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View Full Version : Toland: Season Pass Sales up 17% YTD



Tin Woodsman
10-12-2008, 09:44 PM
Per JJ Toland in the BFP article linked below, season pass sales at SB are up 17% vs 2007. That's extremely impressive to me, and I wonder what could be driving it? Disaffected K-Marters? Just people paying attention to the mountain's steady ascendancy in the New England skiing consciousness? The consequence of a bed base that's now growing for the first time in 25 years? Good news for the mountain either way, and I'd love to see the similar numbers for its most important local competitors.


http://burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081012/NEWS02/810120317

happygirl
10-12-2008, 11:34 PM
I think its because there are alot of people unhappy with Killington's new management. There are alot of people that are very happy with Sugarbush's management and mountain. :wink:

summitchallenger
10-13-2008, 07:23 AM
I think its because there are alot of people unhappy with Killington's new management. There are alot of people that are very happy with Sugarbush's management and mountain. :wink:

X 2.

HowieT2
10-13-2008, 08:02 AM
Goes to show you what a difference management and marketing can make. If you've seen the recent resort guides in Powder and Ski, KMart has fallen off the face of the earth.

shadyjay
10-13-2008, 04:55 PM
One drive down Rt 4 today in the Killington/Pico region and you need two hands to count the closed down hotels/restaurants/etc. And I'm not including K-Road.

Its great news to hear that pass sales are up. That is what is required if we want projects to go through like the finishing of the Lincoln Peak base area, VH chair replacement, and eventual I-Pod upgrading at ME. It all helps! Now all we need is a winter equal to or better than last year. The only downside to all this is more people on the slopes - as long as they don't all try to go on a wind hold day like last year. But I'm sure it'll balance itself out and there's plenty of room for us all to play.

I picked up my pass on Sunday - couldn't make it to Community Day on Sat.

Now I'm ready.... bring on the winter!!!!!!

gone.skiing
10-13-2008, 09:25 PM
Word is out about the new moguls program.

flakeydog
10-13-2008, 11:06 PM
This is great news. I think there are 2 contributing factors here

1) it just got a lot more expensive to travel out west to ski ($25-50 per bag each way, plus generally higher fares). Driving is still cheap by comparison, especially if you have multiple people in the car.

2) getting a pass now locks in your recreational entertainment budget for the next 6 months or so. If you are flat broke in march, it is nice to know you can go up the the mountain and ski without having to shell out $70/ticket.

and yes, sugarbush is doing a good job of stepping up to the plate and running the place like it should be.

happygirl
10-14-2008, 08:54 AM
People come up to Sugarbush because of the moguls,trees and better terrain etc. Some of the other resorts that are closer to Boston groom everything to a flat boring surface. Places like Loon and Sundayriver for example. I think its worth the little extra drive to get a good ski experience. Plus, Win is a very nice man.

teleo
10-14-2008, 09:20 AM
I think its because there are alot of people unhappy with Killington's new management. There are alot of people that are very happy with Sugarbush's management and mountain. :wink:

X 2.

+1

skimom
10-14-2008, 12:04 PM
I just hope it doesn't get too crowded!

Fourwide
10-14-2008, 12:26 PM
That's easy--the more spacious Castlerock Pub!

ski_resort_observer
10-14-2008, 02:02 PM
I think all the reasons already mentioned are parts of the puzzle. Here's another IMHO.

The Bush is pretty unique in that we have two separate mountains so we can offer a much more diversified seasons pass product which matches well to a very income diversified market. We have a very dedicated group of folks who love Mt Ellen. We offer a SP for just Mt Ellen for much cheaper than an all-mountain SP at the Bush as well as most other resorts who just have one mountain. For some folks this can be the diference between skiing at Mt Ellen or simply not skiing at all. You can also get a ME plus pass which gives you LP for some of the ski season, again for much cheaper than the all-mountain SP at the Bush and a pass at Stowe.

Again, just another piece in addition to the reasons already mentioned. Probably works best for the regional market like folks from Burlington. Not a major chunk of the Bush's market, raising a toast to all our awesome guests from MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, but a big enough piece to make a diference.

happygirl
10-14-2008, 02:09 PM
I think all the reasons already mentioned are parts of the puzzle. Here's another IMHO.

The Bush is pretty unique in that we have two separate mountains so we can offer a much more diversified seasons pass product which matches well to a very income diversified market. We have a very dedicated group of folks who love Mt Ellen. We offer a SP for just Mt Ellen for much cheaper than an all-mountain SP at the Bush as well as most other resorts who just have one mountain. For some folks this can be the diference between skiing at Mt Ellen or simply not skiing at all. You can also get a ME plus pass which gives you LP for some of the ski season, again for much cheaper than the all-mountain SP at the Bush and a pass at Stowe.

Again, just another piece in addition to the reasons already mentioned. Probably works best for the regional market like folks from Burlington. Not a major chunk of the Bush's market, raising a toast to all our awesome guests from MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, but a big enough piece to make a diference.

Us, Massachusetts folks thank-you. :wink:

mikec13
10-14-2008, 06:43 PM
I think all the reasons already mentioned are parts of the puzzle. Here's another IMHO.

The Bush is pretty unique in that we have two separate mountains so we can offer a much more diversified seasons pass product which matches well to a very income diversified market. We have a very dedicated group of folks who love Mt Ellen. We offer a SP for just Mt Ellen for much cheaper than an all-mountain SP at the Bush as well as most other resorts who just have one mountain. For some folks this can be the diference between skiing at Mt Ellen or simply not skiing at all. You can also get a ME plus pass which gives you LP for some of the ski season, again for much cheaper than the all-mountain SP at the Bush and a pass at Stowe.

Again, just another piece in addition to the reasons already mentioned. Probably works best for the regional market like folks from Burlington. Not a major chunk of the Bush's market, raising a toast to all our awesome guests from MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, but a big enough piece to make a diference.


Don't forget us guys from Little Rhody

madhavok
10-15-2008, 10:37 AM
Good for business I guess, but what about the extra skiers headed down the Valley House Traverse. Yikes!

Last Tracks
10-15-2008, 10:52 AM
Just to put this in perspective, from what I hear, pass sales are down about 10% in units at ski areas out west and lodging bookings are down 20% in units.

Tin Woodsman
10-15-2008, 10:56 AM
I think I also read that K-Mart was down slightly and Stowe was flat. That says something to me.