Industry News
Ski industry executives met this week at The Assembly 2015, a one-day forum that took place on the first day of the SIA Snow Show held at the Colorado Convention Center. They discussed challenges facing the industry, including climate change, an aging customer base and aging infrastructure.
The most shocking news came from Bill Jensen, former Vail Resorts exec and CEO of Intrawest. Jensen astounded the crowd when he said he believes 150 ski areas are in “the sunset of their existence”, adding that an additional 150 ski areas could be out of business within the decade.
Jensen separated the 470 ski areas in the United States into 5 tiers:
1. Uber (10)
2. Alpha (35)
3. Status Quo (125)
4. Survivor (150)
5. Sunset (150)
The 45 “Uber” and “Alpha” ski areas combined account for less than 10% of resorts, but approximately 40% of all ski business. These resorts are the only resorts with climbing revenues. While Jensen refused to name specific areas, it’s clear that these resorts include the likes of Vail, Aspen, and Park City.
“Status Quo” resorts are those with stagnant revenues, and the “Survivors” are just managing to break even.
The remaining 150 resorts are “Sunset” ski areas in their final stages of life, according to Jensen. Many of these resorts are too reliant on snow, have no destination traffic, and endure flat or declining revenues that limit investment and improvements. Jensen expects these resorts – 32% of the ski areas in the US – to close in coming years.
“My sense is that the survivors — they’ll survive because a light will go on and people will realize it’s important for their quality of life,” Jensen said.
The number of ski areas operating in the U.S. has dropped to 470 from 546 resorts in 1991, according to the National Ski Areas Association. We’re praying for the health and longevity of all resorts across the country.
Help save “sunset” resorts and show your local ski areas some love!
Found this list on NELSAP of 119 resorts closed in VT (source: http://www.nelsap.org/vt/vt.html) … could be some trends here that would show the rate of closure vs weather and accessibility. Food for thought…
Current Vermont Lost Count on NELSAP: 119, plus 8 reopened ones
Northern Vermont (40 areas)
Barton Valley View ~ Barton
Brighton Outing Club ~ Island Pond *New Jan 21, 2014
Bristol~ Bristol
Brownell Mountain ~ Williston
Chamberlin Birch/Newport Outing Club Part 1 ~ Newport
Chamberlin Birch Part 2~ Newport
Eagan Farm ~ Underhill Center
# F. Duncan Case # ~ Essex Junction
Foot O’Mount Lodge and Ski Tow ~ Waitsfield *Updated Jan 21, 2014
Gilman Tow ~ Gilman *totally updated March 19, 2013
# Glenn Skiff Farm # ~ Jeffersonville/Cambridge
Hardwick Ski Tow ~ Hardwick
Hillside Ski Slopes ~ Milton
Hinesburg Ski Association ~ Hinesburg
Hurley Hill Training Center ~ Jericho
Jeffersonville Tow ~ Jeffersonville
Johnson State College ~ Johnson Future
Lyndon State College ~ Lyndonville
Marshall Hill ~ Stowe
Newbury PTA ~ Newbury
North Country Ski Park ~ Morrisville area
Orleans Ski Club ~ Orleans
Oxbow/Eagle Rock Mountain ~ Jonesville *Totally updated Feb 22, 2015
Peacham Slopes ~ Peacham
Perry Hill ~ Waterbury
Pinnacle Park Skiland ~ Waterbury
Portland-Lincoln PTA ~ St. Johnsbury
Richford Lions Club ~ Richford
Samoset Country Club ~ Morrisville
Ski-Morr ~ St. Johnsbury *Totally updated Jan 1, 2015
St. Michael’s College ~ Winooski
South Burlington Tow ~ South Burlington
Sterling School ~ Craftsbury
Town and Country Motor Lodge ~ Stowe
Tucker Hill Lodge ~ Fayston
Turner’s Rope Tow ~ Charlotte
Underhill Ski Bowl ~ Underhill
Waterbury Village Area ~ Waterbury
Webster Hill ~ Danville
Wildwood Valley ~ Morgan Center
# Wolf Run Ski Area # ~ Bakersfield
Central Vermont (50 areas)
Ascutney ~ Brownsville
Altow/Cemetary Hill ~ Norwich
Barre~ Barre
Birdseye Mountain ~ Castleton
Braintree Valley Lodge ~ Braintree Valley
Bradford/Fairlee Tow ~ Bradford/Fairlee
Bradford Tow ~ Bradford
Buena Vista Farm Tow ~ South Strafford
Burnham Hollow Ski Tow ~ Middletown Springs
Central Vermont Ski Tow ~ South Royalton *New Jan 21, 2014
Dick’s Tow ~ Killington
Farr’s Hill ~ Randolph
Fiits Valley Ski Tow ~ Chelsea
Green Mountain College ~ Poultney
Frederic A. Webster Tow ~ S. Pomfret
Hartford School District ~ White River Jct
Harwood Union High School ~ South Duxbury
High Pond Mountain ~ Hubbardton
Hitching Post Farm ~ Royalton
Huntington Ski Area ~ Huntington (Exact name unknown)
Hyde Manor ~ Sudbury
Judgment Ridge ~ Vershire
Lincoln Sports ~ Lincoln
Lundhugel~ West Hartford
Maplewood Winter Sports Area ~ Fair Haven
Moretown Recreation ~ Moretown Coming soon!
Morse Farm ~ Montpelier
Mount Aeolus ~ East Dorset
Mount Tom ~ Woodstock
Mountain Top Inn ~ Chittenden
Northfield Jaycees (Cook’s Hill) ~ Northfield
Norwich University ~ Northfield
Peru Mountain ~ East of Manchester
Pinnacle Skiways ~ Randolph
Proctor Tow ~ Proctor
Prosper Ski Hill ~ Woodstock
Pulsifer’s Tow ~ Woodstock
Retreat Tow/Bart’s Tow ~ North Sherburne
Rochester Tow ~ Rochester
Rutland Jr. College ~ Rutland
Rutland Recreation/Country Club ~ Rutland
Sabin Pastures ~ Montpelier
Savage Ski Tow ~ E. Randolph *New Jan 21, 2014
South Barre ~ South Barre
Shrewsbury Mountain ~ Shrewsbury
Ski Haven ~ Shrewsbury
The Gully ~ Woodstock
Valley Junior Racing Club ~ Waitsfield Future
Warren Outing Club ~ Warren *Updated Jan 21, 2014
Whirlaway Tow ~ Chelsea
White Cupboard Inn ~ Woodstock The Ultimate Lost Ski Area!
White River Junction ~ White River Junction
Southern Vermont (29 areas)
Bennington Rotary ~ Bennington
Big Prospect ~ Dummerston
Bondville Tow ~ Bondville
Bonnyvale Area ~ Brattleboro
Buckturd Basin ~ Townshend
Burrington Hill ~ Whitingham
Campbell’s Tow ~ Bennington
Chester Ski Area (The Pinnacle) ~ Chester
Dutch Hill ~ Heartwellville
Glendale ~ Newfane
Hogback~ Marlboro
Horst Farm ~ West Bennington
Jennings Family Tow ~ Pawlet
Latchis Ski Park ~ Brattleboro
Leake Farm ~ East Bennington
Little Prospect ~ Dummerston
Maple Valley ~ Dummerston Buy the Mountain!
New England Kurn Hattin Home ~ Westminster Future
North River Trails ~ Halifax
Pine Top Slope ~ South Vernon
Prospect Mountain ~ Woodford
Putney School at Elm Lea Farm ~ Putney
Ski Bowl Inc ~ Saxtons River
Snow Valley ~ Winhall (Update Pre 2004) Snow Valley Reborn! (2004 Update)
Springfield Ski Club ~ Springfield
Sugar Bush ~ East Jamaica
Taterlane Tow ~ Brattleboro
Vermont Academy ~ Saxton’s River *new history Mar 7, 2014
Winhall Snow Bowl ~ Winhall
West Mountain Farm ~ Arlington Coming soon!
Windham College ~ Putney Coming soon!
Woodford Tow ~ Woodford
What does a little State like from Mont need over a hundred ski resorts for anyway? I don’t think we have 20 in Montana.
Another symptom of too many humans. Vail sucks by the way, no soul.
Where can we see the full list?
Hi Kip,
Jensen wasn’t talking specifics, so there is no “list” – he’s just segmenting resorts into 5 groups, likely based on variables like attendance, revenues, and infrastructure. He spoke at the Assembly, and hasn’t made any more public statements on the subject, so I’m not sure if there’s a tangible list of resorts that he’s placed in this “sunset” stage.