F Vail

[Harvey]

Are you thinking about the 20% decrease for 2021-22? I would add that VR was scared that people who were put off traveling to destination resorts in 2020-21 had found that skiing locally without having to fly turned out to be quite a lot of fun. That could mean that a family who was budgeting for a trip out west on Epic every year might decide that every other year might be enough. Epic paid off in 2008 because it was cheap and the volume was much higher than even Katz hoped it would be. It was a gamble that paid off when VR was is quite weak financially. EpicMix turned out to be popular too.

Yes that 20% was the most notable ticket price cut in skiing history IMO. Stowe's cut was huge but didn't affect nearly as many.

I don't have any inside info but I don't see Vail as scared.

Ikon didn't cut prices, I wonder how their volume and revenue compared to the previous year vs Vail.

 

[MarzNC]

Yes that 20% was the most notable ticket price cut in skiing history IMO. Stowe's cut was huge but didn't affect nearly as many.

Maybe . . . when the Epic pass came out for the VR resorts in Colorado, the cost difference between a pass that covered multiple big mountains within driving distance of Denver and a single resort pass was higher than $600 for 2007-08. I vaguely remember $800. The VR Board thought Rob Katz was crazy. The other CO resorts were astonished.

March 2008

Vail Resorts Announces Epic Pass

Broomfield, Colo. – Most skiers and snowboarders dream of an 'epic' season. Now, Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) is making that dream a reality with the

www.skimag.com

" . . .
Epic Season Pass, a new unlimited, unrestricted season pass that’s valid for the entire 2008-2009 ski and snowboard season at five of the top-rated resorts in the world: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly, all for an initial price of only $579.
. . ."

 

[MarzNC]

Ikon didn't cut prices, I wonder how their volume and revenue compared to the previous year vs Vail.

Alterra and their independent partners are privately held for the most part. VR is a public company. Makes a difference IMHO.

I don't have any inside info but I don't see Vail as scared.

When VR's stock dropped due to the pandemic, I would guess there were Board members who were scared. Remember, Katz's role has changed. There must be reasons behind that shift besides the fact that he's getting older.

The company I worked for after grad school was a small private start up in 1987, went public very successfully in 1993. After a while, ending up going private, and then re-emerged on the NYSE several years later. So that's one reason I have a sense of how executive decisions are made differently between a private or public company. There is also a big software company based in the Triangle that's been privately held from the start. The few attempts to go public, even for a small percentage of the company, have been stymied by the personality of the Co-Founder and long-time CEO. It was fascinating to compare his personality from my companies co-founder and first CEO because they were both statisticians.

 

[raisingarizona]

I hear Vail is having a tough time getting their ski areas staffed this year. Unofficial Networks ran a story earlier today on the problems Wildcats been having. Didn’t Vail make a big to do media release about their new starting wage of 18 an hour?

Little Mount Bohemia posted this today.

 

[tirolski]

Vail’s Park City operations were busy Sunday due to wind stopping the gondola at noon.
Some folks didn’t get back down till 5.

Canyons skiers shuttled from mountain during wind hold

Skiers at the Park City Mountain Resort Canyons Village area couldn’t get down the mountain Sunday afternoon when the resort stopped the Red Pine Gondola due to high winds.

www.kpcw.org

 

[raisingarizona]

Vail’s Park City operations were busy Sunday due to wind stopping the gondola at noon.
Some folks didn’t get back down till 5.

Canyons skiers shuttled from mountain during wind hold

Skiers at the Park City Mountain Resort Canyons Village area couldn’t get down the mountain Sunday afternoon when the resort stopped the Red Pine Gondola due to high winds.

www.kpcw.org

After reading the complaints and other comments I have to file that under first world problems. Wind happens. Ski areas out here are in desperation mode trying to get Christmas vacation bookings. It’s been scary warm.

 

[jasonwx]

Looks like conditions will improve out west next week

 

[x10003q]

I hear Vail is having a tough time getting their ski areas staffed this year. Unofficial Networks ran a story earlier today on the problems Wildcats been having. Didn’t Vail make a big to do media release about their new starting wage of 18 an hour?

Little Mount Bohemia posted this today.

They need offer $20 because the closest town, Copper Harbor, has a population of 85 and they all have 3 jobs already.

 

[raisingarizona]

They need offer $20 because the closest town, Copper Harbor, has a population of 85 and they all have 3 jobs already.

I was wondering about the cost of living up there.

The mountain bike trails sure look expensive, and awesome.

 

[raisingarizona]

Looks like conditions will improve out west next week

We shall see. In most places it’s going to pile up on bare ground.