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  • SAMMY Awards are Launched
    This article is a recap of the innaugural SAMMY awards presented at the NSAA annual meeting on Marco Island, Florida. It includes a brief explanation of the awards and encapsulates the contributions of the first five winners, Tim Boyd, Guy Desrosiers, Stacy Gardner, Karl Kapuscinski and Ed Pitoniak.
  • Internet's Explosive Growth-An Overview
    This piece examines the demographic similarities between skiers and Internet users and reviews what resorts are doing to keep up with Web-savvy consumers. It discusses the fact that marketing departments are being driven to develop new strategies and techniques to reach skiers who like to book vacations on-line. The article is accompanied by charts illustrating the demographics of skiers, U.S. Internet users and all U.S. adults, as well as the percentage of skiers/boarders with Internet access by different demograhic divisions.
  • Planning and Staging Special Events
    This article explains the ins and outs of planning special events from large media happenings to intimate charity events. The piece explains, in detail, that rigorous planning is essential for success regardless of the scale of the event. Sidebars on tips on promoting and staging a race and on the most important tough questions that planners need to ask themselves are included.
  • A REIT is Formed in the Ski Industry
    The establishment of a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) may radically change the ski area landscape. This article discusses the REIT concept with a brief analysis and history by David Harbaugh.
  • They Met, They Learned, They PLayed
    This wrap-up of meetings and conferences has photos and descriptions from the Cross Country Ski Areas Association meeting in Sun Valley, the Lift Maintenance Seminar at Butternut, Mass., the Rocky Mountain Lift Association meeting in Colorado Springs, the California Ski Industries Association Maint. and Ops Conference at Diamond Peak, the Canada West Ski Areas Assoc. Conference at Kelowna, B.C., the NSAA national Trade Show and Convention at Marco Island, Fla., and the Quebec Ski Areas Association meeting at Mont Tremblant.
  • Seth Says: Suppliers Pull Together for Shorter Sell-in Cycle
    This article explores the fact that after SIA decided to negotiate a shorter sell-in cycle by reducing the number of trade shows, most suppliers agreed. The article discusses scheduling of on-snow demos and trade shows for the 1999-2000 selling season.
  • Sheave Assembly 101
    This article explains how to extend the life of a lift and prevent accidents through proper cleaning, lubing and alignment of sheave assemblies.
  • Construction Site
    Snowshoe spending $36 million on lifts, housing and a new lodge; Camelback building a $4 million water park; Big Sky is building a $45 million luxury Summit Hotel Condominium; Jackson Hole spending $11 million on the Cody House, medical clinic and six condo units; Squaw Valley's $1.1 million funitel.
  • Restraining Bars on Trial in Colorado
    This article discusses a Colorado Supreme Court decision that could leave state ski areas open to lawsuits if the don't install safety (restraining) bars on chairlifts. The court ruled ski resorts have to "ensure the highest level of safety available for lift passengers" beyond the standards established by the state agency regulating such equipment. The decision surrounds the case of Eric Bayer, a 19-year-old skier who fell from a lift at Crested Butte in 1992.
  • Idea Files
    Three ideas are presented, including: chair loading guides for summer guests; handy APU directions attached to the auxiliary engine on a laminated card; and a simple stop gate for off-ramps to prevent bent gates and replacing spring-loaded gates.
  • Upbeat Cross-Country Conference
    Wiesel diuscusses the attendance and activities of the Cross Country Ski Areas Association meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho. He says the year saw record earnings for some areas and a growth in women and family markets. Jim Rennie spoke, as did Chad Dyer of AMI News and Kathy Murphy of Tubbs Snowshoes.
  • Blue Pages
    Tidbits on the Future Marketing Summit at Vail; how Colorado's smaller areas posted gains while the big resorts did not; the death of Birger Ruud, Norwegian jumping and downhill champion; Marc Hodler's stepping down from FIS; the return of the World Cup to Aspen; Sugarbush finally getting its hotel; Pam Murphy being named GM at Mammoth; Intrawest share sales; ASC's nice third quarter despite low stock numbers; and some of the more "colorful" quotes from readers on the new SAM Website.
  • Good Mood at NSAA Convention
    This article is a roundup of what transpired at the National Ski Areas Association annual convention and conference at Marco Island, Florida, May 26-29, 1998. The conference was marked by upbeat attendees having fun and learning about marketing, among the many subjects covered. Photos from the convention are on page 61.
  • The End Page
    The Art of Grooming, Homestead Resort, Mich., paints names on their grooming vehicles; Rl Nino...the Real Story, Kottke Report comments regarding waether's impact on 1997-98 skier visits; Where No Man Has Been Before, a fun letter on heli-skiing for first tracks at Sugarloaf, Me.; A Little Help From His Friends, the lowdown on how Bombardier's Bib Simard got serious air for those cool ads; Aspen Stretches it Too Far, High Country News reported architect Sam Claudill referenced "stretch Range Rovers" as he was inducted into the Aspen Hall of Fame.
  • Basic Components of Wire Rope
    This is the first in a series of articles on wire rope that was presented in the months prior to the OITAF International Congress in May 1999 in San FRancisco. This introduction to the basics of wire rope was reprinted from the Wire Rope User's Manual, a publication of the Wire Rope Technical Board. The article discusses the three main components of wire rope: 1) wires that form the strand, 2) multi-wire strands, and the 3) core.
  • 1998 Metro Newspaper Directory
    The 1998 Metro Newspaper Directory of newspapers with special ski sections and winter travel promotions in the big markets.
  • Growing Lift Mechanics at Vail Resorts
    Heidi's article explores Vail Resorts' development of an internal training program to fix its problem of a shortage of experience lift mechanics. The problem was an industry-wide problem. The Vail development became the first federally-approved lift-mechanic apprenticeship program in the U.S.
  • Expanding Summer Activities
    This article looks at what resorts are doing to attract business during the summer season, The article discusses everything from BMX events to waterslides and from symphony concerts to paint ball from coast to coast.
  • New Study: More Skiers Skiing Less
    David's article discusses a Gallup poll of skiers taken from April 24 through May 9, 1998. The survey involved 1,200 skiers and snowboarders and showed an estimated 1.7 million people in the U.S. skied or 'boarded an average of 2.1 days that season. The survey showed that it is very compatible with the NSAA Kottke Report and estimates made by industry marketers. It is possibly more evidence that the numbers used by marketers is "better" than NSGA and ADA research.
  • Our Industry's Enigmatic Mood
    A short editorial noted the "I'm all right, Jack" feeling at the NSAA convention at Marco Island, Fla; "True Good Friend of Skiing" is a tribute to Sir David English adapted from a letter by Bernie Weichsel; "Are Your Bathrooms Dirty at Home?" is a fictitious piece calling on resort management to take its employees seriously and treat them well in order to create a respect for the company that will be communicated to guests; "Still a Tangled Web": Skip King and John Clifford of ASC reply to Abby Rand's May article on frustrations of surfing resort Websites. Abby answers the reply.
  • Insights From 116 Areas Skied Last Season
    Jerry writes about fullfilling his dream of skiing every major resort in North America. He provides some insights on management and how to evaluate a resort from an insider's point of view. He also makes some predictions about the future.
  • Industry Reports
    This roundup includes reports on helmet and forest service issues that took center stage at Ski the Hill; Okemo's (Vt.) lease of Mt. Sunapee; Mt. Tom, Mass. closing; Financial trouble for Mt. Orford, Bromont and Stoneham, Quebec; David Cleary's resignation as counsel to NSAA; media news from STN's freq. change to Snow Country's name change and a new publication, Winter Adventure, from The Skiing Company; Intrawest and Compagnie des Alpes Form Alliance; New Resorts Developing in Montana, West Virginia; Executive Shifts at Vail and Booth Creek; People; Boston Mills/Brandywine Showcases Areco Guns; ASC Inks $7M Rental Fleet Deal and Supplier News.
  • SAM's Website is Launched
    Jennifer's memo discusses the details that went into launching the SAM Website and reviews its purpose.
  • Letters on Skiboarding and SAM's new look
    There is one letter on how shops can make the most of skiboarding's explosive growth. And then there are five letters on SAM's new look.
  • Consumer Ski Show Schedule and Contacts
    This page contains a schedule of consumer ski shows for October and November and a list of contacts.