NSAA Position Paper
I am writing out of concern about the “Statement of Position” by Jay Price, President of the National Ski Areas Association, and its support of the “President’s Inflation Fighting Guidelines.” I am disturbed by the clear implication that, as one of the 460 member ski areas, President Price (and as I understand it, the Executive Committee) claims to be speaking for Snow Summit Ski Area, and in addition, I disagree with several points contained in the Statement.
I have always been leery of leaders of a non-political organization taking a political stand as spokesmen for their organization. I most emphatically disagree with this practice when such leadership specifically includes all members of their organization, as has been done here. (Incidentally, the following comments are my own and do not necessarily represent others in our ski area’s organization.)
I do not support the President’s “Inflation Fighting Guidelines” pertaining to voluntary price and wage increase limitations, as such restraints, voluntary or compulsory, would deal only with the effect of inflation, not its cause. I believe the root cause of inflation (defined as devaluation of currency) to be government deficit spending, which usually causes an increase in the rate of growth of the money supply faster than the increase in the rate of growth of the production of goods and services. Therefore, competition is not the most powerful weapon against inflation; the most powerful weapon is the cessation of government deficit spending. Yes, unregulated competition will tend to make prices lower than they would otherwise be, but price increases are not inflation; they are its results.
Support for pricing regulation is evidenced by the statement “… price increases, not justified by economic realities, may be irresponsibly proposed,” since that word usage implies a “responsibility” of ski area operators to consider factors other than market forces in setting their prices, such as the desires of organized political pressure groups, or Forest Service ceilings. But, those other factors are not “economic realities,” they are political. To put this issue simply, do we or do we not think that we should be free to set our prices, and that it should be the skier who decides if those prices are “responsible,” by buying or not buying a lift ticket? If the majority of members of the National Ski Areas Association approve of government price controls, let them say so, clearly. And let those of us who don’t approve be counted.
Finally, I would submit that the last thing we need is more wasteful government studies and hearings, paid for by us, to tell us how to increase competition when the simple, obvious answer is: decontrol! (The Statement of Position elsewhere recognizes this when it calls for deregulation. So why the call for studies and hearings?) If the government really wants more competition in the ski industry it should phase out the regulations and restrictions on development, pricing and operations — and watch us smoke!
I have a great deal of respect for Jay Price and the leadership of the National Ski Areas Association, and our area is usually a stronger supporter of the Association. With the Statement of Position however, I believe the NSAA has overstepped its authority and contributed to confusion about the inter-relationships of inflation, competition and pricing at a time in our history when the most rigorous examination of these issues is required.
Richard C. Kun, General Manager
Snow Summit Ski Corp.
Ski Movies
Sir:
While I was somewhat surprised to find that in your dotage you have turned to reading Screw and prowling the grind palaces of 42nd Street, I must admit that I greatly enjoyed your editorial about the repetitiveness of ski movies. If nothing else, it made me feel better about my ancient Snow Summit film and its absence of skiers who could make up, down, up, down.
Gratefully yours,
Wolfgang (Ingmar) Lert
Rope Alignment
Sir:
We were pleased to read the rebuttal to a “Point of Fact” published under the article on “Alignment” in SAM’S 1978 fall issue.
It was especially gratifying to the writer to know that the article was so thoroughly read by a design engineer so well qualified and highly respected as Jim Ellis of Riblet Tramway Company. Thank you, Jim!
We would like to invite, in fact solicit, other comments from people well versed in matters of alignment and rope behavior.
In the meantime, Jim, with all due respect, fact #5 stands as written.
Bob Diener, Vail, Colorado
Broken Wires
Sir:
With reference to the article, “Vail receives safety award,” (Page 29, Fall SAM), we should like to draw your attention to the following facts:
The tests mentioned in the second paragraph have been carried out by members of our Institute specifically on one original piece of rope of Gondola II.
The observations seem to confirm the hypothesis which assumes that the tendency of broken shaped wires to work out is decreasing in the course of progressed repeated bendings of the locked cables. However, the tests do not yet permit a generalization of the results. It is, in particular, possible that they could be influenced in a way not to be neglected by such factors as the cross-section, the breaking strength, the pre- and post-forming of the shaped wires, the compactness of the lock and the amount of repeated bendings. A certain number of additional tests will therefore be necessary, and we are indeed planning to carry them out in the future.
The results of our research work on the springing out of broken shaped wires from the external layer of full-lock coil ropes can be found in an article which was published in No. 5/1978 of INTERNATIONALE BERG- UND SEILBAHN-RUNDSCHAU.
Dr. G. Oplatka, Director of the Institute
for Construction Equipment and
Transportation Machinery
On Growth
Sir:
Just wanted to acknowledge your editorial on growth in the summer issue. I think you’re absolutely right with regard to the importance of the “experience.” While I believe the majority of our marketing programs in this industry are well-conceived and well-intended, they don’t compare in importance to the preservation of product quality. In our operation, the guests’ perception and reaction to our services and facilities is paramount. As you suggested so correctly, if he or she has an enjoyable ski experience, the word-of-mouth mechanism will take over from there.
John R. Horan-Kates
Director, Marketing & Corporate Relations, Vail
