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

Lift Blog wrote

If anyone hears anything on lift type, manufacturer, or timeline for either lift please let me know.

I would think that the request for proposals would be found on a NYS gov't site like this.

Found bid documents for a Catskill Thunder Gondola: https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/iframes/openAdDetail.cfm?id=3D05637E-9FC3-41A3-82B9-A15200265A48
Contract completion date is 12/1/2017.

Still looking for one for a Whiteface Bear Den-Midstation lift.  Seems less likely to happen this summer.

Holy crap those idiots are actually going to build this stupid thing.

We need to start a petition drive to stop this lunacy and waste of our taxpayer dollars.

That's nothing. Peeps on here used to advocate for a North Creek to Gore Gondi.

Snowballs wrote

That's nothing. Peeps on here used to advocate for a North Creek to Gore Gondi.

I thought they would come to their senses and relocate that project to be the Gore Mountain to Bakers Mills Gondi. They could call it the J&J express...

Rather than complaining about it, sign the petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/393/831/026/demand-sensible-investment-at-new-york-state-operated-ski-resorts/?taf_id=35254742&cid=fb_na#bbfb=232438053

This is legit guys. I don't want to hear any flack about this petition. These concerns are huge. The poor investments could effect skier visits negatively, and be harmful to local business in the area. Every one on this forum should sign it.

Harv, anyway you can send out an email to every forum member? NY Ski Blog is a voice that needs to be heard.

Snowballs wrote

That's nothing. Peeps on here used to advocate for a North Creek to Gore Gondi.

That gondola would work if they put a casino in North Creek.  They could have valet parking in town and replace the base lodge bar with a bistro, and sushi in the Saddle lodge too.  

mm

Ethan Snow wrote

Rather than complaining about it, sign the petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/393/831/026/demand-sensible-investment-at-new-york-state-operated-ski-resorts/?taf_id=35254742&cid=fb_na#bbfb=232438053

This is legit guys. I don't want to hear any flack about this petition. These concerns are huge. The poor investments could effect skier visits negatively, and be harmful to local business in the area. Every one on this forum should sign it.

Harv, anyway you can send out an email to every forum member? NY Ski Blog is a voice that needs to be heard.

+1

mm

As a NYS tax payer if this is the biggest waste of our tax dollars this year it will be a good year. 8 mill is like pissing in the ocean.

I ain't signin' shit

Somewhere there are a whole bunch of skiers pretty psyched about this.

campgottagopee wrote

As a NYS tax payer if this is the biggest waste of our tax dollars this year it will be a good year.

Don't worry - it won't be.

PeeTex wrote

campgottagopee wrote

As a NYS tax payer if this is the biggest waste of our tax dollars this year it will be a good year.

Don't worry - it won't be.

Sad ain't it

According to the bid the gondola specs are:
Length - 1985m or about 6500 feet
Vertical - 370m or about 1213 feet
Max speed - 305m/minute or 1000ft/minute
8 passenger cabins
2000 people /hour

I hate to say this, but I think there is a chance that a Gondola could help Belleayre financially. Being completely honest, I do think that more snowmaking for opening more terrain by Christmas is more important, but the Gondola may bring more people out for a different reason. There is this whole group of skiers who really only come out during Christmas week and Presidents week. These people rent SUVs, rent skis, stay at the most expensive place in town and buy the most expensive Vegan options at the cafeteria. These people are also not very good skiers and do not like the cold. They ski more because they feel that puts them at a higher social economic status. They typically prefer mountains with gondolas to keep them out of the cold, and so they can have a conversation with their friends/family throughout the day.  These are the gapers who lap the gondola at Whiteface, Gore, Killington, you name the mountain, and generally ski easier terrain anyway. These people do spend a lot of money at the resort, and Belleayre having a gondola may bring some of them in who would otherwise go to a place like Stratton.

The city soft/poseur factor is undeniable.

I was at Belle for a few hours on Saturday.  Sources told me that the point of the Gondola was to serve the base which will eventually be the site of the main lodge.  In other words they plan, in the long run to move most services to the true base and the mid-lodge will be secondary, the way Whiteface is set up.

That makes sense. I do like the current setup the way out is tho. The whole concept of the bridge over the road to connect the Tomahawk area to the base seems like a bad idea. I'm not sure how else they will connect the two areas. Is thee any plan to keep the tomahawk lift, or re-locate it? I think If a gondola were to go there, they would need an option to stay on that area without going all the way to the bottom.

Anyone been here before? This is not new, and I think I see a trail crossing the road, and some sort of lift going from base to the top of Tomahawk.
http://www.belleayreresort.com/development.htm

The cheaper thing to do is close the parking lot and build the road over the run vs the other way around.

My take a is until Belleryre shows it can break even a dime more should not be spent to improve it as if it keeps losing money the next Gov may just shut it down as Orda alluded to in the recent report.

The Orda ? Who dat ?

Coach Z wrote

My take a is until Belleryre shows it can break even a dime more should not be spent to improve it as if it keeps losing money the next Gov may just shut it down as the Orda alluded to in the recent report.

I didn't know that Belleayre was losing money. It seems like a decent place to me, but I guess that's because my tax dollars are subsidizing it. I guess if the next gov does shut it down that will be good for Plattekill. Maybe even go so far as problematic. Perhaps Laz can buy it, and offer a dual pass.