ORDA's Biggest Mistakes

[Ripitz]

It’s like buying a brand new Lamborghini and then not having the money for tires and oil changes.

 

[x10003q]

It’s like buying a brand new Lamborghini and then not having the money for tires and oil changes.

Or gas........

 

[Peter Minde]

You can't make this stuff up!

Olympic authority identifies expertise gap in maintaining facilities - Adirondack Explorer

ORDA board questions $3M consultant contract to develop maintenance plan for $625M in Olympic facilities across Lake Placid and the Adirondacks after authority admits it lacks in-house expertise to plan repairs.

www.adirondackexplorer.org

I read this article, haven't yet watched the meeting video. My thoughts:

1. James Odato makes his living sh**ing on ORDA.

2. The managers at the various venues are oblivious to maintenance needs? Are you serious?

3. This summer, ORDA did massive upgrades to fix the sliding track at van Ho and replace the refrigeration plant. There wasn't no stinkin' consultant to tell them it needed to be done. I was there a lot this summer, they were hammering to get this done before the luge World Cup.

4. I've been willing to give her a chance, but at this point, Ashley Walden needs to look in the f'n mirror b4 pointing fingers.

5. Spending money on a consultant is like flushing it down the toilet.

I can't speak to the new lodge at Gore, would love to hear from Gore adjacent people about that.

@Brownski and @Robert this stuff and an LP bid for winter Olympics would make a cool podcast.

 

[tirolski]

I read this article, haven't yet watched the meeting video. My thoughts:

1. James Odato makes his living sh**ing on ORDA.

2. The managers at the various venues are oblivious to maintenance needs? Are you serious?

Didn’t O’Ditto write a recent hit piece about ORDA’s balance sheet?

Then ORDA’s folks came out with their response to the hit.
It shouldn’t take long for ORDA’s response. They mighta already had it in their pocket or been thinking about it, if the resolution didn’t pass.
Mighta been awhile since a resolution hasn’t passed when first presented in a board meeting with significant discussion.
If not their silence speaks.

 

[Peter Minde]

Yes, Odato wrote the piece about the $50 million loss. ORDA isn't helping their case with annual reports that have become increasingly opaque over the last 15 years.

Wikipedia characterizes ORDA as a NY public benefit corporation. They're kind of opaque too. The bottom line, should ORDA be making a profit, or does it exist as a public service, like for example the post office.

In the period of the $50 million loss, I'm curious to know how much money came in to local hotels, restaurants and etc. Did enough money come in to offset the $50 million loss?

 

[Milo Maltbie]

I can't speak to the new lodge at Gore, would love to hear from Gore adjacent people about that.

Since you asked... $40 million for a lodge at an elevation of less than 1000 feet with limited parking, that's only accessible from Echo- oh wait Echo is always closed to the public- only accessible by skating the length of Hedges from the lowest point on the whole property and then usually requires return by two trails that are intimidating to intermediate skiers followed by a ride on the longest lift on the mountain then another ride on the most despised lift on the mountain. I'll be there on busy days because I have elite skating skills and the crowds can't find me there. Also, whoever thought Topfridge-which hauls hundreds if not thousands of skiers on busy days- should be fixed grip but Ski Bowl needs a detachable for the 20 or so people you sometimes see there? What's gonna save it all is the year round restaurant, because the booming dining scene in North Creek needs more competition. But it's gonna have a zippy thingy, so we got that going for us.

In other news, according to today's report they're finally making snow at the upper mountain, but it's Cloud only. Belleayre is reporting 96% open.

mm

 

[Low Angle Life]

In the period of the $50 million loss, I'm curious to know how much money came in to local hotels, restaurants and etc. Did enough money come in to offset the $50 million loss?

ORDA Economic Impact (2022-23): Around $341.8 million total economic impact, including over $200M from Olympic Authority operations and visitor spending, supporting 3,414 jobs and generating $25M in taxes.

These visitors represent a major pillar of the local tourist economy, spending $39 million on local attractions and entertainment, $33 million on lodging, $27 million on food and beverage, and $20 million on retail.

That's from an ORDA report so take it for what you will.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Wasn't ORDA originally developed to build and maintain Olympic venues?

This certainly doesn't support their idea of hosting another Olympics. They can't even maintain what they have now.

Maybe the "good ole boy club" of ORDA's board needs to be looked at and get people in there who can do the job.

 

[Cork]

In other news, according to today's report they're finally making snow at the upper mountain, but it's Cloud only. Belleayre is reporting 96% open.

No snow was blown on Cloud yesterday and there didn't seem to be any guns set up either...


My guess on the new lodge opening is being pushed to President's week, or maybe with some luck the end of January. This is because ORDA has continued it's charade of not compensating the Town of Johnsburg for the engineering that was needed to install the pump/haul; which ORDA has now pretty much put the kybosh on even doing, thus pushing the opening to the completion of the Town's sewer system. You literally can't make this shit up!

 

[tirolski]

This is because ORDA has continued it's charade of not compensating the Town of Johnsburg for the engineering that was needed to install the pump/haul; which ORDA has now pretty much put the kybosh on even doing, thus pushing the opening to the completion of the Town's sewer system.

Maybe if a hotel owner in TOJ got appointed to the BOD y’all would get some from ORDA.
ORDA might even pay TOJ for their utility bill(s).