Acquisitions
20th Century Fox buys Aspen Skiing Corp.
At presstime, an agreement had been reached whereby stockholders representing 40 per cent of the Aspen stock committed themselves to the sale of their stock at $45 per share. Ultimately, all stock will be purchased at a total cost of $50.2 million.
Technically, what was involved under Colorado law was a statutory merger, and it is anticipated that the complex procedures involved for stockholder approval will delay the final transfer until late spring.
Management will remain in place, according to Fox’s VP for corporate planning, Ray Doig, and the Aspen Skiing Corporation board of directors will also remain unchanged except for the addition of two representatives of the purchasers.
In addition, Paul Nitze, a prominent Aspen stockholder, will become a member of the 20th Century Fox board.
Sugarbush purchased by Solon Automated Services
M. Roy Cohen, president of Solon Automated Services, Inc., announced it has contracted to purchase 54 per cent of the Sugarbush Valley Corporation stock. (Mr. Cohen is not the Roy Cohen of Army/McCarthy hearings fame.) It is Solon’s intention, according to Cohen, to purchase all of the outstanding shares of the well-known Vermont ski resort.
Top management is being taken over by the new owners.
Keystone teaches older beginners
This winter, Keystone will offer a specialized learn-to-ski program for persons 50 years of age and older. Believed to be the first one of its kind in the nation, the program will incorporate daily ski lessons, a weekly learn-to-ski package and a Senior Ski Week.
Bruno Beinder, Keystone Ski School director, said older persons who sign up for ski lessons throughout the winter will be placed in classes with others of their same age group if possible. During the two-hour sessions, a slow GLM sequence will be taught, and safety precautions will be observed. Beginners will start on short skis, then gradually advance to longer skis as their techniques improve.
The ski school director noted that persons who take up the sport after age 50 are capable of becoming good skiers, but might feel more comfortable learning to ski with people of their own age group.
Money prize for Dixie ski clubs
Beech Mountain in North Carolina has announced a $10,000 jackpot for the Southern Star Classic.
The major goals of this recreational race program were cited as, “To introduce the recreational club skier to the excitement and challenge of competitive skiing, and to broaden the perception of skiing in the mountains of the south from an occasional recreational pastime to a serious seasonal sport.”
“It will be exciting,” Race Coordinator, Tony Guthrie said, “to watch the clubs challenge the speed and skills of one another throughout the season, culminating February 11-12 with the running of the 10,000 jackpot.”
Sponsorship comes from Beech itself, together with Coca Cola and Piedmont Airlines.
Airlines announce “snow guarantee”
United Airlines was the first, but the others quickly followed suit, in announcing “snow guarantees” that offer a skier a complimentary flight home if poor skiing conditions exist upon his arrival. The United plan stipulates that, “if less than 50 per cent of a resort’s ski lifts are operating because of poor skiing conditions, a passenger can apply within 24 hours of arrival for a free ride home. . .The authorized return flight must be used within 48 hours of arrival.”
The United guarantee is effective between December 15 and March 31.
Although the plan was generally well received, and backed by the major destination resorts of the Rockies, there was some criticism that it was “overreaction” to last season’s poor snow year, and was negative in character. Another travel writer was heard to wonder out loud whether a trend could develop in guaranteeing the product in the travel industry, such as sun in the Caribbean or complete satisfaction on Honeymoon Specials.
New resort for Park City
The Park City Council this fall gave Royal Street Land Company the go-ahead on plans to develop a $150 million Deer Valley Ski Resort complex south and east of the city.
The go-ahead was in the form of a unanimous decision to annex 325 acres, site of the proposed resort community which will include an 18-hole golf course and take 15 years to complete.
President of Royal Street is Warren King who directed Park City Resort during its growing years before it was purchased two years ago by Alpine Meadows Ski Corp., Alpine Meadows, Calif.
Most of the ski and housing terrain is already surveyed with construction of the golf course and some lifts scheduled for next spring.
SAM Contest — Inscrutable Smile Division
Judge warns skiers to obey patrol — or else
If Alta didn’t have a hanging judge during its mining boom days of 100 years ago, it has one who comes close to it today. At least that’s the impression violators of ski ordinances will have when they appear before Alta justice of the peace, Judge Steven H. Stewart.
He sounded a warning to skiers in mid-October, saying “skiers violating ‘closed area’ signs posted by the ski patrol is a very serious offense.” And as a result, he’ll be cracking down on offenders this season, particularly if they are brought before him a second time.
“I’m going to treat second offenders very seriously,” he said, explaining the extreme danger of skiing in closed areas. He said violators not only endanger their own lives by possibly triggering avalanches, but an avalanche may cross safe areas, endangering the lives of innocent skiers.
The judge noted that the ski patrol does not capriciously post areas and it is professional and extremely knowledgeable in avalanche safety.
The Alta town ordinance calls for a $25 fine for violators of the law, but he usually fines first offenders $10. However, on a second offense, he will fine the violator $100 and sentence him to spend 10 days in the City-County Jail.
Alta Town Clerk Katy Wood said that from December, 1976, to May, 1977, the ski patrol issued 20 citations at Alta. Of those, seven either pleaded guilty or were found guilty. She said six others were from out of state, another six have not been located although they are Utah residents, and one man paid a $25 fine and $20 for contempt of court for not appearing at the time ordered by the judge.
Two convicted juveniles pleaded innocent to the charges and obtained a change of venue to 2nd District Juvenile Court where each was found guilty and fined $150.
In the past two years, two persons have been killed in avalanches at Alta. Infringing on the “fun” of skiers is not the intention of the court and its high fines, Judge Stewart says. The intent is to keep the resort safe.
Freestylers counter with world tour
Insurance problems gave Professional Freestyle Competitors Association another major setback. ABC pulled back from its television plans, and in the face of that, Capital Sports, which had earlier signed with PFCA to produce and market a freestyle circuit, withdrew from the agreement.
In November, freestyle association representatives from nine countries met in Zurich to work out a World Cup Freestyle tour. A tentative schedule was set up which includes three fixtures in the U.S. and two in Canada.
Sort of like a mind-blasting mogul run, the freestyle thing keeps going just when you think it has crashed.
In the meantime, the rival U.S. Freestyle Federation, run by its founder, gymnast Charles Pond, announced the formation of an 11-member team that will have competitions during the 1977-78 season. International Management, according to a report in Ski Racing, is handling television and sponsor arrangements.
This same report revealed that Pond had organized the “World Freestyle Federation, a corporation organized and chartered in Illinois, which will be an umbrella group for national freestyle federations.”
Meantime, in the real ski world. . .
Sierra areas adopt snow reporting format
The 24 members of Sierra Ski Areas Association have adopted a standard format for snow and ski condition reporting.
Each published ski report will include the date and time of the report; existing weather conditions such as present temperature, cloudy, clear, wind velocity and direction, barometer reading, etc.; snow depth, both on the ground and new snow; facilities open, lifts, runs, bowls; and surface conditions.
Ski ratings (good, fair, excellent, etc.) are being dropped for the reason that different people have different perceptions of what constitute good, fair and excellent condtions.
Snow depth will be measured at a clearly-marked iand highly visible spot at each ski area.
Five basic surface conditions will be used, together with definitions, plus another five sub-categories: (1) powder — non-groomed, may be ski tracked; (2) packed powder — machine groomed and/or ski packed; (3) firm pack — older snow, groomed and/or skied, touches of ice, some packed powder; (4) icy — self-explanatory, extent may vary; (5) spring type conditions — hard turning soft. Subcategories used to additionally describe surface conditoins: (1) corn — ball bearing type snow; (2) wet/heavy — high moisture content in show; (3) granular/sugar — self-explanatory; (4) air spots — avoidable areas, extent may vary; (5) obstacles — projecting above show, extent may vary. Each ski report will include the above categories and definitions.
People
EPSIA examiner Dennis Brobst goes from Stowe to Beech Mt., N.C., as ski school director . . . Peter Palm named manager of the Big Powderhorn Lodging Ass’n, Bessemer, MI . . . Harry Loomis, VP of Kissing Bridge, named treasurer of SANY . . . Vail appoints Roger Lessman as manager, lift operations . . . Jones Cottrell goes from Seven Devils Resort to nearby Beech as director of ski operations . . . John Vorel named area manager of New Hampshire’s Brickyard Ski Area . . . At Killington, Scott Henderson becomes ski vacation co-ordinator for ski week programs, Paul Parot is new assistant director of skiing services and Louis Snyder is new manager of the rental shop, Henderson’s old slot . . . Peter Duke was appointed Heavenly Valley’s ski school director . . . Peter Seibert, founder of Vail and past president of NSAA, has become president and general manager of the Country Club of Colorado; he will continue his involvement with Vail Associates as a board director and as an active consultant in the continued planning of Vail and Beaver Creek . . . Don O’Brien is new treasurer of Vermont’s Bolton Valley . . . James P. Wentzel is new vp for finance for Aspen Highlands . . . California’s Kirkwood has hired Joe Clark as assistant mountain manager . . . Tom Trainor is new school director of Jack Frost Mountain in Pennsylvania . . . Martha “Marty” Douglass is new ski school director at West Virginia’s Snowshoe; husband Sam is coordinator of special ski activities.
O’Reilly named to USAA P.R. post
T. Mark O’Reilly has been named Director of Public Relations of the United States Ski Association. O’Reilly, 33, was in corporate law practice and has been active with a number of skiing organizations in Denver. He is a certified ski instructor and has coached a junior ski racer development program for the past two years.
O’Reilly received a B.A. degree in Economics from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1966, attended the Graduate School of Business Administration at Cornell University, and served for four years as a Communications Officer in the Air Force. He received a law degree from the University of Denver in 1974.
“The USSA has determined to take a strong stand on the use of public lands for ski area development and other winter recreational purposes. The initial thrust of my efforts will be in developing USSA policies on land use questions,” O’Reilly stated. By informing the public and national legislators of the benefits to be realized by winter sports development, we hope to gain their support. I’m looking forward to the challenge of fostering cooperation rather than confrontation on land use issues.”
(See related items in Issues.)
Mrs. Killebrew named Heavenly Valley Chairman
At a Heavenly Valley Partners’ meeting in San Francisco Mrs. Hugh Killebrew was named chairman of the board of directors for the Heavenly Valley ski area. In taking up her duties the new chairman stated she and her older son, William D. Killebrew, hope to make Heavenly Valley the world’s number one ski area, “This will be in keeping with my late husband’s dream,” she said.
Mrs. Killebrew, who became a General Partner in 1963, has for many years played an active role in Heavenly Valley’s ski program and expansion plans. Working closely with her late husband, she traveled extensively to NSAA and FIS meetings around the world.
A native of Nevada, Mrs. Killebrew and her twin sister graduated in 1951 from the University, they gained international fame when they were selected the “All American Toni Twins.”
NASTAR adds cross-country program
NASTAR, in conjunction with Dannon Yogurt, has announced re-introduction of Cross Country NASTAR for this winter at nordic ski centers nationwide.
“Due to the increased interest in nordic skiing and in recreational competition in this country,” NASTAR commissioner Bob Beattie said, “we believe the American public desires and will openly accept Cross Country NASTAR.”
Beattie bases his certainty in part on the pilot Cross Country NASTAR programs run last season at Snowmass Ski Touring in Colorado, California’s Kirkwood and Wisconsin’s Telemark. Officials at those areas, according to Beattie, responded to the Cross Country NASTAR experiment with “a great deal of enthusiasm.”
Unlike the well-established alpine NASTAR program, there is no pacesetter in Cross Country NASTAR and participants are not measured against the clock. Instead, the competition is among the participants in any particular race, grouped according to age into one of the following categories: 14 and under, 15 to 18, 19 to 35, and 36 and over. Everyone competes on a five-kilometer course designed for cross country enthusiasts of all abilities.
Sixty percent of all participants leave with a souvenir. The first ten percent of the entrants to cross the finish line are awarded a specially designed gold Cross Country NASTAR patch. The second 20 percent receive a silver patch. And the third 30 percent are given a bronze patch.
Major new Utah resort creeps closer
An engineering feasibility study completed in October could be the first positive step toward realization of a long-discussed Utah State Park Ski Resort which would be linked by aerial tram to Alta and Brighton in adjoining canyons.
The $55,750 study was conducted by the University of Utah Bureau of Economic and Business Research and the research firm of Universal Mobility of Salt Lake City.
The base complex would be some five miles northwest of Heber City, 45 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. The state operates a golf course there now.
Preliminary findings of the study reveal the ski potential of the park terrain compares favorably with other Wasatch Front resorts. Also, it reveals there are no major technical obstacles to the construction of an aerial tramway which would link the proposed new resort to long-established Brighton and Alta in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, respectively.
Monte Bona, economic consultant to the Wasatch Committee on Industrial and Commerical Growth, a county group working closely with state park officials on the project, says of the report: “What it (the report) tells me is that it is feasible from the standpoint of engineering. What we don’t know is whether it is feasible from the standpoint of economics.”
Mr. Bona said he hoped many of the economic questions would be answered when the University of Utah Bureau of Economic Research completes its study by the start of 1978. He noted that if the university study was favorable, the state would have the option of issuing bonds to finance the tramway project.
However, Harold Tippetts, director, Utah State Division of Parks and Recreation, said that even though the Utah Legislature had previously approved the bonds, the parks department would prefer not to exercise that option. “We would prefer to entice private enterprise, without the state building the tramway,” he said. “If the project will not attract private capital, then there is a serious question as to whether we will approve it.”
The state official said he hoped to see long-term leases let to concessionaires who would develop the proposed winter sports complex under state supervision.
“By involving the private sector, we could get additional facilities which the park could not afford to install,” he added. He said that such an arrangement would still allow the state to exercise considerable control over the nature of the development. Mr. Tippetts warned skiers not to get too excited, though, because even if the university econ omics study was favorable, construction would not begin for several years.
Avalanche seminars scheduled in California
Four avalance seminars have been scheduled by Norm Wilson, of Sierra Avalanche Seminars, Box 8, Norden, CA 95724.
Dates for the four-day programs are February 22-25, March 6-9, March 11-14 and March 17-20. Tuition is $125 per person.
Mr. Wilson, who operates under Forest Service permit, has 25 years of experience in the avalanche field in the U.S., Canada and South America.
Bombardier personnel shifts
Following are some recent changes in the marketing department at Bombardier. Rejean Leclerc resigned and was replaced by Isidore “Bib” Simard. Richard Corriveau was appointed sales manager. Bruce Phillips is product manager, snow and utility markets; Dayle Cayer appointed manager of advertising and sales promotion.
Answer to Contest (Pg 22)
Left to right: Messrs Welch and Hamblitt, the bankers; then Tom Corcoran and Douglas Young of Waterville. With inscrutable smiles like these, it’s hard to tell who is the scruter and who the scrutee.
