The Expansion Blog

NY Skiing: Financing the Future

Posted on by Harvey

This spring ORDA approved a plan to invest $91.7M in Whiteface, Gore, Belleayre and Mount van Hoevenberg. Funds were appropriated for a variety of projects including new and improved lifts, lodges, snowmaking and other infrastructure. The most high profile projects include a $19.7M lodge at the North Creek Ski Bowl and a $16.5M two-stage detachable quad at Whiteface.

Artist rendering of new North Creek Ski Bowl Lodge courtesy ORDA

This is the latest in a series of transformational infrastructure upgrades for New York’s state-run ski areas that has spanned decades, dating back to the 1960s. Since that time, marquee projects have included gondolas, lifts, lodges, snowmaking, new terrain, and access to water from the Hudson River.

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Tagged: Expansion13 Comments

Hunter North: Christmas Comes Early

Posted on by Harvey

NYSkiBlog has covered Hunter Mountain since 2009, publishing over 40 pieces in that time. But I really haven’t done my part. My last piece was a tribute to the late great Orville Slutzky back in April of 2013.

Hunter North entrance
The Road to North

It’s been too long. This year — with Peak pulling off the largest terrain expansion in New York in over a decade — I hoped to get back to experience the highly anticipated opening of Hunter North.

Management had announced at the end of last week that the day would be December 24th. I was certainly “available” on Christmas Eve, but negotiation was required to get the go-ahead to be late for planned holiday festivities with family.

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Tagged: Catskills, Expansion, Hunter5 Comments

Interview with Scott Brandi of I SKI NY

Posted on by NYSkiBlog

NYSkiBlog has long advocated for a public and private partnership to invest in the infrastructure New York skiing will need to stay competitive now and in the future. This summer the players came together with a significant package for financing snowmaking efficiency improvements across the state. Scott Brandi — the President of I SKI NY — was a driving force on the project and we asked him for details.

NYSkiBlog: Scott, where are you from originally? How long have you been skiing? Where did you learn to ski? How many ski days do you get in an average year?

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Tagged: Expansion, Interviews4 Comments