$20M for Whiteface and Gore + $8M for Belle

Coach Z wrote

 What lunatic came up with this piece of crap plan?

Hehehe. That thar's funny Z !    

Coach Z wrote

What lunatic came up with this piece of crap plan?

The same one who proposed your $20 million in zip lines and mountain coasters.

Another boondoggle from The Emperor Cuomo II.

Who is going to ski Belleayre from the top to the bottom lodge? The lower beginner terrain is practically flat. While it is wonderful for learning, it is useless for everybody else. They should replace the 2 lower doubles with a HSQ. This would be a great addition for the green skiers and would still get people quickly out of the lower base area to get up to the upper mountain. A HSQ would also be fully utilized all day, unlike a Gondola, and would cost about 1/3 of the price for a gondola.

That is some seriously shitty trail/resort planning right there. It's hard to imagine that someone is getting paid good money to do this job.

raisingarizona wrote

That is some seriously shitty trail/resort planning right there. It's hard to imagine that someone is getting paid good money to do this job.

its Orda we are talking about so nobody is getting paid "good money"

Was just talking to one of my instructors at school who skis Belleayre, and he says he wants to see tomahawk, and Lift 7 Get replaced with a HSQ, and thinks the Gondola is a terrible idea. I have to agree. Seems like you wouldn't need Tomahawk if you built that proposed lift between Belleayre and Highmount.

Not only that but, taxpayer money is to be spent foolishly on this.  Lets hope this doesn't pass through.  Seems Belle could replace a few lifts for this price and connect to Highmount.  It's an even worse idea than the one floating around about Greek getting a gondola in their long term plan.

Ace wrote

   It's an even worse idea than the one floating around about Greek getting a gondola in their long term plan.

Where on earth did you here that?

By the way --- welcome

Harvey wrote

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES $8 MILLION FOR UPGRADES AT BELLEAYRE SKI RESORT

Laszlo must be shitting his pants right about now. Poor guy, Some state funding for a place like Plattekill is much needed. First and easiest thing would be to put an equally sized sign for Plattekill right next to the giant one for Belleayre on the highway.  Or better yet, just swap it out completely.

Let's lobby Albany - Laz needs a Gondi.

campgottagopee wrote

Ace wrote

   It's an even worse idea than the one floating around about Greek getting a gondola in their long term plan.

Where on earth did you here that?

I heard that in Greeks long term plan - a Gondola will take passengers back and forth from Hope Lake Lodge over to the ski hill. lol

evantful wrote

What a fucking disaster. Belleayre needs a massive snowmaking overhaul, not some bullshit Gondola.

But at election time he will point to the shinny new gondola that everybody can see (even if it is empty) as opposed to compressors and pumps inside a work building.

I just spent a day at Sugarbush, which is a serious mountain - no gondola. And they charge and get $97 for a one day lift ticket. They have excellent snowmaking as well as more natural snow.

tom

I hear you on that Tom.

To be honest I have a suspicion this will not be approved in the overall State budget. I almost wonder, given the backlash in Ulster County about how Belleayre was left out of major investment monies this year, that they created this almost too fantastical Gondola project in spite. Knowing that would be shot down by the legislator, but ultimately would allow Cuomo and ORDA the political cash to say: "See, we tried....".

It just doesn't add up.

I've had many conversations on the lift about running a gondola to pine hill. The terrain is decent in there and would probable double the vertical of the mountain. The way it's proposed makes no sense.

For better or for worse the fabled East Side Expansion at Belleayre will never be. Even under those later plans a Gondola/lift to Pinehill are not listed. The land to the east of Cathedral Brook is no longer apart of the Ski Area boundaries after agreements with NYC, the DEC and the State were completed a number years ago as apart of watershed mangement.

In return I believe Belleayre will allowed more leeway with West side expansion and ultimately the integration of Highmount if that ever comes to pass.

evantful wrote

To be honest I have a suspicion this will not be approved in the overall State budget.

Standard practice to ask for more than you want or need so that you can cut something and end up with what you wanted in the first place.  Just ask any teenager who wants money/the car, etc.

Sounds like the Belleayre gondola is a go for this summer, pending passage of the budget.  https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2017/03/11/belleayre-gondola-already-in-the-works/

I track new lift construction on my website, and asked ORDA for details on the proposed Belleayre and Whiteface lifts.  Also asked whether the Bear Den lift at Whiteface will be a high speed quad and got no response.  If anyone hears anything on lift type, manufacturer, or timeline for either lift please let me know.

Orda simply does not move that fast.  Asking for bids so they can get the money is different than ordering the lift.

Plenty of time for this to get scaled back.  It would be the single stupidest thing Orda has ever done and they have done plenty of stupid stuff.

stupid is = stupid does
We've all heard the reasons why this is a bad idea. I basically hate belle so I really don't care what they do. It just pisses me off to see my tax money being wasted on stupid. Bad enough all the stupid sh@#% I see being built. Of course this I just my opinion.