon became VP of valley operations. . .At Mammoth, Bob Peckenpaugh is the new VP of hospitality. . .Mike Roth is the new director of business solutions and technology at Sugar Bowl.

In Canada, the Canadian Ski Council honored several areas and individuals at its annual meeting. First, Gord Canning, president of Blue Mountain, received the 2006 Jimmie Spencer Leadership Award; Dan Matthews, president of DR Matthews & Associates, took home the 2006 Judith Kilbourne Founders Award; Stoneham Mountain Resort was the national winner of the CSC Industry Recognition and Excellence Research Award; and Jean-Marc Blais of Ski Presse and Andy Murdison received the CSC Skier/Snowboarder Development Award of Excellence. Sean Ballard and Francis Argouin won the CSC Research Award of Excellence.


Supplier People
At the SE Group, Mark Kane, Mark Hamelin and Claire Humber were made principals. Mike Willard moves up to senior associate.


Supplier News
VacationGuard Inc., has enhanced its menu of vacation protection benefits by licensing its proprietary plan and web systems to resort operators, enabling them to offer these benefits to the resort market. Also for operators, VacationGuard is offering change-of-mind cancellation protection and hole-in-one protection. For vacationers, the company is offering coverage for equipment rental delay, unit property damage, low snow triggers, search and rescue operations and identity theft.

Reliable Racing Supply announced that it has become the official distributor in the U.S. for Planet Snow Tools’ line of hand and power tools, including rakes, shovels, the Park Monkey and Power Rake. The items will be available for ordering on-line this fall at www.reliableracing.com.

Ski Utah has entered into a new sponsorship agreement with Rossignol.

Ski Press Media, Inc., has restructured to become Ski Press World, Inc. by next April. Under the new arrangement, the company becomes 100 percent employee-owned. At the helm of the major divisions are: Anne-Marie Boissonnault, VP operations and Canadian and U.S. associate publisher; Ben Warner, VP of business development and U.S. publisher; Isabelle Sauvageau, VP of logistics, distribution and events; Peter Kray, VP of editorial content; and Wolfgang Greiner, VP European development and German publisher.

Storm Mountain Publishing Company, parent of Freeskier, has entered into a long-term partnership agreement with Global Untied Publishing’s Snowboard magazine.