SAM Magazine—Denver, April 22, 2016—DestiMetrics’ most recent Monthly Market Briefing tells a very positive story for the Far West and Rocky Mountain regions. As of March 31, actual occupancy combined with on-the-books reservations for April were nudging the 2015-16 season to a likely record, with winter occupancy up 4.3 percent and revenues up 5.2 percent over last year. Boosted by an early Easter, March occupancy was up 5.2 percent and revenues up 7.9 percent compared to March 2015.

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., April 20, 2014—There are still a few spots available for Cutter’s Camp at Timberline, Mt. Hood, May 9-13, but registration closes on April 29. Now in its 14th year, Cutter's Camp continues to be the industry’s only open-forum educational gathering of terrain park professionals.

SAM Magazine—West Dover, Vt., April 21, 2016—Until the department of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services releases the $52 million Mount Snow has raised through the EB-5 foreign investor program, the resort’s West Lake and Carinthia Base Lodge projects are on hold.

SAM Magazine—Woodstock, Vt., April 20, 2016—Grooming technique and hospitality were emphasized at this year’s Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) annual conference at Snow Mountain Ranch, Colo, April 5-6.

SAM Magazine—Kelowna, B.C., April 20, 2016—Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA) has named ski industry veteran Christopher Nicolson as its new president and CEO. He succeeds David Lynn, who left the organization in January to establish a business consultancy.

SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., April 18, 2016—No need to spend time hunting for a closer parking spot on your next trip to Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, so long as you bring at least three friends. The resort has partnered with Protect Our Winters (POW) to offer free premium close-in parking to guests who carpool with at least four passengers in the vehicle.

SAM Magazine—Killington, Vt., April 14, 2016—The trend of expanding summer business at mountain resorts has gained traction at Killington in Vermont. The resort plans to invest $850,000 this summer to install dual zip lines, summer tubing lanes, and a 40-foot tower jump. Also included is a new rental fleet of mountain bikes, six new mountain bike trails, upgrades to food and beverage facilities, and kids camps.

SAM Magazine—Burke, Vt., April 14, 2016—The last 24 hours have been dramatic in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, culminating with the Securities and 

Exchange Commission charging Q Burke and Jay Peak co-owners Ariel Quiros and Bill Stenger with fraud. The charges are the result of an investigation performed by the agency into the partners’ use of EB-5 foreign investor funds.

Woodbury, Conn., April 14, 2016—SAM Magazine has selected four outstanding individuals to receive 2016 SAMMY Leadership Awards: Halley O’Brien, Elia Hamilton, Phoebe Mills, and Steve Wright. The awards, now in their 19th year, recognize individuals who, in mid-career, are influencing the future of the mountain resort industry. The four will receive their awards on May 20 at the SAMMY Awards during the National Ski Areas Association conference in Nashville, Tenn.

SAM Magazine—Snowbird, Utah, April 13, 2016—Snowbird was granted unanimous approval by the Utah County Board of Adjustment on two conditional use permits involving resort expansion in American Fork Canyon. The plans call for a new gondola, two new chairlifts, 500 acres of new terrain, and a zip line.

SAM Magazine—Newbury, N.H., April 6, 2016—Today Mount Sunapee N.H., received approval from the state to move forward with its West Bowl Expansion, which will add 56 acres of skiing terrain down the west flank of the mountain into the town of Goshen. There will be four top-to-bottom intermediate to advance intermediate runs, all with snowmaking, serviced by a 5,100’ high-speed quad chairlift.

SAM Magazine—Burke, Vt., April 6, 2016—In the employment-starved Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, a major development project funded by a program designed to create jobs has resulted in a loss of jobs and much squabbling between the state and the developers, Bill Stenger and Ari Quiros. 

This begins SAM’s monthly series of updates on important happenings about prominent people in the ski and snowboard industry. This will include awards, promotions, obituaries, and recognitions.

SAM Magazine—East Rutherford, N.J., April 5, 2016—Developer Triple Five and resort operating group SNOW Operating are partnering to operate North America’s first indoor snow center, “Big SNOW America,” at American Dream when the megaplex at the Meadowlands Sports Complex opens in 2017.

SAM Magazine—Whistler, B.C., April 6, 2016—Big things are in the works at North America’s biggest ski resort with Whistler Blackcomb planning to invest $345 million over three phases of development. Called “Whistler Blackcomb Renaissance,” the investment will add new, year-round attractions and activities, see major on-mountain winter and summer improvements, offer new real estate developments, and improve Blackcomb’s upper and lower base areas.