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Stumped?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I can't quite figure out why a UK company would purchase a small ski resort in the Mid-Atlantic, US.

Quote:
Blue Knob All Seasons Resort, in Claysburg, Pa., will soon have new owners. Vacation Hotels, of London, is currently managing and in the process of buying the resort. Representatives of Vacation Hotels expect the transaction to be completed by November. Current managers insist the character of the resort will remain, but declined to reveal a purchase price or elaborate on any possible improvements, upgrades or changes that might occur.


Blue Knob offers 34 trails and 1072 feet of vertical. The mountain has a dilapedated lift system and insufficient snowmaking for the region. Why would a UK company buy this resort? Do they hope to attract UK skiers to this small hill in the most marginal ski region in the US? Why would anyone from the UK bother skiing the Mid-Atlantic when tha Alps are so much closer? Some on DCSki have suggested that Brits like the idea of combining a tourism trip with skiing. A BK package would allow UK types to ski a few days and also see Washington, DC.

BK Web site:

http://www.blueknob.com/

DCSki Debate on Issue:

http://www.dcski.com/ubbthreads22/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=8903

PS I should point out that BK is a local favorite duue to its challenging gladed terrain and steeps. It's known as the Mad River Glen of the Mid-Atlantic: "Ski good or eat wood." It also has one of the best trail names ever invented: "Extrovert."
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
You got me unless they plan on spending alot of money developing it cant see it being too popular
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
johnfmh, Laughing Laughing Laughing I drove through there about 2 years ago while working in New Jersey. It's a small hill like all the others in the area but probably one of the "bigger" ones. There are lots of places like that around that area (one i used was www.skicamelback.com ), in the pocconos, upstate new york etc, that if you are over in the states you can enjoy some skiiing. They are not "resorts" though, basically you go to ski possibly have a beer afterwards but that's it, then go home............very different to "resorts" as we understand them, you don't stay there. Basically they serve a very competetive local market. Majority of the snow is man made snow as the east (inland) coast suffers from lack of natural snow, well at least a consistent natural snow fall.

From my memory we drove from New Jersey to Pittsburgh for the day.......not a a wise decision looking back (700 mile round trip) but this place sparked a mild............ok a lot of laughter Laughing Laughing Laughing in the back out our car, so that's why i remember it. May be back there sometime soon so may go and pay it a visit.

It also introduced me to my first (and last) outting to Hooters. What a bag of shite those places are!
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Dan,

Quote:

They are not "resorts" though, basically you go to ski possibly have a beer afterwards but that's it, then go home............



You got that right. Wink

Snowshoe, 7 Springs, and the Canaan Valley resorts are the closest we have to "destination" areas, but even these places are resorts you visit for a long weekend and that's about it. If you have any more time, you catch a flight to Utah or Colorado. No Mid-Atlantic resort has developed viable week long skiing for advanced skiers.

Now I understand that TUI and other operators offer packages to Killington, and one of our list members claims that the UK crowd likes K-Mart (not so much because of K-Mart), but for the side trips to Boston or NYC--for cultural reasons as opposed to ski reasons.

K-Mart, however, dwarfs BK in every category: vert., acreage, length of trails, etc. Does this UK company that bought BK seriously think it can seduce British skiers to come to BK? I realize that American peso makes the US a cheap venue these days but why not head for real mountains--i.e. the rockies....Bottom line: I'm still stumped. Do UK types want to buy cheap condos at third tier US resorts? Is that the reason?

PS I ski Timberline in the Canaan Valley of WV about 10-13 days a year on a season pass, and own a place at this third tier resort. It does get old after a while but I enjoy it nonetheless because it means I ski most weekends during the season. I used to have this attitude that only skiiing outside the region would do. I now regularly ski Mid-Atlantic places between trips further afield--these small resorts do satisfy my weekly snow cravings. snowHead
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Surely a change of name is in order. Blue Knob doesn't do it for me, somehow Wink
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You'll need to Register first of course.
johnfmh,

Quote:

Snowshoe, 7 Springs, and the Canaan Valley resorts


sorry, but where are these places? who are TUI? Embarassed

the USA maybe a "cheap" option in your eyes, but not mine. The airfares are expensive in comparison to flying into Europe, the time lost in travelling etc. I would only go over to the USA to ski for 10 days or more which makes it even more expensive. Sad

I don't think that these resorts will serve anyone else more than the local(ish) areas.........especially as most americans i met while i was working in the USA didn't own a passport and didn't even go out of their own town, let alone state. They thought we were "strange" cause we went out investigating (- that's how we found Blue Knob travelling from New Jersey to Pittsburgh).................anyway.

In the beginning i guess 1 or 2 "stupid" brits maybe be dupped into buying out there in this "resort" if that is their plans for the place, but i guess that would be it Puzzled , but i don't think anyone one from this side of the pond will travel over to the usa to specifically ski Blue Knob or similar areas Confused snowHead

ps definately keep the name! Always remains in ones head!! Cool
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Dan,

TUI is one the biggest European holiday companies. They run Thomson Ski & Snowboarding and the Specialist Holiday Group. For more on this company and its subsidiaries:

http://www.world-of-tui.com/en/country/index.html;jsessionid=53C7D06E9C0277403FA642B6FBF631FB

From my understanding, they are one of major package tour operators that bring UK skiers to Killington:

http://www.thomson-ski.com/

I don't work for this company and have never been on one of their trips, but I run into their groups every time I am in Austria, so I assume they must be big.

TUI charters planes and provides everything from soup to nuts for the
skier. They will even rent you ski clothes if you do not own any.

Killington Sunday River are the only East Coast resorts currently listed on their web site. I don't see how they could possibly add BK to their list--it's just too darn small. Who would go and why?

John

PS Those other resorts are Mid-Atlantic ski resorts. Profiles of them can be found on www.dcksi.com
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