With the early season pass discount deadline looming on June 17, we took the plunge yesterday and laid down our money for two full passes. I’d assume early deadline passholders are curious about the budget. But from what I’ve heard, passes are selling at a normal pace.
I found an article in the Press Republican, dated yesterday, that reported on a recent meeting of the Essex County Board of Supervisors. Ted Blazer, ORDA CEO, seemed confident that ORDA would operate in some fashion next season. The state has been passing weekly “emergency extender bills” to keep the government running and ORDA has been included.
According to the article in the Press Republican:
“The Senate version of the budget would end state funding for ORDA, Gov. David Paterson’s budget would give $5.6 million to ORDA, and the Assembly version would give it the same $6.6 million it received previously.”
Ted expects the Gore Mountain Interconnect to be done by the start of the 2010/2011 season. And he’s also optimistic about the completion of the Lake Placid conference center. Construction has been put on hold due to the budget situation. For more detail see the full Press Republican article.
Gore and Whiteface will open. Not to worry.
Replay of 1975: New York State and City faced the worst budget crisis in history. NYC had to lay off thousands of teachers and transit workers, raise Subway fares, slash trash cleanup, and President Ford famously said "Drop Dead" to the Mayor’s request for Federal help. What was going on up in North Creek? Gore was spending the big bucks to add snowmaking, so that 70s Gore Kid could ski Cloud and Sunway without hitting rocks. However,I think lift ticket prices jumped from something like $10 to $12, there was a big fuss over that at the time. Oh yes, I still have a 1976 Gore lift ticket tucked away along with old trail maps. Gore will be open this winter. Buy your pass.