Alterra buys sugarbush

[cg.99]

Welp, this is it. Sugarbush has been bought up by Alterra. Sources say that the owners wanted to stay privately family owned, but couldn't keep up with the cost to run it because of Climate Change and the big name companies driving up prices. The recent acquisition of Peak Resorts by vail was the tipping point.

IMO this is the beginning of the end. Peak resorts being bought up, even though all but two of their mountains are beat up and run down. Family owned mountains don't stand a chance now due to big names like Vail, Alterra, Boyne and others. Pretty soon it'll be choosing between supporting Vail and supporting Alterra for where you want to ski. With minimal competition, they will be able to dictate the prices, making skiing less affordable and reachable to many people.

Thoughts?

 

[WoFIowz]

Weren't they already on the IKON pass? This would probably make them unlimited skiing on the base pass now I would guess.

Skiing isn't affordable as it is. If anything, the passes make it more affordable for tourists who ski more than a week a year and less affordable for locals who ski the same place everyday. Sorry but locals are the minority in all honesty and tourists keep the mountains open. Many "locals" are transplants at one time or another anyway. Getting people to your mountain fills lodges, sells food and merchandise, and outside of skiing activities not to mention jobs. If anything it could help smaller more remote places survive by increasing infrastructure. Just a thought.

By the time they raise prices on season passes so high to cause issues, I'm predicting global warming will have drastically impacted many major resorts in the US which is probably part of these acquisitions. The companies are trying to reduce their risk by increasing their geographical reach. Or it's possible that resort numbers will dip too low and they will have to halt price hikes.

I will say, the world in general is becoming a huge monopoly of companies that is only getting worse. Think of Amazon, Google, telecommunication companies, banking, pharmaceuticals, etc. New massive acquisitions in every sector of the world are occurring all the time these days. The shit is scary what is happening and what could happen in 50-100yrs.

There's another thread about finance and skiing. These passes make it possible for folks like me to ski more. I spend well over the cost of the most expensive season pass to ski every year and the IKON /Epic pass are a huge discount to what people like me would normally pay to ski. All that said, I usually don't ski Alterra or Vail resorts anyway....yet.

 

[SkiBum.]

It makes it more affordable...

 

[cg.99]

It makes it more affordable...

I should correct myself. It makes it less affordable for the local and encourages tourists to visit. Not saying that tourists are a bad thing but I feel like one of the main reasons why sugarbush was so great was the feel it had because of the locals.

 

[eheath]

With minimal competition, they will be able to dictate the prices, making skiing less affordable and reachable to many people.

Thoughts?

Why would they want to make skiing less affordable and less reachable? More people = more money I'd argue mega-passes do the opposite, they make skiing cheaper and more reachable. Vail is doing a thing now where you can just buy a $109 epic day pass thats good at any resort, thats much cheaper than a normal day ticket at any vail resort.

 

[cg.99]

Why would they want to make skiing less affordable and less reachable? More people = more money I'd argue mega-passes do the opposite, they make skiing cheaper and more reachable. Vail is doing a thing now where you can just buy a $109 epic day pass thats good at any resort, thats much cheaper than a normal day ticket at any vail resort.

Stowe, for example has had their prices go up drastically since Vail acquired it. Other than the multi-mountain passes which do not appeal to many skiers, the individual passes have gotten significantly more expensive to an already expensive sport. Once Vail or Alterra owns enough of the competition, they will be able to make the mountains and passes more expensive with no one able to check them.

Correct me if Im wrong in any of this

 

[SkiBum.]

I should correct myself. It makes it less affordable for the local and encourages tourists to visit. Not saying that tourists are a bad thing but I feel like one of the main reasons why sugarbush was so great was the feel it had because of the locals.

I don’t know what a sugarbush season pass was, but I’m sure it’s going to be cheaper now under Ikon. And now you can ski Killington, Stratton and Tremblant? All somewhat close of a driving distance. For less money.

I’m not seeing how this is more expensive. Or worse.

 

[SkiBum.]

Stowe, for example has had their prices go up drastically since Vail acquired it. Other than the multi-mountain passes which do not appeal to many skiers, the individual passes have gotten significantly more expensive to an already expensive sport. Once Vail or Alterra owns enough of the competition, they will be able to make the mountains and passes more expensive with no one able to check them.

Correct me if Im wrong in any of this

Sure the ticket window price probably went up. But what? It went from $130 to $150? Who pays that shit anyway besides dumb weekend people from the city that come up 2 times a year.

Also you’re gonna have Vail and Alterra trying to beat each other. This brings prices down.

Economics are hard...

 

[cg.99]

I don’t know what a sugarbush season pass was, but I’m sure it’s going to be cheaper now under Ikon. And now you can ski Killington, Stratton and Tremblant? All somewhat close of a driving distance. For less money.

I’m not seeing how this is more expensive. Or worse.

The point I was trying to get across, maybe i didn't do a good job, is that overtime, as more and more mountains are under control of these companies, there will be no 'cheaper option' to the passes they offer, so they will be able to dictate the price-point. Not saying this will happen overnight but eventually, tickets will be running for much more than they are now

 

[SkiBum.]

The point I was trying to get across, maybe i didn't do a good job, is that overtime, as more and more mountains are under control of these companies, there will be no 'cheaper option' to the passes they offer, so they will be able to dictate the price-point. Not saying this will happen overnight but eventually, tickets will be running for much more than they are now

There is no cheaper option! Vail and Alterra are the cheaper option!!!!

 

[cg.99]

There is no cheaper option! Vail and Alterra are the cheaper option!!!!

but what happens if/when they decide to both raise their prices . Many of the local mountains that are being acquired had day tickets in the 80-100 range, and if vail or alterra decides to raise those prices, there will be nothing else to do other than buy this passes/tickets they sell.

 

[eheath]

Stowe, for example has had their prices go up drastically since Vail acquired it. Other than the multi-mountain passes which do not appeal to many skiers, the individual passes have gotten significantly more expensive to an already expensive sport. Once Vail or Alterra owns enough of the competition, they will be able to make the mountains and passes more expensive with no one able to check them.

Correct me if Im wrong in any of this

They wouldn't make it more expensive to ski. Lodging, retails, restaurants will get more expensive, but who cares? Skiing will likely stay the same price, if not get cheaper. Vail/Alterra make alot of money off of their passes too, but they make way more off day tickets/lodging/retail/food.

 

[cg.99]

They wouldn't make it more expensive to ski. Lodging, retails, restaurants will get more expensive, but who cares? Skiing will likely stay the same price, if not get cheaper. Vail/Alterra make alot of money off of their passes too, but they make way more off day tickets/lodging/retail/food.

In this context wouldn't staying at the same cost be essentially making more expensive. like if vail dumps money into a resort and makes less expensive to run, then hypothetically the passes should go down. By costing less and charging the same, it is making the resort more money at the expense of the consumer

 

[SkiBum.]

but what happens if/when they decide to both raise their prices . Many of the local mountains that are being acquired had day tickets in the 80-100 range, and if vail or alterra decides to raise those prices, there will be nothing else to do other than buy this passes/tickets they sell.

You can only inflate so much. And the name of their game currently is to have the most affordable/best pass product. Not inflate and be more expensive then the other.

Say one of them made their passes start at $1500. They would take a huge hit because the other still has a $600 pass.

You’re not really getting this whole idea here.

Skiing mega companies are here. They are not going anywhere. Skiing is becoming cheaper and easier on the season pass side. More expensive on the lodging and food side arguably.

 

[Lemuel]

Interested to see what happens with the for20's pass. Was hoping to milk my last year of a cheap pass next season. Wouldn't be surprised to see that disappear and have the ikon as the only option.

I don't travel to ski. The multi resort passes are not a huge seller for me. Of course with the option there I will most likely make a trip somewhere like I did on the epic last season.