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November 26, 2007
It Wasn't A Turkey, But It Wasn't A Gravy Boat Either

It was a multi-course meal for Thanksgiving 2007. It's just that ski resorts in several parts of the country were without the main course: much snow. So, while about half of all Americans were searching for non-poisonous toys, a small proportion of the other half were searching for ski and snowboard terrain. The "glass is half full" attitude reigned at Massachusetts' Wachusett Mountain where Tom Meyers told The Industry Report. "We were a little nervous heading into the season with all the economic indicators pointing in a not-so-encouraging way, plus a warmer than average fall. Our pass sales were sluggish, we were concerned, but if the first three days were any indication, things are looking very positive." Wachusett, which hasn't seen any skiers in November in five years, saw 500 ticket buyers each day and night, along with several hundred pass holders. It was a Maine event for Boston skiers who headed to Sunday River. Alex Kaufman told the IR that about 1,000 skiers were on the trails each of the four days. "It was more of a feast than we've had on Thanksgiving in many years here. We're not complaining. It bodes well for Christmas." ...continue reading »

November 20, 2007
ORDA Fights Back On 'Level Field' Debate

Sometimes it means you just aren't going to "take it" anymore. The Industry Report (11/5/07) offered the arguments from the private sector that with the State of New York involved in ownership and management of several major ski resorts, the playing field simply is not level. Peter Harris, owner of the privately held Song Mountain, quoted a former employee in that story, saying that he didn't ski where he worked because he could get a $99 season pass at state-owned Gore Mountain. "He told me he couldn't pass up the deal," Harris said. That didn't sit well with Sandy Caligiori, the long-time, well-respected communications professional with the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) which operates both Gore Mt. at North Creek and Whiteface Mountain at Lake Placid. Caligiori took The Industry Report to task. ...continue reading »

Michigan Ski Areas Hope House Bill Will Undo Tax

Ski resorts in Michigan are hoping the planned six percent tax on all lift tickets sold in the state is about to be repealed. The Industry Report covered the story in depth (11/5/07 issue), quoting Boyne's Steve Kircher as saying, "you don't have to ask why we are expanding outside of Michigan." Several new developments in the economically-challenged state have occurred since that story ran. Mickey McWilliams of the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association (MSIA) has reported that the Senate offered a slight olive branch by delaying implementation of the tax from Dec. 1 to Dec. 20. McWilliams added that Gov. Jennifer Granholm said she would "welcome a possible repeal so long as its replacement is revenue neutral." The Michigan Legislature has been on recess for several weeks, but the lobby firm of Muchmore Harrington Smalley & Associates whis is representing the ski areas, has prepared an analysis of a "consensus bill" introduced in the House by Rep. Andy Coulouris (D-Saginaw). That bill offers an alternative to the service tax and repeals it before it is implemented. The original bill that affects ski resorts was passed at the witching hour Oct. 1 as a compromise measure to get the state budget approved. The issue is expected to be resolved - one way or the other - this week, probably in conference committee resolution. ...continue reading »

Travel A Big Issue For Voters Says New Poll

Anybody who got hit with a big air delay while traveling during the summer is hardly anxious to climb aboard for winter vacations. How angry are they? Will they take it anymore? Perhaps we will see in the polling both. Key findings from surveys were released just before Thanksgiving weekend by the Travel Industry Association, National Tour Association, and the Travel Business Roundtable. The survey results make it clear that as many as half of Americans are more likely to vote for a candidate who is addressing travel and tourism. The surveys, conducted among 300 Republican and 300 Democratic voters in So. Carolina and Florida, showed that 8 of 10 voters in state primaries in both states say "travel is important to their lives and the lives of their families. Nine of ten said travel and tourism is important to their states' economy." There is a plus-or-minus error of 5.66 percent. ...continue reading »

November 05, 2007
It's Head Scratching Time On Season Passes In New England

New England skiers and snowboarders are still scratching their heads trying to figure out the ramifications to season pass offerings from the demise of the American Ski Company resorts and the consolidation of others under the CNL flag with new management teams. The warm weather this fall and some longer-term forecasts haven't made decision-making any easier. Still, there are some reports of brisk sales. The Industry Report's Roger Leo, New England Regional Editor for OnTheSnow.com, surveyed the scene and found the good, bad, and just plain ugly. The good news (might as well begin on the happy side) came from Karl Stone of Ski New Hampshire, Jen Butson of Vermont Ski Areas Association, and Greg Sweetser of Ski Maine, all of whom told Leo they have seen brisk advance sales of the limited number of discounted lift tickets offered through their respective trade groups. ...continue reading »

Seeking A Level Playing Field In New York Isn't Easy

Peter Harris is the long-time owner of the privately held Song Mountain Resort in Central New York. He told The Industry Report's Bob Niedt, N.Y./N.J. regional editor for OnTheSnow.com, this story: "One day, a former employee at Snow Ridge, a private ski area I formerly owned in the Adirondack Mountain foothills, talked about skiing at the state-owned resort of Gore Mountain. He had a $99 season pass there, so I asked him, 'why don't you ski where you work?' He told me he couldn't pass up the deal." The issue for Harris and a number of other private ski area operators in New York, Niedt points out, is one of how much money the state pumps into the ski resorts it owns. It long has been a sore point. ...continue reading »

Michigan Business Climate 'Terrible' Says Boyne USA's Kircher; Lobbying Effort A Must

"You don't have to ask why we are expanding outside of Michigan," said Boyne USA's Steve Kircher. "It's a terrible business climate right now, and our state government is not helping the situation." Boyne has expanded across the nation from coast-to-coast in recent years, often in concert with CNL, the Florida-based REIT. Kircher was one of several Michigan ski resort leaders who spoke with The Industry Report's Mike Terrell, Midwest Regional Editor of OnTheSnow.com, about the state's woeful economics and the need for lobbying in the legislature to avoid paying the price for that bad economy. Michigan's woes stem in large part from huge unemployment due to the sinking American auto industry. That price, Terrell explains, is a six percent tax on all lift tickets sold in the state this winter that was contained in the state budget passed in the wee morning hours of Oct. 1. ...continue reading »