The install of the WF gondola was in response to Gore's replacement gondola. The ORDA decision makers were never going to allow Gore to have the only gondola in NYS ever again. We can see that the WF gondola really serves no group of skiers. The fact that they built an expensive 8400 ft long/2432 foot vertical signature lift that does not serve any green and many blue skiers is an example of public money/politics warping the process. Green and blue sliders are precisely who you want to serve since they make up 70% or more of the sliding population (maybe not at WF). Most advanced skiers I ski with hate removing and handling skis in order to use a gondola.
and Sno - your examples of Hunter and Belleayre for no green and minimal blue access are practically the only ski areas with this type of trail set-up. You ,of all people, know that. Almost every other major ski area in the East has at least 1 green/easy blue and multiple blue trails off the top or off their signature lift.