SIA Attempts to Force Trade Show Agreement
Snowsports Industries America (SIA) set a process in motion in April they hope will once and for all end the uncertainties, bickering and what SIA president, David Ingemie, refers to as the “whining” that has characterized the debate over the buy/sell cycle for the industry. (See also an analysis in Issues, Page 20.)
Faced with declining sales of ski clothing and equipment and a steady drumbeat of criticism of the scheduling of trade shows, Ingemie is raising the heat to bring to a head what has become a crisis of confidence.
The mechanics of the process he set in motion break into four components: 1) A lot of research has been conducted to develop hard facts on what is currently sold, when and in what context the sales are made, etc.; 2) A marketing consultant has been retained to study the buy/sell cycles of other industries and correlate the results with the particularities of the ski industry; 3) Three 15-person facilitated forums organized, each totally independent of the others, but composed of similar mixes of participants—geographically balanced and including representatives of the various types of suppliers, retailers and rep organizations. Each forum, using its own collective insights together with the research data, was charged with coming up with recommendations that the facilitator was to organize and present to the SIA Trade Show Committee for its May 16th meeting. This committee is to study the three recommendations and produce a consolidated recommendation for the full SIA board meeting for three days, starting May 19.
Two aspects of the forums were critical, Ingemie told SAM. First, they were to be “free of contamination,” by which he meant he wanted no interaction between the forum participants and SIA staff or between the three forum groups. Ingemie was determined that each forum hammer out its own deliberations into its own recommendations uninfluenced by outside agendas and scenarios. “We have gone to enormous trouble and expense to assure this,” Ingemie said.
Secondly, he wanted to make sure the participants were knowledgeable, experienced and, above all, open-minded—loudmouths and closed-minded zealots not welcome.
Part of the forum discussions, each of which took place in Denver between mid-April and the beginning of May, was held in a focus-group scenario, silently observed and monitored by other industry people, including SIA staff.
What will come of this whole exercise? Ingemie won’t predict. Given the mandates, anything is possible, he said. Will a definitive course of action come out of the board? Yes, he said, but final resolution may involve further negotiations with other entities, such as a trade show organization. Might the board decide to postpone action pending further study?
“No way!” said Ingemie. “I won’t let that happen.”
Ski Maine Hosts Fifth-Grade Passport Confab
Nine representatives from various state and regional associations—Ski Maine, Ski Utah, Colorado Ski Country, California Ski Industry Association, Southeastern Ski Areas Association and Ski New Hampshire—recently gathered in Portland, Maine, to share information on statewide marketing programs targeting fifth graders (fourth graders, in the case of New Hampshire). Such programs proliferated after Colorado Ski Country successfully introduced a Fifth Grade Passport program in 1996-97 that has brought 20,000-plus kids to the slopes.
One of the best features of the conference, according to several attendees, was that there was no withholding of proprietary information. Colorado Ski Country’s Sara Esau shared survey results attributing 7,000 new skier days to lapsed skiers returning to the slopes as parents of Passport holders.
“Some operators are afraid that you’re just giving away the product,” said Ben McLeod of Ski New Hampshire. “But in the end, you’re gaining customers.”
Field of Bidders Narrows for Cannon, Mt. Sunapee
The process of leasing New Hampshire’s two state-owned areas—Cannon Mountain and Mt. Sunapee—to outside management companies has taken another step. At presstime, out of eight responses to the state’s Requests for Proposals, a total of five were selected for further presentation to the full legislative committee at the end of April.
Only two proposals were received for Cannon, which is said to be in greater need of capital improvements than Sunapee. Booth Creek Ski Holdings and the Mt. Washington Hotel (owner of Bretton Woods ski area), both of which have established bed bases near Cannon, are making presentations.
The three proposals selected for Mt. Sunapee were from Okemo, Vt., Wachusett, Mass., and CSK International (a private partnership led by Conrad Klefos, currently marketing director of Jay Peak, Vt.) All the bidders vying for Sunapee listed one of its most attractive features as proximity to the Boston market—within two hours’ drive.
Barring negative recommendations, the process continues through the office of the commissioner of the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) to the capital budget committee and then on to the governor and council. The eventual leasing of the areas is not guaranteed, though current support for it is higher than at any time in the recent past. Since the process has begun, however, there has been vocal local opposition to removing the areas from state management, particularly Sunapee. Although New Hampshire law has mandated that DRED carry out the proposal process, it does not require that leases be granted.
A decision is expected to be reached in May so that management contracts will be in place—should proposals be accepted—by the beginning of the state’s fiscal year in July.
Resorts Gear Up for a Lift-Building Summer
Significant industry dollars have been allocated to ski area capital improvements for next season, with the largest single resort project at presstime being Intrawest’s planned $66 million investment at Copper Mountain, Colo., dwarfing even the $25 million invested in their newest acquisition, Mountain Creek, N.J. (See item, p. 30.) Installation of two Poma detachables is in the works: one quad and Colorado’s first six-pack.
Other construction will include a 108-unit condo project, a 42,000-square-foot day lodge, and an additional 110 acres of snowmaking. Resort officials plan $400 million worth of improvements at Copper over the next 10 years.
Also in Colorado, Breckenridge will add another Poma detachable quad, Aspen Highlands is installing a Poma fixed-grip triple, and American Skiing Company will install a Garaventa CTEC detachable quad—one of 10 new lifts announced by ASC—at Steamboat. A Doppelmayr detachable quad is planned for Keystone.
California resorts have a unique assortment of lift installations planned, including a Poma single reversible jigback tram for the County of Los Angeles at the Pacoima Dam and the completion of the Garaventa CTEC funitel at Squaw Valley. Mammoth and Heavenly are installing two Doppelmayr detachable quads each, with Mammoth also installing an eight-passenger Doppelmayr gondola. Sugar Bowl, Kirkwood and Dodge Ridge are all installing fixed-grip quads from Garaventa CTEC, which is also providing Alpine Meadows with a fixed-grip triple.
Detachables are gaining ground in the Midwest, which until now could claim a total of only four. Now, Crystal Mountain, Mich., and Alpine Valley, Wisc., will both install Poma detachable quads this summer, joined by Cascade, Wisc., with a Doppelmayr detachable quad. Schuss Mountain, Mich., has announced the addition of their fifth quad, a fixed-grip from Garaventa CTEC.
New ownership means detachables in the case of Crystal Mountain and Stevens Pass, Wash., which will install, respectively, a Doppelmayr six-pack and a Garaventa CTEC quad.
Leitner lifts are making a strong showing in Canada: one detachable quad is going in at Lake Louise, while Fernie Valley is installing both a detachable and a fixed-grip quad. Camp Fortune, Que., is also installing a Leitner fixed-grip quad, while Kimberly has purchased a fixed-grip double. Mt. Washington, B.C., is installing a Garaventa CTEC detachable quad. Also in Canada, Intrawest is installing a Doppelmayr detachable quad at Whistler, B.C., and an eight-passenger gondola at Mont Tremblant, Que.
A Doppelmayr detachable quad is going in at Osler Bluff, Ont., and Canada Olympic Park in Alberta gets a Doppelmayr fixed-grip quad.
Another Leitner detachable quad is scheduled for installation at Angel Fire, N.M. In Utah, Garaventa CTEC is supplying Park City and Snowbird with one detachable quad each, Deer Valley with both a detachable and a fixed-grip quad and Deer Crest with a detachable gondola. Snow Basin is readying for the Olympic downhill with a bevy of Doppelmayr lifts: a detachable quad, two eight-passenger gondolas and a 15-passenger jigback gondola.
In the Northeast, Garaventa CTEC lifts will be going in at Mad River Glen, Vt. (fixed-grip double), Holimont, N.Y. (fixed-grip triple), Jiminy Peak, Mass. (fixed-grip quad) and Attitash Bear Peak, N.H. (detachable quad). Doppelmayr is providing a fixed-grip quad to Mount Snow, Vt., while Poma is doing three Yan detachable upgrades for ASC at Sunday River, Maine, and Killington/Pico.
Linde Named NSAA Director of Marketing
NSAA president Michael Berry announced the hiring of Robert Linde as director of marketing. Prior to joining NSAA, Linde served as marketing manager at Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo. Linde replaces Mike McMenamy, who left NSAA to work for The Skiing Company, Times-Mirror’s umbrella division for ski and snowboard publications.
New Name, New Bucks to Transform N.J. Resort
The former Vernon Valley/Great Gorge ski resort and Action Park in Vernon Township, N.J., has been renamed Mountain Creek at Vernon. As soon as the resort’s new identity is established, the “at Vernon” will be dropped—a feat that shouldn’t take too long, according to Robin Smith, president and general manager of the resort, acquired by Intrawest in February. Intrawest will spend $25 million this summer and another $25 million over the next two years, strictly on mountain improvements.
The work started with the removal of 15 out of 17 lifts, the bungee jump tower and Motor World. Smith said seven new lifts are planned for the next two years. Confirmed lift purchases at presstime for installation this summer were two detachable quads, a fixed-grip “convertible” quad (to be upgraded to a detachable in two years) and an eight-passenger cabriolet lift—all from Doppelmayr—in addition to one Partek fixed-grip quad.
The entire snowmaking system is being removed and will be replaced with 140,000 feet of pipe, 60 SMI fan guns and 350 HKDs, all serviced by three new pump stations. Coverage will be 165 acres this year, to be expanded to the maximum buildup of 235 acres next year, with a full pumping capacity of 25,000 gpm and 100 percent snowmaking capacity at 26 degrees. The base lodges will also be redesigned and refurbished in the fall.
—Reporting by Pat Turner Kavanaugh
Obituaries
Gordon S. “Mickey” Cochran—Father of what must be America’s most prominent ski racing family, Mickey Cochran died of congestive heart failure in March at the age of 74. All four Cochran children—Marilyn, Barbara Ann, Bobby and Lindy—were Olympians and Barbara Ann was a gold medalist at the 1972 Olympics. Those four, plus countless other youngsters, learned the art and discipline of ski racing from Cochran on the hill in Richmond, Vt., which was universally known simply as “Cochran’s.”
David Blantz—A lawyer by training, David Raymond Blantz made his mark in recreational real estate. At the time of his death in March, he was president of Sierra Pacific Hotels and Resorts which manages the Squaw Valley Lodge and other properties. Previously, he had worked in finance and management for Boyne Mountain, Big Sky and the Aspen Skiing Company.
SIA Personnel Changes
Kirby Vernon, formerly Airwalk’s director of sponsorships and promotion, is the new manager of market development and promotion for SIA. Vernon will assume many of Roger Lohr’s former responsibilities.
Marty Grabijas fills the position of director of sales previously held by Bill Travis. Grabijas comes to SIA from the American Canoe Assoc., where he was director of programs and special events.
People
Bill Murphy is the new vice-president of operations at Silver Creek, Colo. . .At Jackson Hole, Wyo., president Jerry Blann announced the promotion of Kari Gemmel to vice-president and director of marketing. . .Intrawest has named two new vice-presidents to the Resort Operations Group: Sandy Black is VP of retail operations and Jeff Stipec is VP of food and beverage operations. Steve Rice joins the company, leaving Whitetail, Pa., to become president of Snowshoe, W.V.
Mickey Sullivan has left Bristol Mountain, N.Y., to handle PR at Mountain Creek, N.J. Joining him as director of marketing is Ingrid Campbell, previously at Ski Windham, N.Y. . . Rick Kelley was named general manager of Loon Mountain, N.H. . .American Skiing Company announced the appointments of Chris Livak as VP of accounting, Scott Mills as VP of management information systems and John Clifford as VP of marketing information systems.
Restructuring and Relocation for Kässbohrer
After twenty-five years, Kässbohrer ATV will leave its North American home in Gray, Maine—home ever since the company started operations in North America—to Reno, Nev. In addition to corporate functions, the Reno office will house national sales, service, spare parts and GPS management.
Kässbohrer will maintain a presence in New England, however, with a full-time service manager and parts representative to be located in a dedicated regional office in Lewiston-Auburn, Maine. This regional office will also house production and fabrication.
Supplier News
At Garaventa CTEC, Brandy Hatch has been promoted to manager of construction and Louis Wilson has been promoted to service manager. . .Drew Lewis is the new eastern U.S. sales rep for Kässbohrer ATV.
Comptrol Systems is now the exclusive North American distributor of Switzerland’s Von Balmoos RF and access control technology. . .Salomon N.A. has appointed Gary Fleming director of cross country/gear division . . . Samuel Bonasso, P.E., founder of Alpha Assoc. engineering firm and one-time administrator of B-77, is new secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation.
Ski Area Industry Calendar
- May 12-14: CSIA Maintenance and Operations Conference, Diamond Peak, Calif.
- May 18-20: SAVMI Convention/Trade Show, Grand Junction, Colo.
- May 20-24: Canada West Ski Areas Assn. Annual Meeting, Kelowna, B.C.
- May 26: Southeastern Ski Areas Assn. Annual Meeting, Marco Island, Fla.
- May 26-29: NSAA National Convention/Trade Show, Marco Island, Fla.
- June 3-4: Quebec Ski Areas Association Annual Meeting, St. Sauveur, Que.
- June 3-6: International Design Conference in Aspen, Aspen, Colo.
- June 11: Ski the Hill, Washington, D.C.
- June 14-15: Ticket Express Annual User Group Meeting, Vancouver, B.C.
- June 22-24: Colorado Ski Country Annual Meeting, Colo. Springs, Colo.
