Our Vision for Eaton Mountain
As the new owners, we feel that we owe it to our customers to explain our vision for the ski area and to give some details of our plans for Eaton Mountain.
First and foremost, Eaton Mountain Ski Area is a business and as such, must be profitable in order to remain in existence. Most people recognize that running a successful ski area is a very difficult task: there is a large amount of infrastructure and specialized equipment to maintain, a large staff is required, there are significant energy and insurance expenses, the season is relatively short, and of course there is Mother Nature to deal with. It is our aim to be successful by keeping things simple and operating as efficiently as possible.
The primary focus of our business is and will continue to be downhill skiing, snowboarding, and snowtubing. It is our intention to operate Eaton Mountain as an affordable ski area that is visually appealing and run in a professional manner. We want the atmosphere and setting at Eaton to be family-friendly and have as much natural beauty as possible. As we go along, we will work to strengthen the business by developing complimentary summer activities.
We have no plans to go on a spending spree, such as putting in a high speed detachable chairlift and then charging $50 for a lift pass and have no plans to cut the property up into building lots for high-dollar homes. It is also not our intention to live an extravaggant lifestyle and milk every nickel out of the business without investing back into the facility. We will make improvements that make good business sense: those that add value to the business, improve operational efficiency, and/or enhance the experience of our customers.
We are planning to phase into our ski area operations over a three year timeframe:
-
For the 2009-10 season we will keep the operation very simple (skiing, snowtubing, equipment rentals, beginner lessons, and snackbar) and concentrate on doing those things right and getting any unexpected problems worked out. During this time, we will identify the individuals to help us take things to the next level.
-
In the 2010-11 season, we plan to rapidly expand our instruction programs and will introduce multi-visit learn to ski programs for groups and individuals, including small children.
-
By the 2011-12 season, we intend have the ski area running at full throttle and will be aggressively pushing pre-sold multi-visit programs and season tickets.
Initial improvements will focus on creating a positive image of the ski area for people when they first drive into the property and ensuring that the ski area can operate on a reliable schedule. Some of the projects we have planned for the summer of 2009 include:
-
Improved visibility of the ski area.
-
Major renovation of the snowtubing facility.
-
Improvements to the lower slopes including new lighting.
-
Mechanical updating of lifts, snowmaking & grooming equipment.
-
Additional rental equipment.
-
Clean up of the grounds.
Other improvements we'd like to make within the first couple of seasons are:
-
A separate beginner slope with its own lift.
-
Major renovations to the ski lodge.
-
New snowmaking & grooming equipment.
-
Additional terrain.
Once things at the ski area get turned around, some of the major projects have in mind are:
-
Rebuilding the restaurant and lounge.
-
Renovation of the ski shop.
-
Construction of on-site lodging.
-
Upgrading of the chairlift.
So, as you can see, we have a lot of work ahead of us and have even more planned. We welcome your suggestions or comments, and are willing to listen to any concerns.
We will be working hard through this "year off" and look forward to seeing you at Eaton Mountain next winter.
Dave & Donna
| |
