2 Berkshire Ski resorts for sale at the same time

Two nearby ski resorts for sale at the same time.... who has a rich uncle or parent? We can install Ethan as GM...

http://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=671

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/bousquet-ski-area-for-sale-history-and-all,533537

Both after deaths of longtime owners. These little places are passing with the boomers. The kids want to cash in and live in Florida.

why would any sane person buy a small eastern ski area?

unpredictable weather
aging infrastructure
liability insurance
seasonal employees
the list is a mile long

Yeah my post was kind of a joke. I think the ideal candidate would be a wealthy retired CEO who loves skiing and wants to stay busy.

JasonWx wrote

why would any sane person buy a small eastern ski area?

Plenty on insane people have money.

tom

TomCat wrote

JasonWx wrote

why would any sane person buy a small eastern ski area?

Plenty on insane people have money.

tom

you ain't kidding

Not that I'd wish this on any mountain, but I wonder if Vail would be interested to sell more of their Epic passes.

Just saw this- Berkshire East is going to buy Catamount. I think I approve. Now they just need to join the freedom pass.

http://www.newenglandskiindustry.com/viewstory.php?storyid=682

The co-owner of Bousquet died several ago. His partner in life and business, Sherry Roberts, is in her 60s and still in charge. She is starting the process of looking for a new owner but isn't in a hurry.

So many places to ski, so many stories to do.

Berkshire East turns into Thunder Mtn Bike park in the summer..I would guess they make equal or more money in the summer. Thunder Mtn is in the top 5 bike parks in the NE ..Maybe even top 3

I grew up skiing at the original BEast (Berkshire East) and remember when Roy Schaefer first came to the mountain in the early-mid 70's.  I think his (and now his families') management style and philosophy of not biting off more than you can chew has done the mountain great and clearly helped expand, modernize and grow to what it is today. (As Jason pointed out, a true 4-season ski area).  If other small to mid-size ski areas try to emulate what they did, they would be in much better shape and there would be fewer ski areas on the NELSAP list.  I just hope that this new expansion into other ski areas doesn't drain their resources away from Berkshire East.  It is a gem of a mid-sized New England ski mountain, which unfortunately there are fewer today than when I grew up skiing.

JasonWx wrote

why would any sane person buy a small eastern ski area?

unpredictable weather
aging infrastructure
liability insurance
seasonal employees
the list is a mile long

When the Spring family sold Craftsbury [xc], the new owners created a non-profit.  Seems to be working pretty well.  Wondering if this could be an option for the mom and pop downhill areas.

JasonWx wrote

seasonal employees

About ten to fifteen years ago, I started noticing, er, foreign accents coming from a lot of ski area employees. In other words, immigrants doing seasonal work. I've already read how the seasonal tourist industry all up and down the northeast coast during the summer is confronting major challenges trying to staff inns and restaraunts with our new anti immigrant policies coming out of DC, to the point that some decades old establishments are talking about closing. The ski areas, which, you have to admit, operate like farms as businesses, also have to be staring at the same problem.

Benny Profane wrote

JasonWx wrote

seasonal employees

About ten to fifteen years ago, I started noticing, er, foreign accents coming from a lot of ski area employees. In other words, immigrants doing seasonal work. I've already read how the seasonal tourist industry all up and down the northeast coast during the summer is confronting major challenges trying to staff inns and restaraunts with our new anti immigrant policies coming out of DC, to the point that some decades old establishments are talking about closing. The ski areas, which, you have to admit, operate like farms as businesses, also have to be staring at the same problem.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-md-crab-visas-approval-20180503-story.html

Joined a ski club down here, and a rep (owner? manager?) from Catamount was there. Good news is that, if you have a valid ski club membership card, midweek price is 20 bucks at the window. All others get 20 bucks, but, have to buy online. I may hit it a few times this winter if they get snow, on my way up to further north.

Benny,
What club (if you dont mind saying) do you belong to? I’ve read a bit about them and am curious but I’ve never had time to show up for a meeting. What’s the advantage? Might need a separate thread for this.

Mogul Meisters (ug, that name) in Westchester. I started seeing a woman who dragged me in. Woman gone, but still in the club. 35 bucks. No lodge up north, unfortunately, but, like with most ski clubs, trip deals. I signed up for a week in Val D'Siere, and it's not a bad deal for my first Europe experience. Membership may get me some lift ticket deals closer to home, but, I'm pretty flush with the Ikon base and the Epic local. Maybe Hunter, please, please.

I’m now impatiently waiting for the perfect moment to call you a mogul miester on TGR. :D

$2600 for a week in Val d'Isere? Dang, Mogul Meisters be ballin'....

Coulda gonna to Zermatt for only $1775 with the Onondaga ski club. https://onondagaskiclub.org/page-18409
 
And they gots a nice cheap lodge too....https://onondagaskiclub.org/The-Lodge


Is Mogul Meisters part of the ct or nj ski councils?