Powdr Corp buys SilverStar near Vernon B.C.

[DanoT]

From Sun Peaks Independent News:
http://sunpeaksnews.com/silverstar-...hJkIGDOXPdxapQmoExGG9KY6FU_kSIqZwdWJPsI3hyoto

SilverStar is a very nice mountain with dry snow and lots of flat terrain and very steep terrain. 40k people live about 20 minutes away in the town of Vernon, B.C.

 

[BS Slarver]

Fond memories of the place and a nice stop on the way to Revelstoke from Kelowna airport. The base area is a play on a western theme - cute !
Some of the best and cheapest on mountain food I’ve ever had.

 

[geepers]

Saw that announced yesterday. One of our adult kids now lives near Vernon and works winters on the mountain so it's now our base resort.

Powdr owns a bunch of other resorts including Copper Mntn, Killington and Snowbird. What are they like as an operator of resorts?

Also hoping that once the snowflakes settle and some inter-Powdr resort pass transfers take effect we may see some of these Killington bump skiers coming this way to show us how it's done.

 

[HardDaysNight]

Some of the best and cheapest on mountain food I’ve ever had.

With Powdr the new owners you can certainly kiss that goodbye!

 

[David Chaus]

Looking at the news release, it appears there will no changes to passes or reciprocal agreements at Silver Star this year.

What’d be beneficial (to me at least) in the future is to have Powdr include Silver Star as Ikon Pass partners, hopefully include Bachelor as well.

 

[KingGrump]

Powdr owns a bunch of other resorts including Copper Mntn, Killington and Snowbird.

Powdr does not own Snowbird. Snowbird is privately owned by the Cumming family.

What are they like as an operator of resorts?

Not impressed.

 

[David Chaus]

Powdr does not own Snowbird. Snowbird is privately owned by the Cumming family.



Not impressed.

True, nonetheless Snowbird is listed as a Powdr resort on Powdr’s website, which has been updated to included Silver Star.

So it is, but it isn’t.

 

[geepers]

Powdr does not own Snowbird. Snowbird is privately owned by the Cumming family.



Not impressed.

Apparently Ian Cumming was a co-founder of Park City-based Powdr Corp. 2014 article on Snowbird
More details.



Why do the other resort owners impress in comparison?

 

[KingGrump]

True, nonetheless Snowbird is listed as a Powdr resort on Powdr’s website, which has been updated to included Silver Star.

So it is, but it isn’t.

DIck Bass must be rolling over in his grave.
.

Apparently Ian Cumming was a co-founder of Park City-based Powdr Corp. 2014 article on Snowbird
More details.

Isn't fake news wonderful? Or shall I call it "Alternative History."
The various marketing departments have a knack for rewriting history.
Ian started the company so John would have something to occupy his time.

Why do the other resort owners impress in comparison?

If you have to ask.

 

[HardDaysNight]

Isn't fake news wonderful? Or shall I call it "Alternative History."
The various marketing departments have a knack for rewriting history.
Ian started the company so John would have something to occupy his time.

True this! Ian couldn’t have the Idiot Son wandering around embarrassing himself. Unfortunately he failed to take full advantage of his father handing him a wonderful opportunity and lost concentration, neglected to renew the incredibly inexpensive lease PCMR held on the bulk of its terrain and allowed Vail to carpetbag its way into Utah. Tragedy really!

 

[New2]

The failure to renew the PCMR lease was undoubtedly a huge loss for Powdr's owners... not sure who should really get the blame, nor if it particularly matters. At any rate, I'd expect Powdr to be the most vigilant about lease renewals moving forward, so hardly relevant in looking ahead for SilverStar's expecations.

I think it's been very interesting watching Powdr's approach to trying drive innovation with its urban ski areas (Soda Springs, Boreal, Ski Las Vegas, Eldora, and now Woodward Park City). I suspect snow sports participation rates in Vernon are significantly higher than in the US, so some of the same innovations might apply at SilverStar. A lot of people love Bachelor and Copper and also love to bash Powdr… might just kind of be the natural tendency to hate on whoever the owner is. I will say that the three years I skied Snowbird under Powdr management, its employees seemed like the happiest, most motivated ski area employees I've ever encountered anywhere, and what I saw of that management seemed solid.

 

[HardDaysNight]

Snowbird has never been under Powdr management. That’s @KingGrump’s point which is correct. Ian Cumming bought out Dick Bass in his personal capacity

 

[John O]

What’d be beneficial (to me at least) in the future is to have Powdr include Silver Star as Ikon Pass partners, hopefully include Bachelor as well.

I'd love that. I've been hoping for Bachelor to get added to the Ikon, even as a limited 5/7 day destination. Never been to Silver Star but wouldn't mind more options within driving distance.

 

[New2]

My understanding was that Snowbird is owned by the Cumming family and managed by Powdr. Which would help explain why Snowbird shows as one of Powdr's resorts on its website. But I don't remember just where/why that's what I remember, so maybe I'm wrong

 

[Wasatchman]

When Ian Cumming acquired a controlling interest in Snowbird in 2014, it was owned and managed separately from Powdr.

I heard Dick Bass (previous owner and co-founder of Snowbird) and Ian Cumming were friends which is why Snowbird was sold to Ian Cumming. There were in fact rumors at the time that Vail was also interested in Snowbird, but Bass didn't want to sell to them.

After the sale, Bass was still involved in Snowbird and was Chairman.

Perhaps things have changed with the passing of Dick Bass and Ian Cummng, but up until very recently at the least anyway, Snowbird was owned,.operated, and managed separately and outside the Powdr entity. I'll ask some people and get an answer as to what the current deal is.

Interesting on Powdr's new acquisition. I wonder if they have plans down the road to create their own multi-pass as an alternative to Vail/Alterra.

 

[geepers]

Snowbird has never been under Powdr management. That’s @KingGrump’s point which is correct. Ian Cumming bought out Dick Bass in his personal capacity

So a member of the Cummings family is Chairman of Powdr Corp and presumably they still own or are at least a major stakeholder in the corp. And the Cummings family own Snowbird. Which all may have something to do with Snowbird being listed on the Powdr web resort pages.

We could have short circuited that little outside loop of corporate intrigue about post #6.

I think it's been very interesting watching Powdr's approach to trying drive innovation with its urban ski areas (Soda Springs, Boreal, Ski Las Vegas, Eldora, and now Woodward Park City). I suspect snow sports participation rates in Vernon are significantly higher than in the US, so some of the same innovations might apply at SilverStar. A lot of people love Bachelor and Copper and also love to bash Powdr… might just kind of be the natural tendency to hate on whoever the owner is. I will say that the three years I skied Snowbird under Powdr management, its employees seemed like the happiest, most motivated ski area employees I've ever encountered anywhere, and what I saw of that management seemed solid.

Thank you - that's more of the type of feedback commentary I was anticipating.

SS typically a very quiet mountain midweek. Typically Saturday mornings are a good time to service skis.

With Powdr the new owners you can certainly kiss that goodbye!

Currently SS has a reasonable mix of resort and 3rd party food outlets. Can find something from a few dollars for a slice of pizza and continue north until an afternoon ski is unwise. Hopefully 3rd parties will be retained.

 

[Wasatchman]

Just following up, but Snowbird still owned and operated separately from Powdr. Not sure why Powdr website lists Snowbird. Yes, the Cummings owns both entities, but they are separately managed.

Dick Bass' son is on the Snowbird board and I believe Bass still has a minority stake in it.

 

[KingGrump]

We could have short circuited that little outside loop of corporate intrigue about post #6.

But then where would the fun be.

 

[geepers]

But then where would the fun be.

Yeah, well played.

Elsewhere I see that Powdr don't do inter-resort passes. Well, not so far. So unlikely SS are going to see a mass influx of new visitors this season.

Why did they buy it?
To date, Powdr has not followed the paths of Alterra Mountain Company or Vail Resorts in offering a branded, multi-destination pass. And while Killington Mountain Resort and many of Powdr’s 10 resorts (including Snowbird, Utah and Copper Mountain, Colo.) are part of Alterra’s Ikon Pass, a lift ticket at Killington isn’t good on its own at Snowbird in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon or at any other Powdr-owned resort.

Remains to be seen if Ikon will be any use to us in the event SS joins that. Thredbo, Australia, and some NZ resorts will be in there in 2020 however if they remain in the 7 day group then it's not so useful.

 

[KingGrump]

Silverstar will probably be in the Ikon 7 day partner pool next season. To balance out W/B & the RCR resorts.

Copper and Eldora are unlimited on the Ikon due to their location in the home turf (I-70) of Vail Corp. They needed Ikon more than the other way around.
Killington is in the 7 day partner pool. They have all the business they needed. No use giving it away.

Powdr is a pretty slick operator. Often too slick.