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Skier
Visits
As
the population of the Puget Sound region has increased dramatically
over the years, skier visits to the local day-use areas have
stagnated . Ski areas in the Pacific Northwest have continued to
complain about loss of profits (see below) over the past decade
based on not only global warming, but on actual skier visits. It is
difficult to believe at this point that additional money spent on
the "whistlerfication" of our unique day-use areas (which
operate under Special Use Permit on public land) will result in
anything other than the privatization of our public lands for
exclusive corporate gain. Still, Booth Creek Ski Holdings Inc. has
generated revenue on public lands and waters to the tune of nearly
$20 million annually.
$20,000,000
revenue, yet they want to take away public land, charge you to be
there, restrict access to your public land, and privatize the
Alpental valley by lifts, gondola, and restaurant into the
backcountry!
articles:
Profits swoop to bottom line for The Summit
"The 2003/04 ski season was challenging on several
fronts," said Betsy Cole, chief financial officer of Booth
Creek Ski Holdings Inc., the nationwide owner of Snoqualmie skiing
facilities at The Summit. New Hampshire resorts faced very
frustrating weather conditions for the better part of the season
(and) Lake Tahoe resorts experienced the balmiest March in 70 years
effectively ending early that ski season.
"On a positive note," continued Cole, "we were
pleased to see the expected rebound in visitation at the
(Snoqualmie) Summit this season, as weather and operating conditions
returned to a more normal state following the 2002/03 season, which
was the most difficult season in many years at the Summit and
throughout the Pacific Northwest."
The total number of skier visits to The Summit for the six months
ended April 30 were some 475,000 -- a 46 percent increase over the
prior year. Operating income for the resort segment of Booth Creek
rose by $163 million in comparison to the same fiscal quarter in
2003.
"Washington Zone – Washington Zone Chairman Dan Brewster
indicated that Washington operators had a very challenging winter,
logging 1.43 million skier visits (a 33 percent decline from the
previous winter). Brewster noted the Washington Zone’s
restructuring of the Zone’s marketing efforts (i.e., retention of
Vision Marketing for administration of ongoing marketing
initiatives). Last winter, the Washington Zone continued a
self-examination of its core programs. Going forward, all marketing
programs will need to demonstrate a capacity to achieve one or both
of the following: (1) attract new entrants to the sports of skiing
and snowboarding and (2) increase the overall visibility of
snowsports (sic.) in Washington state’s population centers. With
that in mind, the Washington Zone will launch a statewide learn-to
ski/snowboard initiative (that is now in its 3rd year) and work on
improvements to the 2003 Washington SnowSports Expo. In addition to
marketing, the Washington Zone will track legislative issues in
Olympia. (Note: With the nation’s highest minimum wage ($7.16 as
of 01/01/04), one bright light in Washington state was passage of
S.B. 6097, which will require the calculation of a claimant’s
weekly unemployment insurance benefit to be based on the average of
the three highest quarters (in 2004), and then the average of four
quarters (in 2005))."
PNSAA minutes 10/16/03
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