Thread: News on the new proposed BitterRoot Resort

http://www.ravallirepublic.com/news/...bb3e0ac9d.html

Maclay wants to develop 11,000 acres of public land and 3,000 acres of his family’s ranch, calling it the Bitterroot Resort.

That's a fair-sized chunk of land.

Waitaminute. This guy just got foreclosed on, and he wants to build a major ski resort on the same land that he no longer owns, along with our land? WTF?

In New York, we have a word. Chutzpah.

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Waitaminute. This guy just got foreclosed on, and he wants to build a major ski resort on the same land that he no longer owns, along with our land? WTF?

I was thinking that the worst part is that he's wasting the gov'ts time with this. At least I hope it's just a waste of time.

Yeah, um, I thought he lost the land?

Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn

Yeah, um, I thought he lost the land?

In reading the article yea he did lose it but bought it back. I think he is dreaming if he thinks an investor is going to give him millions of dollars to build a new ski resort in North America. How many "new" resorts are there compared to how many foreclosures / auction have or are occurred in the last two years. Are there enough people living close to this area?

Lolo Peak has some excellent skiing. Currently it takes a 9 mile hike/MTB just to get to where you start skinning, then another 4 miles to the peak. Makes for a real long day. (done it numerous times)

Overall I am in favor of the ski area going in.

But I think the business model is a failure. Too many high-end ski resorts are chasing the same money. Tamarack is 150 miles to the west and Moonlight Basin is 150 miles to the east. Don't even get me started on the Yellowstone Club. I would be very surprised if Tom gets any investors to go in with him.

I have met Tom Maclay, nice guy, but the average Montana 99-percenter is a blue collar guy, not a mega-rich 1-percenter. So little podunk ski areas with cheap day passes, like Discovery (45 miles away), Lost Trail (45 miles away), and Snowbowl (15 miles away) are doing fine in this economy.

If Maclay scaled back a bit and marketed toward the average Montana skier, people would support him. But as it is now, the average Montanan considers this "resort" to be something with zero benefit to the average working person. There is very little support for Maclay in the Missoula area.

^^^what Harry said. Regardless of the plan, the execution is awful, and will never gain support.

They shouldn't let him anywhere near Lolo/Carlton/etc.
Not only that, it doesn't snow much lower down, so the area would basically be Sun Valley or worse. Probably way worse. Even on a good snow year, it's practically green at the bottom.
Could probably have good mountain biking, though.
As much as I want to see Snowbowl have to compete, and therefor improve, it seems like a shitty idea for a ski area.

But, all he has to do is convince the money people to throw millions at the thing, and, he's set. Otten destroyed a few ski areas and drove a large company into bankruptcy, but, he's rich as shit after the experience. He wasn't before. Now he's part owner of the Red Sox. Other people's money, that's the deal. What's the downside? In the 19th century, they called them carpetbaggers.

What is the annual snow fall and vertical for the area?

Originally Posted by Harry

Lolo Peak has some excellent skiing. Currently it takes a 9 mile hike/MTB just to get to where you start skinning, then another 4 miles to the peak. Makes for a real long day. (done it numerous times)

Overall I am in favor of the ski area going in.

But I think the business model is a failure. Too many high-end ski resorts are chasing the same money. Tamarack is 150 miles to the west and Moonlight Basin is 150 miles to the east. Don't even get me started on the Yellowstone Club. I would be very surprised if Tom gets any investors to go in with him.

I have met Tom Maclay, nice guy, but the average Montana 99-percenter is a blue collar guy, not a mega-rich 1-percenter. So little podunk ski areas with cheap day passes, like Discovery (45 miles away), Lost Trail (45 miles away), and Snowbowl (15 miles away) are doing fine in this economy.

If Maclay scaled back a bit and marketed toward the average Montana skier, people would support him. But as it is now, the average Montanan considers this "resort" to be something with zero benefit to the average working person. There is very little support for Maclay in the Missoula area.

The resort would not hit any of the skiable stuff on Lolo. The BR is on the wrong side and way low in terms of elevation. It is a joke and purely a $$ making scam. We know this.

So why do you support it? I am curious after you noting the business model is a failure and coupled with my comments.

Originally Posted by tellybele

So why do you support it?.

Because I like riding lifts. A lift to the summit of Lolo Peak would be fine with me.

Originally Posted by tellybele

I am curious after you noting the business model is a failure and coupled with my comments.

Just because a company has what I consider a bad business model does not mean they should not be in business.

Example: I hate the owners and management of Snowbowl (even though I love the area itself). Treating loyal customers like shit is not what I consider a good business model. But I still support Snowbowl's right to exist.

Originally Posted by Harry

Because I like riding lifts. A lift to the summit of Lolo Peak would be fine with me.



Just because a company has what I consider a bad business model does not mean they should not be in business.

Example: I hate the owners and management of Snowbowl (even though I love the area itself). Treating loyal customers like shit is not what I consider a good business model. But I still support Snowbowl's right to exist.

I understand, but have you looked at the lay of the land? I assume you have due to your stated experience. I have hella experience up there in spring and summer. Do you know the horizontal distance to the peak of Lolo? how would you get folks back down? One hella long lift ride for nothing. The place for a ski hill on lolo is in mill creek. It doesn't appear that you know the lay of the land if you think a chair to the top from mcclays is actually feasible??

Yeah, it is a free country. He has no right to devo public lands and when that is the case then I think the public should/can take a closer look to realize the scam that it is. One of the biggest 'beauties' of MT is yeah there is hella potential for devo and largely it hasn't been done for a variety of factors. Why fuk this place up like CO, CA..etc. Resorts blow ass. Leave em where they are. I love the bowl and the management...it keeps more dildos off the area. I do not look for pampered ski days. It is Ma&Pa not Vail/DeerPark

please don't use the word "hella"
Thanks

Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn

please don't use the word "hella"
Thanks

What specifically is your problem with it?

Shit, I re-read the post..fuk I hella wrote hella, hella times..

where are you from, the continental east?

NY.
Hella is not a word. It sounds worse than "wicked pissa"
It sounds like a dumb valley girl.