Grand Targhee Expands
Grand Targhee, Wyo., negotiated a land swap deal with the Forest Service that will allow the area to expand its lodging from 90 rooms to 900, assuming necessary approvals. The swap gave the Forest Service a 400-acre parcel known as Squirrel Meadows, where grizzly bears are known to be active. In exchange, Grand Targhee obtained 120 acres near the base area.
Wintersports Sales Flat
Overall sales at ski and snowboard specialty and chain stores for August through March increased a mere 0.6 percent in dollars during 2003-04 season, to $2.21 billion, compared to $2.20 billion for 2002-2003, according to the end-of-season SIA Retail Audit.
In snowboards, both equipment and apparel sales increased more than 15 percent in specialty stores. The bright spots: Freestyle boards were up 37 percent and accounted for 40 percent of dollar volume, as pipe and park growth spurred sales. All-mountain boards were up 48 percent but represent just 7 percent of all snowboard sales.
Integrated ski systems showed gains in both specialty and chain stores, rising 24 percent at specialty stores and nearly doubling at chains. Fat skis also were up. But overall, alpine gear sales declined by about 10 percent, as carving skis, skiboards, and midfats slid. Twintip ski sales were essentially flat while junior skis were up about 10 percent. Recreation and soft boots were off by at least 30 percent.
Nordic and telemark ski equipment saw big gains on small volume. Nordic ski equipment sales jumped 43 percent in specialty stores, with telemark sales up 86 percent. Chains saw similar increases. Still, tele ski sales in specialty stores, the primary retail channel, totaled just 7,400 pairs.
Accessories sales were little changed overall from last year, although two noteworthy categories experienced declines: Snow deck/skate sales dropped 54 percent, and helmets were off 29 percent.
Berthoud Is History
The Forest Service has made its final decision in the fate of Berthoud Pass, Colo., and the ruling is that it will not be a ski operation in the future. With that decision comes an order to demolish the lodge that sits on the peak.
The Berthoud Pass operation is owned by Marise Cipriani, who also owns SolVista. Cipriani ran the area as a snowcat operation, but closed the terrain to the public last year. The Forest Service concluded that the area had been under eight owners, none of whom were able to make a success of the area, and that further attempts were not in the best interest of the land.
Laurel Mountain Lease Terminated
The state of Pennsylvania has terminated the 35-year lease of the Laurel Mountain Ski Area with the Laurel Mountain Ski Co. for not opening last season and failing to make $100,000 in lease payments.
Last fall, an offer was made on the beleaguered area, but the president of the company that made the offer suffered a brain aneurism and died before the deal could be put through.
The Laurel Mountain Ski Co. has operated the area since 1998 with varying degrees of success, having lost $1 million in 2001-2002 and breaking even in 2002-2003.
State and local officials are hoping to find a new, local group to operate the community area.
Fortress Mtn. Closes
The Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) announced that it will not open Fortress Mountain for the 2004-2005 season. The Alberta resort has lost more than $700,000 in two years so RCR will reassess the viability of the area.
Vail Loses World Championships Bid
The International Ski Federation awarded the 2009 World Championships to Val d’Isère, France, which outpolled Vail/Beaver Creek’s bid. Vail hosted the event in 1989 and 1999 and will try again for the chance to host in 2011.
The good news is that both Aspen/Snowmass and Vail/Beaver Creek will host a record seven World Cup events next winter.
Eaglecrest Gets Another $100K
Eaglecrest Ski Area, a municipally-owned hill in Juneau, Alaska, asked for, and received, an additional $100,000 from the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly in order to stay afloat. The area receives $300,000 each year to make up the difference between user fees, which cover 70 percent of operations, and total expenses.
Juneau also appropriated $20,000 to the city manager’s office to have an outside consultant assist with an analysis of cost recovery goals. In the meantime, the area has raised ticket prices by $3 to $29 adult full day and raised season passes $20 to $279 for adults.
CDA Goes Private
The founder and majority shareholder in the Compagnie des Alpes (CDA), Caisse des Dépôts-Développement (C3D), has reduced its stake from 52.7 percent to 40 percent, transferring the company to private sector shareholders.
C3D will continue to be the leading shareholder of CDA, which operates 14 ski areas in the Alps, along with other financial institutions in the Rhône Alpes region. CDA was valued at about half a billion U.S. dollars at the time of the deal.
OITAF/NACS Gears Up
The agenda for the OITAF-NACS symposium at Vail, September 16-20, will again provide the chance to see and discuss high-end equipment, operations, and design with an international cross-section of ropeway engineers. In addition, some of the papers presented may impact the next revision of the ANSI B-77 regulations. And the agenda is still open for more topics. For more information, head to www.nsaa.org/oitaf or call Sid Roslund at (303) 987-1111.
Awards
The following resorts were recipients of the NSAA 2003-2004 Sales and Marketing Awards: Apple Mountain, Mich.; Arapahoe Basin, Colo.; Aspen/Snowmass, Colo.; Belleayre Mountain, N.Y.; Big Bear Mountain Resorts, Calif.; Bolton Valley Resort, Vt.; Boston Mills/Brandywine, Ohio; Bridger Bowl, Mont.; Chestnut Mountain, Ill.; Eldora, Colo.; Holiday Mountain, N.Y.; Hunter Mountain, N.Y.; Liberty Mountain, Pa.; Loveland Ski Area, Colo.; Mad River Mountain, Ohio; Mammoth Mountain, Calif.; Mont-Sainte-Anne/Stoneham, Que.; Mount Sunapee, N.H.; Mountain High, Calif.; Northstar-at-Tahoe, Calif.; Okemo Mountain, Vt.; and Paoli Peaks, Ind.
Mountain Sports Media announced its 2004 Golden Eagle Award winners: Aspen Skiing Company, Colo. Silver Eagle awards went to Sun Peaks, B.C.; Stevens Pass, Wash.; Vail Mountain, Colo.; Stratton Mountain, Vt.; Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore.; Moonlight Basin, Mont.; Northstar-at-Tahoe, Calif.; Keystone Resort, Colo.
Colorado Ski Country USA gave its Lifetime Achievement Award to Don Robinson, VP of mountain operations at Aspen Highlands. Slopegroomer of the year went to Breckenridge’s Dave Mastrobuono; Snowmaker of the year went to Breckenridge’s David Leffler; Steamboat’s John Asta took home the terrain master of the year award; Instructor of the year was awarded to Snowmass’s David Schuler; and patroller of the year went to Kelli Deeter of Arapahoe Basin.
The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association presented Merle Brooks of Stevens Pass and Mt. Baker, Wash., the Mel Borgersen Lifetime Achievement Award. Russ Forman from White Pass, Wash., received the Tower of Excellence Award and Mark Moore of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center took home the Industrial Strength Award.
People
Dick Durrance, ski pioneer and the first GM at Aspen, died at the age of 89.
Seven new members were elected to the NSAA board: Dennis Eshbaugh, Holiday Valley, N.Y.; Chip Perfect, Perfect North Slopes, Ind.; Rick Kelley, Loon Mountain, N.H.; David Riley, Mt. Hood Meadows/Cooper Spur, Ore.; Bob Bonar, Snowbird Resort, Utah; Steven Bailey, Powderhorn, Colo.; and Roger McCarthy, Breckenridge/Keystone, Colo. . .David Crowley became the new chairman. . .Also at NSAA, Troy Hawks was named managing editor of the NSAA Journal.
The Quebec Ski Areas Association elected its board members for 2004-2005 and they are: President—Charles Désourdy, Ski Bromont; Director—Yves Juneau, Mont-Sainte-Anne; VP—Bryce Fraser, Tremblant and Daniel Rochon, Le Massif; Secretary—Brigitte Marchand, Montjoye and Greg McCullough, Mont Saint-Sauveur; Treasurer—Manfred Lingat, Montjoye and René Godbout, Massif du Sud.
Ben Wilcox became the new GM at Cranmore, N.H.
Brandon McCarter was appointed to the newly-created position of VP-eastern lodging at American Skiing Company.
In Vermont, Stowe hired Shawn Owens to the new position of executive sales manager.
In Colorado, Telluride appointed Raymond Jacobi as the company’s new CEO. . .Scott Fortner resigned as director of marketing at Durango.
In Idaho, Ron Nova is the new GM at Schweitzer Mountain. . .Michael Ferensowicz became Tamarack’s director of village development.
At Northstar-at-Tahoe and Sierra-at-Tahoe, Paul Swanston was named community and business development manager and Colleen Dalton became the new advertising director.
At Eaglecrest Ski Area in Alaska, long-time GM Paul Swanson retired.
Supplier People
Marc Peruzzi was named the editor-in-chief at Skiing Magazine. . .Anke Corbin was named circulation director at Transworld Media.
Bill Garrels was named VP, sales and marketing at Inside Communications, publishers of Ski Racing. . .Andy Hawk became Ski Racing’s advertising director.
Reliable Racing Supply, Inc. announces the promotion of Wesley Bishop to business-to-business merchandising director.
Burton named Grace Patrick creative director of women’s marketing and product.
Mike Day is the new U.S. alpine race director at Fisher Skis.
Supplier News
Kässbohrer All-Terrain Vehicles, Inc. announces the opening of its new branch store in Burnsville, Minn. Heading up the team in Burnsville is Paul Swanson. Swanson is joined by Greg Toomire in sales and James Lindgren in service. The phone number for the new office is (952) 345-3330.
The Richardson Group, Hirsch Claims and Risk Services and Arrowhead General Insurance Agency have partnered to offer insurance products to the industry. For more information, visit their website at www.richardsongroup.com.
Transworld Media announced the launch of Transworld Business, a monthly trade publication for retailers in the skate, surf and snowboarding industries. The new magazine combines Transworld Snowboarding Business, Transworld Skateboarding Business and Transworld Surf Business and is expected to go to 15,000 retailers across the country.
Correction
In “Age of Convergence” (May 2004 issue), we incorrectly identified the SMI low-air tower gun as the Viking Spectrum. SMI’s gun is the Viking while Snow Economics offers the Millennium Spectrum, the Millennium Standard, the Ranger MV8, the Ranger and the Genesis 4000.
