ORDA's Biggest Mistakes

[Harvey]

How long before Gore hits the advertised vert?

To be fair i don't think I've seen Gore exaggerating their vert more than rounding up to the next 100.

 

[jasonwx]

Isn’t it crazy how the bosses always claim there’s no money to be made anywhere? I’ve also heard that lift tickets are loss- leaders so the hill can clean up on F&B.

The operative letter here is the "B"...as you might have already known

 

[Ripitz]

I worked in F&B in Big Sky and we weren’t expected to make money which was half the reason why I left management. Real estate was their big cash cow since they own the mountain and most of the surrounding property. The only outlet that consistently made money each winter was ski rental. This was 20 years ago so maybe some things have changed. One thing that I’m sure hasn’t is the logistical nightmare of having to hire and train new staff every summer and winter and trying to stop them from stealing all of the food and money. Your options were underpaid jaded locals who don’t ski and stoned out drunks who moved there only to ski. Good luck trying to run that crew year after year.

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

Plattekill charges ~$3.50 for an apple, and not even a big one, with no discount for season pass holders. I think they are making a killing out of that little cafeteria.

 

[Brownski]

So booze, rentals and real estate are where it’s at? Got it

 

[jasonwx]

Plattekill charges ~$3.50 for an apple, and not even a big one, with no discount for season pass holders. I think they are making a killing out of that little cafeteria.

U got to sell a lot of apples
And what about the ones that get tossed on the trash

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

The apple is just an example, but they do seem to move a lot of expensive food, and $10 drafts.

 

[Endoftheline]

I get that the F&B part is a tough business in general. But as I was getting a pass discounted small hot chocolate at WF for $2.50 I saw a young kid ahead of me with a small carton of FFs and a few fish sticks with a tiny Gatorade. I tried to guess how much that could possibly cost, my guess was about $12. Wow was I off. Even with the pass discount it was $17.50

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

Yeah I mean, if they weren't making any money then why even have a cafeteria? Just tell people to pack a lunch if it's all the same.

 

[Campgottagopee]

I worked in F&B in Big Sky and we weren’t expected to make money which was half the reason why I left management. Real estate was their big cash cow since they owned the mountain and most of the surrounding property. The only outlet that consistently made money each winter was ski rental. This was 20 years ago so maybe some things have changed. One thing that I’m sure hasn’t is the logistical nightmare of having to hire and train new staff every summer and winter and trying to stop them from stealing all of the food and money. Your options were underpaid jaded locals who don’t ski and stoned out drunks who moved there only to ski. Good luck trying to run that crew year after year.

Yes. The mountain is better off taking the guaranteed money from the lease vs dealing with the staffing nightmare.