The Numbers Game
American Skiing Company reported a 10-percent decline in visits for the second quarter, and an expected second quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $9 million to $12 million, compared with $14.5 million for the same quarter last year.
Vail Resorts announced a nine percent decrease in skier days through January 12. The resort’s EBITDA was expected to be in the $45 to $50 million range, 10 percent of which were insurance recoveries from a Reduced Skier Day Insurance Policy.
This past January, Booth Creek released figures for the company’s last fiscal year, ending October 29, 1999. The final numbers were inadequate to cover $18.8 million in interest payments on its debt, however expected revenue from real estate sales had not yet been figured.
Intrawest reported a revenue increase of 45 percent to $146.1 million for the second quarter over the same period last year. Total company EBITDA increased 68 percent to $26.7 million.
For the Mountains of Distinction, 20 resorts across the Northeast and Midwest, this season is far from a dud. Many are making up for the slow start thanks to lots of natural snowfall and most reported record-breaking numbers for Martin Luther King weekend.
Lastly, the Southeast has set records this winter, thanks to some bizarre weather patterns that brought not-often-seen snow to the region.
CPSC Urges Helmet Use
Just prior to the Christmas weekend, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) made an announcement urging skiers and snowboarders to wear helmets to prevent head injuries. In this announcement, the CPSC estimates that more than 7,000 head injuries among downhillers each year could be prevented or reduced in severity. In 1998, there were 16,000 head injuries.
Vermont Areas Launch Environmental Website
In the first of its kind among U.S. ski states, members of the Vermont Ski Areas Association have launched a Website entirely dedicated to their collective efforts at environmental stewardship. The Website, which can be accessed from the skivermont.com home page, details continuing efforts to recycle, conserve land and energy, enhance wildlife habitats and educate the public about the environment. The site, it is hoped, will help publicize the environmental efforts being made by ski areas and dispel some of the myths that paint ski resorts as ecologically unfriendly developments.
CSCUSA Gives 20K to Avalanche Programs
Colorado Ski Country USA recently presented the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) with a check for $20,000 to help fund its weather forecasting and avalanche education programs. The contribution marks Colorado Ski Country’s long partnership with CAIC to promote snow safety in the high country by raising avalanche awareness among outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to its educational programs, CAIC acts as a resource for backcountry users trying to determine avalanche danger levels in specific areas of the state.
Shop Program Aimed at Gear Safety
In an effort to “up the ante on quality service,” Vermont Ski Safety has initiated a new program of equipment care it hopes will be adopted by ski and snowboard service shops across North America. Called Check It Out, the program uses a set of checklists and guidelines for repair and service shops to follow when evaluating a customer’s equipment in an effort to “welcome everyone into the ski shop.” The program is open to all ski shops and checklists can be downloaded from www.check-itout.com for free.
Quotas for Alberta?
Four Canadian ski areas—Banff National Park’s Sunshine Village, Mount Norquay, Lake Louise and Jasper National Park’s Marmot Basin—might find themselves with federal government-imposed daily limits. The four areas, all located in national parks, attract 1.4 million skiers and snowboarders every year.
The move, which is supposed to alleviate further environmental impact to the land, would “impose a major economic disadvantage, not only to the towns of Banff and Jasper, but the Canadian ski industry,” wrote Don McIlveen, president of the Ontario Ski Resorts Association, in a letter to the prime minister.
At presstime, no final decisions had been made.
Blue Hills May Get Break
A bill before the Massachusetts Legislature to extend the year-to-year lease for Blue Hills Ski Area to as much as 25 years would make it easier for management to borrow money and could be voted on before the season is over. The bill could help the cash-strapped area get on its feet, but might put the current management team of Stuart and Stanley Beers out of a job.
Though the ski area, which sits on municipal land just south of Boston, could benefit from passage of the bill, the Beers might face a bidding process as part of the extended lease if one legislator gets his way. If that’s the case, the brothers could find themselves competing with the American Skiing Company, which has reportedly shown interest in the ski area.
The brothers have been trying to raise money for an expanded snowmaking system. To open this season, the Beers’s refinanced their homes and each contributed $30,000 to the cause.
Ski Areas Join in Vermont Petition
The Vermont Ski Areas Association joined with retailers, other state industries and consumers in signing a petition asking the state’s legislators to pursue a target for reduced statewide electric rates. The effort is aimed at rejuvenating an expired attempt at negotiating a 10 to 20 percent electric rate decrease with the state’s electric power suppliers. The petition points out that in less than a decade, Vermont went from having the lowest electric rates in the nation in 1991 to having the highest. It also explains that the electric utilities, which asked for time to renegotiate their power supply contracts a year ago, suggested the state set a “goal line” for reduced rates.
Mont Saint-Sauveur Buys Edelweiss Valley
Mont Saint-Sauveur International announced its purchase of Edelweiss Valley, Que., on February 1 giving the company its first presence in the Ottawa/Hull market. Greg McCullough, GM of Ski Morin Heights, has been named GM of Edelweiss. The acquisition brings Mont Saint-Sauveur International’s ski area count up to seven, the others being Mount Saint-Sauveur, Mont Avila, Ski Morin Heights, Mont Olympia and Ski Mont Gabriel, Quebec and Jay Peak, Vt.
Publishing Moves
Andrew Clurman, president and publisher of The Skiing Co., was named president of TransWorld Media. Clurman’s expanded duties have landed him on the executive committee for Times Mirror Magazines. The company also appointed Brian Sellstrom CEO of AchieveGlobal, Times Mirror’s professional training company.
Wintersport Business named two new editors: Daniel Gibson, a former editor for Ski Tech, was named the magazine’s new apparel editor and Lou Mazzante was appointed associate editor.
Obituaries
Otto Wallingford, one of the founders of Lost Valley Ski Area, Maine, and the inventor of the Powder Maker grooming device, died January 2. He was 76. Wallingford assembled Maine’s first snowmaking system at Lost Valley and later manufactured a cylindrical steel grate—in 1971—that could be towed behind a tractor to convert hard snow crust into groomed powder. The snow grooming innovator’s Powder Maker became an essential grooming tool and was the signature product of Wallingford’s company, Valley Engineering, which he sold in 1975.
Gabe Cyr, the “Grande Dame” of Minnesota skiing, died in a car accident on New Year’s eve. She was 77. Cyr became one of the most durable and respected figures among Midwestern ski area operators, managing the race programs of Buck Hill Ski Area. She worked closely with racers, three of whom became U.S. Olympic team members, for a span of 25 years. She and her husband, Oscar, started Pine Bend ski area near Hastings, Minn., in 1954. She ran the area until 1972.
Supplier News
Resort Sports Network has redesigned its Website (www.rsn.com). The new site will have increased in-depth coverage of 2,000 resorts in 60 countries. . .Bob and Toni Hamilton have announced that Mountain Sign Design is now operated by Mike Kerfoot. The new company, Mountain Sign, will be located at 4525 Ohio Match Ave., Post Falls, Idaho, 83854, phone/fax (208) 773-7431. . .ClearPath, producers of portable ice and snow elimination systems, has moved from Florida to 16358 East 33rd Drive, Ste. 30, Aurora, Colo., 80011, 1-800-NO SNOW4.
DJE Design has been formed to provide consulting and service for AC and DC variable speed motor and control systems. Principal David Erickson previously worked with Sabina and Eurotherm. The company is located at 304 Prospect Street, Newport Beach, Calif., 92663, phone (949) 722-6063.
Hans Hall GmbH, German supplier of groomer tracks and parts, has created a North American subsidiary headed up by Sales Manager Bill Moss, previously with Pisten Bully. The subsidiary is located at 7117 South 400 West, Ste. 5, Midvale, Utah, 84047, phone (801) 561-9990.
Magic Carpet has moved to larger facilities located at 6666 East 47th Avenue Dr., Denver, Colo., 80216, phone 1-800-223-3740. The company also welcomes David W. Scott to head up European efforts.
Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd. announced the addition of Bruce MacDougall to the staff as senior landscape architect.
Williamsport Wirerope Works, Inc. (WWW) has formed a strategic partnership with Tréfileurope. The agreement establishes WWW as U.S. sales agent for Tréfileurope ski lift and underground mining wire ropes.
A new company, Ascent, was formed as a result of the withdrawal of Rubicon from the uniform market. The new company plans to outfit patrollers and is located at P.O. Box 1665, Crystal Bay, Nev., 89402, phone 1-800-435-5506.
After 30 years in the ski industry, Robert Blenis is closing the doors on Dolomite Construction and retiring. Randy Blenis, Bob’s son, has started Ropeway Construction and Service Corp., which will offer the same services as Dolomite in installation and service of new or used lifts, wire rope sales, gearbox service, wire rope replacements and splicing. The new company is located at P.O. Box 148, Pine Island, N.Y., 10969, phone (914) 258-4064.
Alpina Sports Corp. will be the exclusive U.S. distributor for Madshus skis beginning in the 2000-2001 season.
People
Now that Purgatory, Colo., has been taken over by Durango Resort LLC, owners of Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Calif., Gary Derck, Kirkwood CEO, has been named CEO at Purgatory as well. To help Derck with his expanded role, the resort company named Bob Kunkel and Mark Seiter as senior vice presidents of Purgatory. Ken Hulick has left as the resort’s director of communications to work as a marketing and advertising consultant. Jamie Davis was named Purgatory’s guest services manager.
Intrawest has appointed Seth Masia as its director of Internet strategy for marketing and electronic commerce.
Mike Hess has resigned as vice president of sales, marketing and skier services for Telluride Ski & Golf Company, Colo. . .Beaver Creek, Colo., CEO John Garnsey was among four people awarded the U.S. Olympic Committee’s President’s Award for service. . .Beaver Creek named Steve Swenson director of marketing. . .Vail Resorts announced that Jack Lewis was named director of public affairs for the resort development company. Vail Mountain named Meggen Bernstein its new marketing manager. The resort also promoted Daren Cole to director of domestic travel industry sales and Michael Friery to director of Vail mountain dining.
Ben McLeod was hired as public relations manager at Sierra-at-Tahoe, Calif., where Megan Moore was promoted to marketing and advertising manager.
Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Nev., appointed Bill Greeno as its new director of skiing and named Elizabeth Coffey-Curle as its new business office manager.
Timberline, Ore., Grooming Supervisor Jeff Flood was tapped to prepare and groom racing courses at the Winter X Games at Mount Snow, Vt.
Ski Utah named Gabe Glosband as its director of corporate relations to replace Eric Zerrenner, who left to take a job at K2, and Alex Perry became creative director, filling a spot left by Matt Law, who took a job at Black Diamond. . .The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) named Juliann Fritz to the position of public relations manager to fill the spot left by Deborah Engen, who left to work for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. The USSA also named Scott Flanders its media coordinator.
Sun Valley, Idaho, promoted Mike Federko to mountain operations manager and named Peter Stearns to assistant mountain manager. Ned Wheeler was named the resort’s supervisor of the nordic and snowshoe center.
In Vermont, Bruce McCloy was appointed managing director of Sugarbush Resort, while Dave Dillon announced his resignation as Sugarbush’s vice president of marketing to become executive director of the Vermont Ski Areas Association. Sugarbush also appointed Veronica Markol to be director of marketing and Tim Piper as director of sales. . .Kim Armstrong Jackson was named communications manager for Ascutney Mountain Resort, Vt.
Peter Weber was named snow sports school director at Waterville Valley, N.H.
French snowboard filmmaker Regis Rolland and professional rider Terry Kidwell were given “Tranny” awards at TransWorld Snowboarding’s annual industry conference.
Supplier Personnel
Herman Poklukar, a 20-year veteran of Elan-Monark, was promoted to president/CEO of the company.
Salomon appointed Dan Powell its nordic category manager. . .Salomon Canada appointed Steve Ralph its vice president of sales and marketing.
Mark Gonsalves left Skis Dynastar as the company’s vice president of sales and consumer marketing, but will continue as a brand consultant. . .Peter Leffler will take over as vice president of sales. Dynastar also announced the promotion of Evan Rose to Original Sin sales rep for New England and Metro New York and named Mark Novak its sales associate in eastern New England. . .Curt Geiger was appointed general manager of Descente’s ski apparel division.
Industry Calendar
More details at www.saminfo.com/events
- Mar. 3-7: SIA Vegas 2000 — Las Vegas, Nev.
- April 11-13: CSCUSA Snowmakers/Groomers Annual Conference/Trade Show — Grand Junction, Colo.
- April 16-18: Cross Country Ski Area Association Annual Conference — Granlibakken Resort, Calif.
- April 16-19: Canadian Ski Council Symposium — Whistler, B.C.
- April 25-27: LMS 2000 — Butternut, Mass.
- April 26-28: SAM 2000 — Grenoble, France
- May 4-7: NSAA National Convention and Trade Show — Orlando, Fla.
- May 7-11: Canada West Ski Areas Association Spring Conference/Trade Show — Kelowna, B.C.
- May 9-11: California Ski Industry Association Maintenance Seminar — Mammoth, Calif.
- May 15-18: RMLA Spring Conference/Trade Show — Grand Junction, Colo.
- May 31-June 1: Quebec Ski Areas Assoc. Convention/Trade Show — Quebec, Canada
- June 5-12: World Mountain Forum — Paris/Chambéry, France
