SAM Magazine-Londonderry, Vt., Mar. 20, 2006-An investment group led by a Connecticut lawyer is set to purchase Magic Mountain ski area here for about $3 million, according to the current owners. A report in the Brattleboro (Vt.) Reformer termed the deal "imminent." The sale would give Magic its fourth owner in the last 10 years. Magic general ...

SAM Magazine-Park City, Ut., Mar. 16, 2006-American Skiing Company (ASC) reported total consolidated revenue of $112.5 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2006, up 6 percent from $106.1 million for the year-earlier period. Revenue from resort operations was $109.9 million compared with $103.4 million in 2005. This year's total represents a rec...

SAM Magazine-Flagstaff, Ariz., Mar. 14, 2006-The Arizona Snowbowl will open on Friday, Mar. 17, after a recent storm cycle dropped 56 inches of snow. Snowbowl had received just 22 inches in the 2005-06 season prior to the recent storms, leading to the latest opening in the resort's history. "We are happy to finally open for the skiers and snowbo...

SAM Magazine-McClean, Va., Mar. 14, 2006-Overall sales for the winter sport market were up 9 percent to $1.8 billion for the August 2005 through January 2006 period, compared to $1.7 billion a year earlier, according to the SIA Retail Audit. Unit sales were up 8 percent. Sales at specialty ski and snowboard shops were up 8 percent, to $1.4 billi...

SAM Magazine-Denver, Colo., Mar.14, 2006-Colorado resorts hosted a record 5.2 million-plus skiers and snowboarders from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, according to Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA). This represents an increase of more than five percent over the same time period last season, and more than 230,000 visits ahead of the state's previous best J...

SAM Magazine--March 13, 2006, Vancouver, B.C.--After the sale of Mammoth Mountain to Starwood Capital, Intrawest announced today that it will sell the majority of its real estate holdings in the town of Mammoth Lakes for $60 million pre-tax profit to the same company. The real estate comprises the future development of over 1,100 residential units ...

SAM Magazine--Vail, Colo., March 13, 2006--Vail Resorts released its second quarter results today (three months ended January 31) and the snow gods were kind. First, the company reports that skier visits increased 7.9 percent over the same period last year, giving Vail Resorts a new skier visit record--2,875,000 million versus 2,664,000 during the...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Feb. 28, 2006-Overall sales for the winter sport market (including specialty and chain stores) rose 13 percent, to $1.5 billion, for the August through December period of 2005, compared to $1.3 billion a year earlier, according to the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) Retail Audit. Unit sales were up 14 percent. Sales...

SAM Magazine-The U.S. has the world's most expensive six-day lift pass, priced at more than $500, according to the 2005-06 World Lift Ticket Price Survey. The survey, the fifth annual such report from Snow Hunter Ltd., presents a broad review of six-day lift ticket prices from more than 300 ski areas in 30 countries. For bargain-hunters, Iran is...

SAM Magazine-Vancouver, B.C., Feb. 28, 2006-Intrawest has initiated a review of strategic options for enhancing shareholder value, including, but not limited to, a capital structure review, strategic partnerships or business combinations. The company has retained Goldman, Sachs & Co. to assist in the review, which is already underway. No timetable ...

SAM Magazine-Avon, Colo., Feb. 28, 2006-Vail Resorts has named Robert Katz as chief executive officer, effective immediately, and promoted several other executives, including Vail VP/COO Bill Jensen and Breckenridge and Keystone VP/COO Roger McCarthy. Last but not least, Joe R. Micheletto has been elected chairman of the board. As part of its reorg...

SAM Magazine-Steamboat Springs, Colo., Feb. 28, 2006-American Skiing Co. (ASC) is selling the remaining units in its Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel & Condominiums on Mar. 18 during a live and online auction Mar. 18. The auction will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom units and penthouse residences, including more than 200 fractional shares and more t...

SAM Magazine--Montpelier, Vt., February 8, 2006--The Vermont Ski Areas Association announced that Parker Riehle has been named the new president of the trade association. Victoria Provost was also promoted to VP of marketing. Riehle replaces departing president David Dillon, who has accepted the head position at the Haystack Club. Riehle has rep...

SAM Magazine--February 7, 2006--This is a reminder that on February 11, the Sports Illustrated for Kids Next Snow All Stars program will lead NBC's opening-day coverage of the Winter Olympic Games. The show will air at 2 p.m. EST, 1 p.m. Central, 12 p.m. Mountain, and 11 a.m. Pacific time. The Next Snow event, which was created by Jack Turner of...

SAM Magazine-Vail, Colo., Jan. 30, 2006-Vail Resorts, Inc. chairman and CEO Adam Aron will resign June 28, ten years after he first accepted the position. Vail will immediately commence a search for Aron's successor, which will include external and internal candidates. Aron said he will work closely with the company's board of directors to ensur...

SAM Magazine--Wilmington, Vt., January 25, 2006--After six years as president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association, David Dillon will move into the head position at the Haystack Club starting in mid-February. Haystack was purchased from the American Skiing Company last spring for $5 million by 2Cornell, Inc., and will be renovated and turned int...

SAM Magazine--Findley Lake, N.Y., January 25, 2006--According to published reports, after being on the market for a year, Peek'n Peak Resort has announced the sale of their western New York ski area to Kiebler Recreation, LLC, a real estate development and management company. Peek'n Peak has been owned by brothers Eugene and Norbert Cross since the...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Jan. 12, 2006-If early retail sales are a barometer for resort visits, this could be a banner year. Overall sales for the winter sports market were up 8 percent in both dollars and units for the August through November period of 2005. Sales totaled $696.9 million for the period, compared to $647.8 million reported last yea...

SAM Magazine-Denver, Colo., Jan. 11, 2006-The 25 member resorts of Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) set a new record for skier visits during the first part of the 2005-06 ski and snowboard season. Collectively, the areas hosted more than three million skier visits through Dec. 31, 2005, up 5.6 percent from last season and nearly 11 percent ahead t...

SAM Magazine-Lawrenceburg, Ind., Jan. 11, 2006-In a truly freak act of nature, the headwall at Perfect North Slopes fractured and avalanched Jan. 4 after a warm spell destabilized the machine-made snow at this Midwestern resort. The slide took out a lift tower on one lift and the electrical system on another. (SAM will provide photographic evidence...

SAM Magazine--Salt Lake City, Utah, January 9, 2006--The United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) issued a statement today following Bode Miller's appearance on "60 Minutes" on January 8. In the interview, Bode talked about racing while intoxicated and the dangers that lie therein. He was referring to celebrating a World Cup victory and w...

SAM Magazine--Hunter Mountain, January 9, 2006--The Slutzky family and staff of Hunter Mountain were saddened today with the death of one of the resort's founding fathers, Israel Slutzky. He died of natural causes in the early morning hours of January 8, 2006. He was 92. Israel (Izzy), along with his brother Orville, provided the vision for Hunter ...

SAM Magazine-Bretton Woods, N.H., Jan. 3, 2006-A three-alarm fire on New Year's Eve destroyed half of the 50 guest rooms at The Lodge at Bretton Woods, the resort-owned motor lodge that sits between the Bretton Woods ski area and the famed Mt. Washington Hotel. No one was injured in the fire, according to resort spokesmen. The resort relocated the ...

SAM Magazine-Mont Tremblant, Que., Jan. 3, 2006-The strike by 1,500 employees at Mont Tremblant ended today when union members accepted terms recommended by a provincial mediator. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. For Tremblant, the important news is that the resort will return to normal staffing quickly, perhaps by the coming weekend. ...

SAM Magazine-Mont Tremblant, Que., Dec. 19, 2005-More than 700 Mont Tremblant workers voted today to stay off the job until a contract settlement is reached with the resort. The strikers include all mountain ops and hotel employees-among them ski instructors, lift operators, maintenance workers, parking lots attendants, and food and beverage employ...

SAM Magazine--Park City, Utah, December 13, 2005--American Skiing Company (ASC) didn't have to look far for the new managing director of Mount Snow. The company announced that Kelly Pawlak has been promoted to the position. Pawlak has been with Mount Snow for 20 years, most recently as VP of brand management. Pawlak replaces Stan Hansen who was pro...

SAM Magazine--December 2, 2005--Peak Resorts, based out of St. Louis, Missouri, has entered into a long-term agreement to operate the Jack Frost and Big Boulder ski areas in Pennsylvania starting this season. The areas are owned by The Blue Ridge Real Estate Companies. With the addition of the two ski areas, Peak Resorts will now operate nine wi...

SAM Magazine--December 1, 2005, East Burke, VT--According to the Caledonian-Record, the long-speculated-upon sale of Burke Mountain in Vermont to the Ginn Company was completed on Tuesday November 29. Burke Mountain was bought out of auction by the Burke Mountain Academy in 2000. Other parcels of land surrounding the ski area were also sold at ...

SAM Magazine--November 16, 2005--The ski and snowboard season kicked off, as it does most years, at Loveland Ski Area in Colorado on October 14. Two weeks later, Killington kicked off its season on October 29 after almost two feet of snow fell in Vermont. Warmer temperatures after the Halloween weekend forced the area to close with a reopening plan...

SAM Magazine-Boyne, Mich., Nov. 14, 2005-Boyne USA, Inc., is selling Cypress Mountain, B.C., and the scenic Gatlinburg Sky Lift to CNL Income Properties Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT)-and then leasing them back. The $47.5 million agreement is expected to close by the first quarter of 2006. CNL Income Properties will own 100 percent...

SAM Magazine-Sacramento, Calif., Nov. 2, 2005-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) and California's winter resorts have launched a California Snow Campaign to boost visits to the state. The California Snow Campaign includes a 30-second spot featuring Governor Schwarzenegger skiing, along with upbeat...

SAM Magazine-York, Pa., Nov. 2, 2005-Ron Hawkes is the new GM at Ski Roundtop in south central Pennsylvania. "Ron brings well-rounded expereience and much enthusiasm to the resort," said Scott Romberger, president of Roundtop parent company Snow Time, Inc. Hawkes was previously at Hunter Mountain, where he served in several capacities over the p...

SAM International, France (SnowHunter)--In the continuing trend to identify and quantify the efforts mde by ski resorts to minimise their environmental impact, Courchevel in France has detailed what the Three Valleys, the world's largest ski area, is doing in this regard. The Three Valleys, which operates 1,920 snow cannons, 183 ski lifts and 67...

SAM International, Great Britain (SnowHunter)--The Ski Club of Great Britain's Respect the Mountain Campaign, which was launched to help safeguard the natural environment and the long-term future of skiing, has been jointly awarded the Lucy Dicker Award which acknowledges innovation and outstanding contribution to the ski industry. The Lucy Dick...

SAM Magazine--Lakewood, Colo., October 28, 2005--The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced that the Marco Island Marriott in Florida, slated to host the 2006 national convention, incurred minimal damage from Hurricane Wilma. In an ironic twist, the 2006 national trade show and convention had already been moved from New Orleans to Marco Is...

SAM Magazine-Whistler, B.C., Oct. 26, 2005-In an effort to further cement its position as one of North America's top resorts, Intrawest plans to construct a high-capacity gondola nearly three miles long, linking the peaks of Blackcomb and Whistler mountains, according to a report in Canada's The Globe and Mail. The C$50 million project will link...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Oct. 25, 2005-Jim Weinstein, 101, one of the original founders of the trade organization that became SIA and for four decades the organization's corporate counsel, died Oct. 20 in Woodstock, Vt. Weinstein teamed with client Lew Russfield, owner of Sun Valley Skiwear, to help organize the National Ski Equipment and Cloth...

SAM Magazine-Windham, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2005-Snow Time, Inc., owner of Ski Roundtop, Liberty Mountain Resort and Whitetail Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania, is selling Windham Mountain to a group of local investors, including Windham president Dan Frank. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The investors include Dick Jordan, a local developer, and ...

SAM Magazine-Vancouver, B.C., Oct. 19, 2005-Gary Raymond, the head of Intrawest Placemaking (read: real estate development) who has played a significant role in building Intrawest's resort villages, is resigning from the company later this year to pursue other business interests. Placemaking CFO Drew Stotesbury will serve as interim head of the div...

SAM Magazine-Glenwood Springs, Colo., Oct. 13, 2005-Sunlight Mountain Resort, 10 miles southwest of Glenwood Springs, Colo., is for sale for $50 million, according to Richard Schafstall, president and CEO. The sale includes the U.S. Forest Service permit for the 2,081 acres (including 67 trails and 470 acres of skiable terrain), four lifts, a ba...

SAM Magazine-Bakerville, Colo., Oct. 13, 2005- Mid-winter conditions arrived last weekend in Colorado, allowing Loveland Ski Area, situated atop the Continental Divide, to open for the 2005-06 ski season on Friday, Oct. 14. Loveland will be the first resort in North America to open for the sixth year in a row. The area will offer skiing and riding ...

SAM Magazine--Granby, Que., October 12, 2005--After just over a year under the Camoplast umbrella, the grooming division, which includes the BR 350 and the BR 180, will be bought by Prinoth, which is part of the Leitner Group. As of November 7, Prinoth will be in charge of design, engineering, R&D, service, parts and sales, while Camoplast will ...

SAM Magazine--Salt Lake City, Utah, October 10, 2005--The executive board of Ski Utah/Utah Ski and Snowboard Association announced that it will name Nathan Rafferty the new president of the organization. Rafferty replaces Kip Pitou who was let go in early September. Rafferty has been with Ski Utah since 1994, most recently as the director of com...

SAM Magazine-Mammoth Mountain, Calif., Oct. 5 2005-Starwood Capital Group Global, L.L.C. is taking a majority interest in Mammoth Mountain. The transaction values Mammoth at $365 million. Rusty Gregory will retain his position as chairman and CEO of Mammoth Mountain, and will continue to own a substantial stake in the company. Intrawest will also ...

SAM Magazine--Park City, Utah, October 5, 2005--Last week, American Skiing Company announced the promotion of Stan Hansen to senior vice president of real estate. Until now, Hansen was the president and managing director of ASC's Mount Snow resort in Vermont. In his new position, Hansen will have the responsibility for the planning and executio...

September 27, 2005, From World Snow News--In a new brochure, Vail Ski Area in Colorado is claiming that it contains more pisted runs than any other ski area in the world. It is currently unclear whether the claim refers to the length of piste, the area of piste or possibly to the amount of terrain groomed each night. Whistler Blackcomb in Cana...

SAM Magazine-Ishpeming, Mich., Sept. 26, 2005-Three ski-area legends lead this year's group of inductees for the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame: David D. R. (Darcy) Brown, long-serving president of Aspen Resorts Corporation in Colorado; Walter Foeger, who developed Vermont's Jay Peak Ski Resort; and Erich Sailer, one of American's top race coaches,...

SAM Magazine--Lakewood, Colo., September 15, 2005--The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced today that it would be moving its 2006 national trade show and convention from New Orleans to Marco Island, Fla. Thanks to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, the fate of New Orleans and its ability to host business conventions is in doubt, prom...

SAM Magazine--Running Springs, Calif., September 15, 2005--In the race of the firsts, Snow Valley, Calif., fired up its snowguns at 2:30 a.m. on September 12, becoming the first ski area to make snow. While the snowmaking was fired up for testing purposes, marketing manager Kevin Somes took the opportunity to make a few turns. Snow Valley also p...

SAM Magazine--Salt Lake City, Utah, September 9, 2005--The executive board of Ski Utah announced this week that it would replace executive director Kip Pitou. A nationwide search for a new director will be conducted immediately. According to the press release, last season's record snowfall and resort visits, coupled with additional funding from ...

SAM Magazine--Donner Summit, CA, September 9, 2005--Joining several ski areas across the country, Boreal Mountain Resort will devote all of its slopes to freestyle terrain for the upcoming season. In total, the area will spend $700,000 on the new terrain, which will include 100 rails, jumps and funboxes, as well as a 450-foot-long superpipe that wi...

SAM Magazine-Evergreen, Colo., Sept. 2, 2005-Thirty years after a small ski area called Squaw Pass closed its doors here, new owners are transforming the overgrown slopes into Echo Mountain Snowboard and Ski Park. For 2005-06, the park will have a triple chair, handle tow, 600 vertical feet, and 30 acres of terrain features, along with a new base l...

SAM Magazine--Minnesota--Spirit Mountain in Duluth and Welch Village, south of the Twin Cities, will offer an unlimited season pass good at both areas, whihc are unaffiliated. The Spirit Village Pass goes on sale today for $369. "The joint promotion really highlights the benefits of a cooperative marketing effort, rather than a competitive sales...

SAM Magazine-Vail, Colo., Sept. 2, 2005-Vail Resorts' cash contribution of $50,000 makes it a gold-level sponsor of the City and County of Denver's efforts to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The focal point of this effort will be a concert at Denver's Red Rocks Amphitheater on Monday, Sept. 12 by the Dave Matthews Band. Promoters beli...

SAM Magazine-Seattle, Wash., Aug. 18, 2005-Acordia Resort & Recreation is partnering with Markel Re's SMART (Specialized Markel Alternative Risk Transfer) division. "The addition of SMART as a key partner will allow us to expand the scope and competitiveness of the Resort program," said John Roberts, managing director of Acordia Alternative Risk. ...

SAM Magazine-Durango, Colo., Aug 10 2005-Hank Thiess will become general manager and COO for Durango Mountain Resort in September, with responsibility for all aspects of resort operations. That includes the mountain, village, lodging, food and beverage and sales and marketing. He replaces Bill Rock, who left in June to become GM at Snowshoe, W.Va. ...

SAM Magazine-Durango, Colo., Aug. 9, 2005-The signature Snow Monsters event, the NextSnow SEARCH, will stage a special "All Stars" event that will serve as the warm-up act for NBC's opening-day coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics, which begin in Torino, Italy, on Feb. 11. The event will air from 2 to 3 p.m. EST; it will actually take place in Keys...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Aug. 9, 2005-SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is launching a pilot education seminar series, "Capitalizing on Today's Business Environment," in September. Workshops will focus on sales, marketing and effective small business practices, with separate tracks for retailers, suppliers, and reps. The seminars will take place...

SAM Magazine--Wrightwood, Calif., July 14, 2005--Mountain High Resort in southern California was bought by Valor Equity Partners and former GM Karl Kapuscinski and key members of his management team. Valor is a Chicago-based private equity investment fund and licensed Small Business Investment Company. Kapuscinski will now become president and CEO ...

SAM Magazine-Pinkham Notch, N.H., July 13, 2005-Wildcat Ski Mountain is for sale. The area, located across the valley from Mt. Washington, has 225 acres of trails on a 2,100 vertical , served by four chairlifts, including a base-to-summit detachable. Wildcat's owner for the past 20 years is Franchi Management, a Boston-based real estate firm he...