SAM Magazine-Vail, Colo., July 21, 2008-It's a long way from being a lift op to becoming a senior VP. But Derek Koenig, who spent a year in the early 1990s working as a Beaver Creek lift op, has done just that, having been named VR's new senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Koenig will assume responsibilities for VR's corporate mar...

SAM Magazine-Donnelly, Idaho, July 21, 2008-Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, tennis stars and Tamarack Resort fans, and their investment group have decided against building a proposed Fairmont luxury hotel at the fledgling resort. The group cited Tamarack's uncertain future as the reason for its decision. Originally, the investment group planned to...

SAM Magazine - Aspen, Co., July 15, 2008 - Four years ago, Aspen hosted the first Meeting. The eclectic cast of filmmakers, media types and professional athletes spent the inaugural sessions charting a course for the future: bigger events, more exposure, and riches for all. While not everyone has gotten rich in the ensuing four years, there's n...

SAM Magazine - Vail, Co., July 15, 2008 - Vail Resorts' stock closed $1.23 down on Tuesday after analysts at Bank of America and Thompson Financial downgraded the stock from "buy" to "neutral." The "difficult domestic economic environment" and the threat of softer spending at the top end of the luxury market were cited as concerns. Analysts also ci...

SAM Magazine-Crested Butte, Colo., July 15, 2008-Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) hired Chris Corliss, formerly mountain manager at Mount Sunapee, N.H., as mountain manager. The resort has been conducting a nationwide search since May to fill several top executive positions in the company, and kept within the ranks of Triple Peaks (owned by Tim...

SAM Magazine - Kirkwood, Ca., July 17, 2008 - Kirkwood ski resort is partnering with its utility provider, Mountain Utilities, to build a 20-turbine wind energy farm for the resort and local residents. "Our goal is for Kirkwood to become the renewable energy leader in the ski resort industry," said Tim Cohee, Chief Marketing Officer of Mountai...

SAM Magazine-Crested Butte, Colo., July 14, 2008-Crested Butte will have enhanced air service next season, with new direct flights from Salt Lake City, Chicago and Atlanta via Delta and American Airlines. In addition, American will continue to offer daily, non-stop flights from Dallas/Forth Worth, and United will offer three daily, non-stop flights...

SAM Magazine-Rossland, B.C., July 14, 2008-Red Mountain will spend approximately $1 million on capital improvements this summer. Upgrades include a comprehensive lift-service audit that features upgrades to chairlift components on Red's Motherlode, Paradise and Red chairlifts to ensure maximum reliability for the upcoming season. According to R...

SAM Magazine-Boulder, Colo., July 14, 2008-U.S. Rep Mark Udall has developed a draft bill to update the federal 1986 Ski Area Permit Act. The bill would expand the act to recognize winter sports beyond alpine and nordic skiing and include summer recreational activities such as mountain biking and concerts. "My bill would make it clear that activ...

SAM Magazine-Ascutney, Vt., July 14, 2008-Orange Lake Resorts has acquired 26 villas at Ascutney Mountain Resort and assumed management responsibilities for the condo hotel, fitness center, and food and beverage at the resort. Ascutney remains responsible for mountain operations, marketing, and future resort development. Financial terms of the deal...

Snow Hunter-Chile, July 8, 2008-Llaima ski area in Chile's Conguillio National Park was evacuated last week as the Llaima Volcano on which the ski area is located spewed out lava flows up to two kilometres long above the ski runs and lifts. The 3,125 metre high volcano is 78km (49 miles) from regional capital Temuco and 700km (435 miles) sout...

Snow Hunter-New Zealand, July 8, 2008-Most of New Zealand's ski areas are basking in deep powder as heavy snowfall and some extreme weather conditions forced some resorts to close temporarily until the storm passed. Cardrona was typical reporting 60 cm (two feet) of natural snow falling over the three days to Saturday but with high winds and poor v...

Snow Hunter-Russia, July 8, 2008-Russia's former president Vladimir Putin, a keen skier and personally instrumental in winning the 2014 Olympics for the Black Sea resort of Sochi, is reported to have bowed to growing pressure from environmental campaigners regarding the location of some of the venues for the Games. The ski area borders a national p...

Snow Hunter-Australia, July 8, 2008- The first week of July has seen the 'real' start of winter at many Australian resorts after poor natural snowfall in June. Mount Hotham has reported 29cm (12 inches) of snow in the past week, with an additional 13cm (seven inches) in the past 24hrs, enough to open Heavenly Valley for skiing and riding tomorrow...

SAM Magazine-Bozeman, Mont., July 9, 2008-Founder Tim Blixseth has agreed to transfer his 50 percent interest in the private Yellowstone Club ski and golf resort in Montana to his wife, Edra, as part of an impending divorce settlement, according to the Wall Street Journal. This will give Edra full ownership of the resort. Neither of the Blixeths ar...

SAM Magazine-Seven Springs, Pa., July 8, 2008-Seven Springs Mountain Resort has appointed Eric Mauck as its new CEO. Mauck, formerly the resort's COO, replaces Scott Bender, who stepped down from the position after 25 years to lead the management team at Hidden Valley, Pa. Mauck's appointment will ensure a smooth leadership transition, said Seve...

SAM Magazine-Boulder, Colo., July 7, 2008-Skiing and Ski magazines, both from Bonnier Corp., are reducing their rate bases, starting with their September issues. Skiing will move from a rate base of 400,000 to 300,000, and Ski is going from 450,000 to 400,000. The circulation reductions will accomplish two things, according to company executives...

SAM Magazine-Montreal, Que., July 7, 2008-In a bid to jumpstart capital improvements at ski resorts in Quebec, the Canadian government has developed a loan program to enable private ski areas presenting a sound business plan for modernization and equipment replacement projects to access loans up to $4 million, repayable over a maximum period of 15 ...

SAM Magazine-Jay, Vt., July 1, 2008-After nearly 25 years of leading Jay Peak as president and CEO, Bill Stenger, along with a group of private investors, has purchased Jay Peak from Mont Saint Sauver International (MSSI). Stenger has been working on the sale and transition since last fall. MSSI owns and operates several Canadian-based resorts and ...

SAM Magazine-Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, June 26, 2008-Utah's Solitude has long been known as a sleepy backwater, with slow, fixed grip chairs, plenty of powder and no crowds. Next winter, however, life will become a little faster at the resort, with the summer installation of two high-speed quads in a $7 million lift upgrade. Less than three y...

SAM Magazine-Mt. Crested Butte, Colo., June 26, 2008-Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) is investing to enhance the guest experience through ncreased and expanded airline service, expanded services and amenities in the base-area hotels, upgrades and remodel of the Treasury Center, a new "Kids Base Camp" replacing Kids World, and expanded terrain....

SAM Magazine-Deer Valley, Utah, June 25, 2008-Deer Valley will double the ski resort's seasonal employee housing for the 2008-2009 winter. Given the pricy real estate surrounding the ski area, where many homes are valued at more than $1 million, the resort won't build slopeside accommodations for its seasonal workforce. Rather, the ski resort will ...

SAM Magazine-Snow Park, New Zealand, June 25, 2008-In a scenario which will be familiar to some Northern Hemisphere resort operators, the 2008 season Down Under has been delayed due to unseasonably warm weather. Snow Park, New Zealand's only dedicated terrain park resort, was scheduled to open on June 18, but had to delay operations, as did The Rem...

SAM Magazine--Grand Junction, Colo., June 13, 2008--Thomas W. Richardson, 71, died on June 5, 2008. Richardson started his industry career in 1964, when he was hired by the Aspen Skiing Company as a management trainee. From there, he rose through the ranks to president and CEO, a position he held for three years until his retirement in 1982. Bet...

SAM Magazine--June 12, 2008--Both Vermont and New Hampshire reported their 2007-008 skier visit numbers, and the news was good. First, the Vermont Ski Areas Association announced that 4,354,621 visits took place on Vermont slopes last season, which is a 14 percent increase over the prior season and well ahead of the 10-year average. Next up,...

SAM Magazine-Crested Butte, Colo., June 12, 2008-Melanie Mills, director of public affairs for Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA), has become the group's new president. She replaces Rob Perlman, who is leaving to join Steamboat Ski Resort as VP of sales and marketing. Mills' appointment came at the annual CSCUSA meeting here today. The organizati...

SAM Magazine-Bend, Ore., June 10, 2008-After a nationwide search, Mt. Bachelor has named Dave Rathbun president and general manager, succeeding Matt Janney. Rathbun, who moves to Bachelor from its sister resorts Killington and Pico, Vt., where he served as director of marketing, sales, reservations and golf, starts his new position immediately. ...

SAM Magazine-New York, June 11, 2008-According to a new study on injuries and recreational sports, more snowboarders are sent to the emergency room than participants in any other sport. The study, headed by researchers associated with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was reported in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine. The ...

SAM Magazine-West Dover, Vt., June 11, 2008-Vermont's Mount Snow has announced that the ski resort will dedicate the entire Carinthia area as a freeride zone, transforming 95 acres of trails into a massive park system. The new freeride terrain will feature rails, jumps and halfpipes and will cover approximately five miles of terrain at Carinthia...

SAM Magazine-Portland, Ore., June 11, 2008-The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association has named Gary Larsen its 2008 Forest Service Partner of the Year. This honor recognizes environmental stewardship, knowledge of ski area operations, and contributions to administration of special use permits for ski areas. Larsen, the forest supervisor on the...

SAM Magazine-Aspen, Colo., June 9, 2008-Aspen Skiing Company will open the top of Aspen Mountain for skiing this weekend, June 13-15. The top of the mountain still sports three feet of snow as the traditional summer operating season begins. The resort will offer seven runs and about 45 acres of mostly intermediate terrain served by the Ajax Express...

SAM Magazine-Will this season ever end? Willamette Pass will begin summer gondola operations Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15, with sightseeing to the top of Eagle Peak and skiing and snowboarding on the Peak 2 lift. Due to all the snow covering the slopes, Willamette is unable to offer its usual summer fare of mountain biking, hiking, and do...

SAM Magazine - Wolf Creek, Colo., June 5, 2008 - Wolf Creek ski area has settled a lawsuit with an adjacent property owner who plans to develop the land next to the ski area out of court. The ski area was opposed to the development. The project, headed by Billy Joe "Red" McCombs, one of the founders of Clear Channel Communications, consists of a...

SAM Magazine - Broomfield, Colo., June 5, 2008 - Vail executives are smiling after the company posted strong results in the third quarter. For 2008, the company posted record third quarter resort revenues of $369.3 million, 4.8 percent over 2007's record results. Net income was a record $87.3 million, 11.3 percent over 2007. Strong snowfall thr...

SAM Magazine-Park City, Utah, June 5, 2008-Nick Badami, a visionary leader who helped make Park City Mountain Resort a world-class resort, died June 4 at his house in Tucson, Ariz., surrounded by family. He was 87. "We are deeply saddened to lose such an inspirational mentor and strong leader who made significant contributions to the ski indu...

SAM Magazine-Vancouver, B.C., June 3, 2008-Intrawest's selection of Bill Jensen as CEO, announced last January, becomes effective today. In addition, the company has named Brian Collins president, with initial responsibility for the company's real estate operations. Jensen brings to Intrawest 35 years of ski industry experience and a demonstrate...

SAM Magazine-Mt. Crested Butte, Colo., June 2, 2008-Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) is making several changes in key management positions as part of a restructuring of the company, including the departure of vice president and general manager Randy Barrett. "Randy will step down as general manager as we look to make changes in our managemen...

SAM Magazine-Vail, Colo., June 2, 2008-Vail Resorts has recently mandated across-the-board cuts in energy use of at least 10 percent for all departments by 2010. In a company memo, CEO Rob Katz said, "The issue of energy usage needs to be a company-wide imperative. Now, when you waste energy, you are not only impacting the environment and squand...

SAM Magazine-Schladming, Austria., June 2, 2008-This Austrian resort outpolled Vail/Beaver Creek and will host the 2013 Alpine World Ski Championships. The decision emerged from the FIS 46th International Ski Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. Schladming defeated competing bids from St. Moritz, Switzerland and Cortina, Italy, in addition to Vail....

SAM Magazine-Snowbird, Utah, June 2, 2008-On the heels of an epic winter, it should come as no surprise that Snowbird is adding more days to its season, which is shaping up to be one of the longest in North America. The resort will now stay open through Sunday, June 15, for weekend skiing and riding. "Consistent snowfall throughout the winter p...

SAM Magazine-Vail, Colo., June 2, 2008-In yet another headline-making move, Vail Resorts has axed the company's relationship with Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA), the non-profit marketing group which represents the state's ski industry. CSCUSA plans to continue operations on behalf of its 22 remaining members, but with a much smaller budget. R...

SAM Magazine-Minturn, Colo., May 27, 2008-Residents of this small mountain town between Vail and Beaver Creek voted 87 percent in favor of development of a private ski and golf resort outside of the community. The ski resort and golf community, a project spearheaded by the Ginn Company, will feature approximately 1,700 homes and condos, an 18-hole ...

SAM Magazine-Revelstoke, B.C., May 27, 2008-The first season was a good one for Canada's newest resort. Revelstoke Mountain ceased winter operations on April 27, chalking up 44 percent more skier visits than expected. Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing, owned by the resort, also posted strong numbers, with skier visits up 20 percent. Revelstoke...

SAM Magazine-Dubai, UAE, May 27, 2008-Ski Dubai, the indoor skiing center in the most unlikely of locations, has hosted its two-millionth visitor, reaching the mark after just two and a half years of operation. "It was very exciting for us to welcome our two millionth customer here," said Mike Mahoney, GM at Ski Dubai. "The figure proves that we...

SAM Magazine-Mammoth Lakes, Calif., May 27, 2008-Mammoth Mountain has eliminated 15 primarily middle-management positions, cutting the year-round workforce by five percent. The job cuts are expected to save the company approximately $1 million in benefits and salaries, and were, according to resort officials, a response to the weakening economy. Th...

SAM Magazine-Mammoth Lakes, Calif., May 26, 2008-Skiers and snowboarders have one more week to enjoy spring conditions at Mammoth Mountain. Cool temperatures and a foot of fresh snow over the Memorial Day holiday spurred the resort to stay open anothr week, through June 1. "I know this is very last minute, but so was the snow," said Mammoth M...

SAM Magazine-Bend, Ore., May 22, 2008-GM Matt Janney and three other executives at Mt. Bachelor have lost their jobs after a disappointing season punctuated by persistent operational problems and customer dissatisfaction with a 30 percent increase in season pass prices over the past two seasons. The changes come less than a year after Janney, a...

SAM Magazine-Mt. Buller, Australia, May 19, 2008-Australia's first sixpack highlights more than $25 million (AUD) worth of investment across the country as the 2008 ski season is primed for kickoff. The lift, at Mt. Buller, is the first of its kind for the nation. Other investments include a whopping AUD $16.25 million in snowmaking improvements at...

SAM Magazine-Denver, May 19, 2008-With snow still falling in the Rocky Mountains and the bean counters working overtime at many resorts after record seasons in both snowfall and skier days, a few areas are keeping the good times alive by reopening or extending their seasons. New York State's Windham Mountain is reopening on Saturday, May 24 to h...

SAM Magazine - Denver, Co., May 15, 2008 - Colorado Ski Country USA President and CEO Rob Perlman has announced that he will be departing the industry marketing group to take a position at Steamboat Ski Resort. Perlman, who headed up the statewide marketing organization for six years. At Steamboat Perlman will assume the position of vice presid...

SAM Magazine--Woodbury, Conn., May 16, 2007--SAM Magazine has announced the recipients of the 2008 SAMMY Leadership Awards and the third annual SAM Diversity Award. They are: 1) David Amirault, Interactive Services Manager at Freeskier magazine. Dave, also known as Digi Dave, is a web genius who has been pioneer online for resorts and now freesk...

SAM Magazine-Lake Wanaka, New Zealand, May 15, 2008-Cardrona Valley has received approval to build New Zealand's first access gondola. The $16.6 million gondola project will transport visitors from the Cardrona Valley floor to the ski facilities on the Pisa Range-Snow Park NZ, Waiorau Snow Farm and a third planned ski area, Roaring Meg Resort. The ...

SAM Magazine-Georgetown, Colo., May 15, 2008-Loveland ski resort is taking a look at the Dry Gulch area northeast of the ski area's lift-accessed terrain for a snow cat skiing operation. The Dry Gulch sector is part of the resort's permitted area, and a 1997 USFS master plan for the ski area identifies the area as suitable for guided skiing operati...

SAM Magazine-Portland, Me., May 15, 2008-The state of Maine, along with New Hampshire areas Loon Mountain and Bretton Woods, has joined the chorus of Eastern areas announcing record visits last winter. Maine's ski and snowboard industry tallied 1.42 million visits during the 2007-08 winter season. That beats the previous record of 1.36 million ...

SAM Magazine-Queenstown, N.Z., May 9, 2008-While resorts in North America are winding down their seasons, New Zealand areas are gearing up for opening day next month. Storms are starting to roll into New Zealand's mountains as resorts in the southern hemisphere: both Mt. Hutt and Coronet Peak are reporting more than 10 cm of snow from the first rou...

SAM Magazine-Telluride, Colo., May 9, 2008-You can't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need. Colorado's only heli operation didn't get everything it wanted from the Bureau of Land Management, but still received a preliminary nod from the feds for expansion. Telluride Helitrax had asked the BLM for a ten-year permit to serv...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., May 9, 2008-The snow sports products market grew by $280 million to reach $2.97 billion for the 2007-08 season, up from approximately $2.69 billion in all channels last season, according to the SIA end-of-season Retail Audit conducted by Leisure Trends Group. Above average snowfall for the season, and an early start in man...

SAM Magazine-Denver, Colo., May 9, 2008-With Maine's Sugarloaf and Colorado's Loveland ceasing operations last weekend, several resorts remain open: Arapahoe Basin, Snowbird, Mammoth, Squaw Valley, Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Bachelor, and Brundage (and of course, Timberline, which operates year-round except for a few weeks in September for maintenance a...

SAM Magazine-Telluride, Colo., May 2, 2008-A Leitner-Poma quad will highlight Telluride's expansion this summer into Revelation Bowl. The quad will access above-treeline terrain on the other side of the ridge from the area's existing Gold Hill terrain. Situated above tree line, the wide-open bowl offers advanced and expert skiing. Constru...

SAM Magazine-Peru, Vt., May 2, 2008-John Cueman, president of Bromley Mountain, is assuming the position of vice president of real estate planning and ceding the president's post to Richard Wiseman, formerly GM of Camelback Ski Area, Pa. "Bromley's real estate potential is critical to Bromley's future," Cueman said. Cueman started at Bromley in ...