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Peaks Resort may close ski area in Missouri

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Author	Post
skiingfanatic68 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 442 Location:Greencastle, PA	Posted: Sep 11, 2008 - 8:52 PM GMT I found this article today, very interesting. They are not the only area to have this type of problem, Wolf Ridge (Wolf Laurel) had problems with the town not too long ago. And rumours have been circulating that they were thinking of shutdown again due the town not working with them with expansion plans. Hidden Valley article

newman Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Aug 21, 2008 Posts: 2124 Location:The mighty SKI WARD Shrewsbury MA	Posted: Sep 11, 2008 - 9:25 PM GMT This reminds me of a town of 2,000 people in the Berkshires. This town would be crazy to let Peak pull out! I love the local people complaining about the lights and traffic. If the place closes they will say; Why did we let that tax revenue go? How can we get these jobs back in town? Who is going to cleen up this vacant eyesore for the town? If they shut down, I hope they build cell towers on top, for the town to enjoy.

pagamony Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 398 Location:NC	Posted: Sep 11, 2008 - 10:25 PM GMT It's not Wolf Ridge (nee Laurel), but rather Hawksnest Ski Area (www.skihawk.com) , in between Boone and Banner Elk, that has shut down this year supposedly due to disputes with the town of Seven Devils over infrastructure improvements and terrain expansion. It never appeared to be a real money making place, but it was a good low-crowd alternative to the other local ski areas. They will offer only tubing this year. We all hate to see it go. If anyone is maintaining a list of southeast lost ski areas, Hawksnest must be added to the active watch-list. Wolf Ridge is sort of a mystery ski area. Good potential but indifferent management that is now focused on real estate. __________ ski pipestem

skiingfanatic68 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 442 Location:Greencastle, PA	Posted: Sep 11, 2008 - 10:56 PM GMT Quote: It's not Wolf Ridge (nee Laurel), but rather Hawksnest Ski Area (www.skihawk.com) , in between Boone and Banner Elk, that has shut down this year supposedly due to disputes with the town of Seven Devils over infrastructure improvements and terrain expansion. It never appeared to be a real money making place, but it was a good low-crowd alternative to the other local ski areas. They will offer only tubing this year. We all hate to see it go. My bad, it was Hawknest, they stop the skiing operations and only offer tubing. Thanks for the correction.

newpylong Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 05, 2003 Posts: 1466 Location:Billerica, MA Enfield, NH	Posted: Sep 11, 2008 - 11:12 PM GMT That would be horrible if the town let that happen. Could the place you mean in the Berkshires go by the name of ____ Ashford? ha.

rickbolger Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 14, 2005 Posts: 2297 Location:Great Gorge, NJ	Posted: Sep 12, 2008 - 12:10 AM GMT After they put the cell towers on top of the mountain, they'll set up a special committee to study the lack of recreation opportunities for the local kids.

newman Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Aug 21, 2008 Posts: 2124 Location:The mighty SKI WARD Shrewsbury MA	Posted: Sep 12, 2008 - 1:55 AM GMT I thought of another Berkshire area that didnt get along with small town. Just over the mountain range in Petersberg NY. Doesnt that town or even Rensaler County wish they had a tourist attraction now?

rocket21 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 13, 2001 Posts: 8404 Location:USA	Posted: Sep 12, 2008 - 10:27 AM GMT Quote: This reminds me of a town of 2,000 people in the Berkshires. This town would be crazy to let Peak pull out! I love the local people complaining about the lights and traffic. If the place closes they will say; Why did we let that tax revenue go? How can we get these jobs back in town? Who is going to cleen up this vacant eyesore for the town? If they shut down, I hope they build cell towers on top, for the town to enjoy. This stuff is all too common - a few of the good ol boys try to rip off the ski area, the ski area tosses them out, then they develop a grudge and try to hurt the ski area at every turn. Meanwhile, in many instances, the ski areas tend to be the largest taxpayers in such towns. For folks who aren't familiar with ski areas/taxation, did you know that ski areas pay local taxes on chairlifts? Think about what will happen to the town if Peak pulls out the lifts and other equipment. __________ NewEnglandSkiHistory.com

skiingfanatic68 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 442 Location:Greencastle, PA	Posted: Sep 12, 2008 - 1:02 PM GMT I agree it has been going on for a longtime, even Powder Ridge had problems with the town trying to increase water capacity for snowmaking and for a future water park. They were able to get the permits for snowmaking with a limit on water withdrawal, but no water park. No one knows what is going to happen to Powder Ridge post-auction. Powder Mountain in Utah is another good example, looking to expand for years and create a year-round resort they are now creating their own town to force change in the governmental agency. Bad turned good, Mammoth Mountain, for many years the area and the town struggled on a decision on what direction to take the area and as a result the skier numbers dropped, enter Intrawest and the town finally had their visions answered and the major improvements were happening all around and back came the skiers. If you look at certain areas that ASC had such as Mount Snow & Killington they were better off with Pres Smith SKI LTD. The towns did well and the "marriage" was happy as they worked together. With change Mount Snow has seen a huge change not only at the mountain but by the locals, time will tell if the change was good. As for Killington, it will probably take much longer for the locals to regain trust in the current regime. By the way, wasn't Wildwood affect by the recent flooding but earlier in the late Spring/Summer? Not sure where in the town Hidden Valley is located, but were they also affected?

joshua segal Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 12, 2004 Posts: 5942 Location:NH	Posted: Sep 12, 2008 - 3:31 PM GMT It would seem that if the ski area predated the homes, that their rights are grandfathered in. There was a situation where a development was put in next to a cemetery and the residents began to complain about the traffic through their neighborhood for funeral processions. Then again, there was the woman who had a "moose crossing" sign placed in front of her home. She called the highway department to ask to have the "moose crossing" moved away from her home __________ Joshua Segal

midatlanticlost Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 20, 2007 Posts: 425 Location:WV	Posted: Sep 12, 2008 - 5:53 PM GMT We've had similar problems down here with our local road course and nimby types that apparently moved out into the "country" either in the middle of winter or exclusively in the middle of the week.

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