Unity of Purpose
In a move which is in the best interests of the industry, the Board of Directors of the National Ski Areas Association recently voted to divest the Association from the business of publishing National Ski Area News. Aside from our periodic membership newsletters, NSAA is no longer in the publishing business. These are changing times when it is important that we Pull Together to combine our talents and further strengthen our industry for the common good. This is the first “NSAA Newsletter” page, which will appear in each issue of Ski Area Management.
NSAA will work closely with SAM to develop a mutually supportive relationship that will be beneficial to the entire industry. Working together we will make every effort to promote the growth and advancement of the ski industry and the sport of skiing, understanding that both profitability and social acceptance are necessary ingredients for a viable and desirable industry and sport. We now must move onto the business at hand.
The Energy Problem
We can resign ourselves to the fact that we are going to have a new federal energy conservation plan. If the details have not been announced by the time you read this, it will probably be announced in the President’s State of the Union Message on January 20. NSAA has been keeping a close watch on the energy problem for the past year. On December 6, our Washington Counsel, George Hartzog, Jr., personally delivered a letter to Rogers C. B. Morton, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, outlining our industry’s position and urging a policy of sharing adversity rather than a policy of restrictions on the weekend motorist, which would fall so disproportionately on the outdoor recreation sector of the economy. On December 6, NSAA also notified the entire ski industry calling on them to contact elected officials to make our position known. The response was excellent, and again our position has been made quite clear at the highest levels of the Administration. NSAA will keep on top of this situation through our Washington Counsel to do everything possible to protect the interests of the ski industry and work for an energy policy that we can all live with.
Beconta’s “Help the Beginner” Award
Beconta will present a check for $500 to the NSAA ski area that has the best program for the treatment of the beginner skier (our very important customer). Details will be in the mail soon. The award will be presented at the NSAA Convention in May.
NSAA 13th ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW—May 19-23, 1975, Seven Springs, Pa.
News Briefs
Ski areas will be eligible for consideration for financial aid under the new working capital loan guarantee assistance authorized by the EDA Act. It will probably be early spring before applications can be filed. More details later . . . Coca-Cola USA NSAA Ski Promotions will kick-off in mid-January in key markets . . . Congressman John Melcher (Montana), Chairman of the Sub-Committee of the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee reported the “Forest Service Lease Bill” (H.R. 10491) out of his committee in late November. This is a big step forward for us to get action on this important legislation in the 94th Congress . . . The B.77 Committee, consisting of leading ski lift and wire rope engineers, insurance executives and ski area operators, met for two days recently to consider many technical changes to the ANSI Safety Requirements for Aerial Passenger Tramways. (Most state ski lift codes are based on the ANSI Code.) . . . Hardly a day goes by that the NSAA is not contacted by the national press for information on our industry.
Your Dues are Essential
Over 500 ski areas, representing close to 90 per cent of the dollar volume in ski area business, are members of the NSAA, and practically all the leading suppliers are Associate Members. Over 70 per cent of the NSAA budget comes from your dues, which are necessary for the NSAA to function. To those areas and suppliers who have not yet paid their 1974-1975 dues, I am making an urgent request that you do so now.
BEST WISHES FOR A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SEASON
