Alterra Mountain Company To Acquire Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah

[Philpug]

For those unhappy about it, we can't do much unfortunately except support the independents and if you can bring yourself to do it, hold your nose and purchase some shares of Vail so that at least you can profit from this mess. I hope that one day people will put pressure on politicians to create tougher anti-trust limitations from a regulatory perspective.

Okay, so I'm going to get off my soapbox about this. I know I have repeated this ad nauseam in one way or another on some other threads, so I better stop on this topic now before I risk simply sounding like a douche.

I forget who posted in another thread, he had the same concerns as you are posting then in the next breath loved how his Vail stock was doing.

I keep hearing, "oh, this is going happen or that is going to happen and you are all going to hate it"...not only about Vail or Alterra killing the industry but other things too and quite frankly the gloom and doom hasn't happened or things have changed. Like the guys with the "end if the world is near", one of the day's he will be right until then, I am going to enjoy the skiing packages they are giving us. This might be an optomistic view or I might be in denial but if and when passes go up, I will assess it then.

 

[tromano]

Hmmm. What if Alterra decides to make Solitude exclusive like Deer Valley. So they only offer limited days to Soli on IKON pass and only way you get unlimited access is to purchase a super premium DV/Solitude pass? That would make the $2400 DV pass price a bit more palatable and carve out an interesting super premium niche.

Not that I'm expecting the above to be the way it will go, but that would be more interesting. Still think this whole thing sucks either way, but the above would at least be a bit more interesting.

I suppose its possible but not what I would expect.

 

[tromano]

I agree that on net maybe right now is good for the nameless consumer.

That doesn't meant that there aren't a lot of people that are hurt by it. I talked to my buddy last night who works at Snowbird but mostly skis at Solitude. He was pretty upset about it. It means the last bastion of non-insanity on powder days in the cottonwoods will now see a ton more traffic. He's hurt by it. People who value the ski experience of a certain mountain and have built their life around it are hurt when that mountain is bought out and the experience changes.

What we are talking about is improved marketing on season pass sales. Epic pass is already in the market at a much more iconic mega resort in PC. This may cut into some UT local currently on the Epic pass in a 2019-20 if people are bored with PC and epic travel options and want to switch it up. But late to market pass options are late. People who wanted to be on a big pass for travel reasons are already on Epic. And Solitude is less crowded for fundamental reasons which have not changed.

 

[pete]

One benefit of Solitude getting more traffic is maybe their bar will stay open longer!

I always remember me and brother in laws first trip there ... early season, after hitting the hot tub. He says, let's hit the bar for a few as I'm looking out the window and literally see the bar lights cut out .... 8pm on the nose!

 

[Goran M.]

I forget who posted in another thread, he had the same concerns as you are posting then in the next breath loved how his Vail stock was doing.

I keep hearing, "oh, this is going happen or that is going to happen and you are all going to hate it"...not only about Vail or Alterra killing the industry but other things too and quite frankly the gloom and doom hasn't happened or things have changed. Like the guys with the "end if the world is near", one of the day's he will be right until then, I am going to enjoy the skiing packages they are giving us. This might be an optomistic view or I might be in denial but if and when passes go up, I will assess it then.

If not for Vail/MTN we would not be here