Rodeo at Beaver Creek.. RIP
- Thread starter thatsG
- Start date
T.L.
Active member
Tricky situation... Last year was the worst snow year the Beav had ever seen. We didn't get the greenlight to make snow in Rodeo until March so by that point the decision was made not to build the park with a little over a month left in the season. Because of the terrible snow year, everyone just kinda 'got it', why we didn't build it.
Fast forward to this summer. Not one single person complained that it wasn't built. Not one email, letter, tweet, comment. Nothing. So when the snowmaking plan was being developed for this winter the decision was made to reallocate the funds that have traditionally been used to build Rodeo, elsewhere within the resort.
We're hoping that guests and locals realize what happened and make their voices heard but without social media of any kind it's kinda hard to get the word out. Everyone on the park crew wants to build it but a handful of us park crew guys going on a crusade in an attempt to undermine the decisions of waaaay upper management is not a good look within the company so here we are... no Rodeo Park.
Fast forward to this summer. Not one single person complained that it wasn't built. Not one email, letter, tweet, comment. Nothing. So when the snowmaking plan was being developed for this winter the decision was made to reallocate the funds that have traditionally been used to build Rodeo, elsewhere within the resort.
We're hoping that guests and locals realize what happened and make their voices heard but without social media of any kind it's kinda hard to get the word out. Everyone on the park crew wants to build it but a handful of us park crew guys going on a crusade in an attempt to undermine the decisions of waaaay upper management is not a good look within the company so here we are... no Rodeo Park.
BC glory days were back around 2007-2010. Parking was free. There was "the lumberyard" which was a rail park located on latigo on the way to rodeo. And the jumps in rodeo used to be scary big. I remember one of the park crew guys cracking both his heel bones for not clearing the biggest jump. BC was arguably on par with the quality of Breck / Key parks at this time. It was a reliable place to push your limits as a park skier. What was even better about the BC scene was that there was a big community of people there just for the park. Lots of casual friendships developed and the mtn became more of a familiar place, with roots and ties to other people. Sort of like the feeling you get when you listen to This must be the place by Talking Heads. BC had some real good vibes back then. Those who were there know it. Magic was in the air!
Slowly, over the years, BC continually toned down their parks starting around 2011. The jumps became much smaller, the biggest being maybe around 40 ft - which really limited the tricks you could do. Compared to what once existed, the BC park scene withered really quick. Last year, rodeo wasn't even built. I thought it was perhaps because of the lack of snow. But sounds like there just ridding themselves of the whole thing. Too damn bad. I sense in some ways the administration there made a push to exterminate a lot of the local scene since it directly contradicted its uppity, affluent image. The locals aren't the rich, mink wearing individuals who will dish out $500 for dinner. Rather, they are the pot smokers, the drinkers who curse at the tourists standing amidst the table top. They are those with love for adrenaline. They will fly by the face lifted woman, sending panic down her spine. They do not uphold the family friendly, elegant image of BC. And BC knows the stranglehold of such people is the park itself. It is their breeding ground. So they finally cut all ties to rid themselves of the hooligans who gave personality and community to a place filled with transient wealth and superficial values.
And now its just not the same, man.
**This post was edited on Dec 7th 2018 at 5:27:42pm
Slowly, over the years, BC continually toned down their parks starting around 2011. The jumps became much smaller, the biggest being maybe around 40 ft - which really limited the tricks you could do. Compared to what once existed, the BC park scene withered really quick. Last year, rodeo wasn't even built. I thought it was perhaps because of the lack of snow. But sounds like there just ridding themselves of the whole thing. Too damn bad. I sense in some ways the administration there made a push to exterminate a lot of the local scene since it directly contradicted its uppity, affluent image. The locals aren't the rich, mink wearing individuals who will dish out $500 for dinner. Rather, they are the pot smokers, the drinkers who curse at the tourists standing amidst the table top. They are those with love for adrenaline. They will fly by the face lifted woman, sending panic down her spine. They do not uphold the family friendly, elegant image of BC. And BC knows the stranglehold of such people is the park itself. It is their breeding ground. So they finally cut all ties to rid themselves of the hooligans who gave personality and community to a place filled with transient wealth and superficial values.
And now its just not the same, man.
**This post was edited on Dec 7th 2018 at 5:27:42pm
topic:thatsG said:
Parks haven't been a target at BC for a while. I remember in 14/15 we had a sick 4 jump line. Nobody really builds 4 jump lines anymore. Had to axe the 4th it because 38-40 feet was wayyy too big.
It seemed like things were going the wrong direction so I got the fuck out after one year. Bummer. One of the best crew I ever worked with in terms of day staff.
Tom built some dope features trying to get things back on point. I'm not surprised but it's a bummer. Also I thought they stopped building it last year? Or was that just talk of it being done for this year.
It seems to be hit or miss based on resort with vail. The good thing though if places scale back that will open up a void that somebody will fill. It's much easier in places like the northeast where there are tons of hills, but hoping there are some solid fucking parks all over in the future.
It's weird though. Tons of people in parks, but park contests kind of died. I remember when every hill was hosting some kind of pro/semi pro pipe or park event.
That said Vail still has mtns that pump a ton of money into parks. Keystone, PC, Northstar, etc.