Jay Peak and the Immigrant Investor Program

[swright@jpr.com]

Lots of good conversation on the topic so, unsurprisingly, I don't have much to add here (which certainly won't stop me). Anytime you change/turn on its head a business with as much passionate support behind it as ours, you see/hear a lot of both-sides-of-the-fence perspective. Even I, as an officer of the company, have been and continue to be wary (maybe that's overly strong but maybe not) of some of the roads we've chosen to travel but I can't argue with the amount of consideration that's come before deciding to walk down them-the roads that is. That's part of the rub for me--that the decisions being made on how best to steer the resort are being made, daily, by people who live in and around the communities being affected. That may seem underwhelming to some, but it plays an important role in how things play out. I've worked for ski areas where this was not the case and, at least in my situation(s), it created an environment where best interests seemed disconnected to all of the stakeholders within a particular area. Some of the times at least.

I agree about the 'local-economy blather', Christ I'm usually one of the principal offenders. We're definitely a business and, as such, one of our driving motivators is making the business more profitable. I think the only shame in that is when it, profit, blinds management to other important realities like job creation, community support and trying to build something you're proud of. The reality here is that lots of good, benefited, year round jobs will eventually be created-many already have- but the hiring model needs to pace alongside that of the revenue model (ie, some of the jobs we needed to create prior to full build out like restaurant managers, hotel general managers, engineers, and aquatic directors; others will come along as the business grows and requires more to support it.) Some positions won't start out as fully benefited (like the 40 or so lifeguards we've already hired-all of them within roughly 30 minutes of Jay) but having that level of position available is important as well. It puts people in a position to at least see what else is available to them here at the resort and (pollyanna alert, sorry) gives them something to aspire toward. The creation of a Hospitality Management curriculum at the North Country Career Center has been borne, largely, as a result of where our business is pacing, and will hopefully go a long way in both training the type of employee we'll need, and help keep those NEK'ers interested in a hospitality career, in the NEK. Not suggesting we will do this alone but it's encouraging to me personally, someone with two daughters within the local school system, to see the community rallying around the model's potential and putting programming in place to help themselves leverage it.

I appreciate and respect everything being talked about--even those who think we're classic eff-ups and that isn't pr speak. I think we deserve at least a chance-even by those who think we're putting up a parking lot at the expense of their personal paradise-but that's not my decision. I think we'll get enough of this right so there's still plenty to enjoy-whether your interest is purely in the woods or someplace else entirely. It's supposed to get cold this weekend and, more than anything else, I'm looking forward to snow. If you ever have questions about what we're doing, feel free to email me directly at swright@jaypeakresort.com

steve

[kingdom-tele]

Thanks Steve for chiming in. Nice to see management lending an ear. I certainly hope the vision comes to fruition, the resort and the other business ventures on the board for the NEK seem to come from the best of interests for the community up here. Guess I am just caught looking through glasses at a world where business is looking to line its pockets at the expense of the people who appreciate the mountain/community the most. It is obviously good for the bottom line to have people with money involved in the development and support of the resort. Knowing a large part of the revenue base is not coming from the people of this area (nor could it) it seems like it could be easy to price the local out of the ability to be a part of the scene except for wearing a name tag and getting shuttled into work

To be clear, while we won't have passes to JPR this year, we have for a decade +, still love the place, the people, midweek ski days and hope for the best, I'm sure it will be a positive transformation

[Mr. Multiglisse]

....I agree about the 'local-economy blather', Christ I'm usually one of the principal offenders. We're definitely a business and, as such, one of our driving motivators is making the business more profitable. I think the only shame in that is when it, profit, blinds management to other important realities like job creation, community support and trying to build something you're proud of.....

.... If you ever have questions about what we're doing, feel free to email me directly at swright@jaypeakresort.com

steve

As a skier, one of the easiest things to forget is that ski areas are businesses and have to make $ to keep those lifts turning. I can't tell you how many days I've been at Jay and wondered "how are they making any money today?"

Agreed, props to Steve for chiming in. Pretty righteous first post for a three-year lurker.

[AdironRider]

Really, its a wonder why no one else in the social service community up here has thought of that. Tremendous insight. Maybe JPR will wait for the inspired local to start and finish his/her trade program which they can't afford to drive to or attend.

Jobs are good, JPR has numerous available, a select amount of local businesses are booming because of it, its a great influx into their pockets. But, to think because you work for JPR means your uprooting the fam from neighboring counties is a little naive. I'm really happy for the specialist from Mass and CT who gets to live his dream of moving to the country, buying 20 acres of land, and reminiscing with long walks in his posted/private woods. Unfortunately it does little for the family of four living in the neighboring trailer trying to figure out how to pay their new higher property tax that got bumped because of JPR's new employee's estate purchase.

I hope it does continue to boost the "local" economy, but it is slightly more complicated than "go out and get qualified..."

Cry me a fucking river man. Noone wants to hire people who feel entitled because they lived there longer.

[Mr. Multiglisse]

Cry me a fucking river man. Noone wants to hire people who feel entitled because they lived there longer.

You are completely missing the point. Take a look at all the shotgun shacks and double-wides you drive by on your way to whatever NE ski area you frequent. Those people work (or maybe don't work) in the Seven-11, gas bar, seasonal logging, welfare trap, whatever, and, other than keeping their minimum wage job, will not benefit from the long term benefit the ski area brings. I doubt any of them are even going to be lifeguards in the Waterpark. Maybe it's their problem for not choosing to rise above whatever hole life has landed them in but far be it from you to call them them "entitled."

You and I are the entitled ones. We can ski at Jay, we can apply for those jobs. We have the freedom to move (well, not me because I don't have a green card), take the new jobs, buy the Lincoln Log dream home in Vt and be a well-paid, entitled, in-your-dreams ski bum.

[strawjack]

Lots of good conversation on the topic

steve

nice post man. i'm involved in running a business also and there is a lot more to it than most realize. so, good luck to you guys.

now, on to the important stuff. are you guys doing the two-fer passes this yr? if so, where and when? and since were such good dudes ova here in cow hampshire, you most likely would want us riding your hill...as it would most certainly enhance the average jpr skier...so how 'bout hooking us up with some tic's bro!?

[icelanticskier]

you wanna improve j? get rid of the god-awful FLAT as fuck runout at the bottom 500 vert.

ditch the waterpark and start digging. make it an honest 2000 vert at least.

oh, and limit frenchy access. quite the spirit breaker crowds wise on pow days

rog

[kingdom-tele]

Cry me a fucking river man. Noone wants to hire people who feel entitled because they lived there longer.

Your grasp of the obvious is astounding.

Try reading without letting the voices in your head get in the way.

The whole point was JPR is going to hire the qualified person, the NEK has limited resources to fill those positions (hence the irony statement), the grandeur of the development comes with a price, making the dividing line for an already privileged activity even further from reach for many in the NEK (hence the questionable benefit to the NEK vs JPR's pockets tone).

as long as your stay at the Hotel is comfy and you get to keep sideslipping down the face all of this probably isn't much of a concern though

[steezybomber]

Steve, thank you for your input. It is rare in today's environment that you actually have employees (especially mgmt/executive level employees) who make the effort to reach out, listen to its stakeholders, and give a well thought out, professional, and honest response. It is one of the many things lacking in big business, and it is a refreshing and welcomed change.

Having been a long time Jay enthusiest, (not as long as some I am sure but multiple trips each rear for 15 or so years), I have seen it, along with many mountains in the NE change dramatically. Some for the worse, some for the better. Change is inevitable, and going against it is a waste of time and energy. Personally, I prefer old style ski places that the main focus is on, you guessed it, skiing. There are places that can survive on this alone, but it is mainly bc of gnarly terrain and a group of committed skiers surrounding them (think Silverton).

I also think there is a balance between becoming a Stowe and remaining MRG. Each serve its purpose in its own ways. MRG had an interesting "stock" purchasing plan years ago, but thats a different discussion.

In the end, ski resorts or simply ski mountains are a business. If they do not make money, they will fail, and then we will have no place to ski. So while every change may not be favorable in the eyes of people in this community, TGR and locally, it is necessary for survival. Having people like Steve who are committed to listening to its patrons, expressing concerns and opinion, and walking the tight rope that is balance in business are few and far between and I think we should at least be appreciative of that fact, regardless of personal opinions.

To wrap up this useless and long rant by an ignorant minion here, much like JPR is a business, we are also customers. No one is forcing you to spend money at any particular resort. If you dont like the surroundings and the ski-able terrain is not worth the rest of the sacrifices, go ski MRG, your local hill, or silverton. J-Hole went through a much similar situation with their construction of the new tram, yet the terrain hasnt changed and is still a super sweet place to shred.

The saying in the car community that I frequently use applies here as well. "Support the people that support us." Because of this, I have already planned two trips to Jay with many more in the years to come.

[From_the_NEK]

i wouldn't lose any sleep over Burke now, they have some deep pockets now pulling the strings, it will never be a JPR, besides, its a racers mountain

Ahhhhh...The dilemmas of rural life and big money.

It was funny the year Ginn took over at Burke. They wanted to put out a image of great hospitality and hired a whole bunch of greeters and "friendly faces". IMHO it was a disaster as they rushed the hiring and pretty much took anyone who walked through the door (chain smoking parking attendants are NOT good for your image). The next year, many of those seasonal jobs were filled by South Americans.

The major problem around here is the many of the people that need the jobs like those that Jay Peak is offering have NO idea what it takes to work in a position where they have to interact in a friendly way with the public. For example, I have firsthand accounts from someone that was running a spa (a type of business that serves a very similar clientele to what you would expect at a ski resort). She constantly had to reprimand some of her employees for unprofessionalism. She tried to help them improve their skills but some of these employees were "too proud" (aka: inflated ego, bitchy, entitled) to perform the necessary duties to keep paying customers happy.

I'm happy to hear Jay Peak has helped develop a Hospitality Management curriculum at the North Country Career Center. I think it will help a lot.
I still think it is still going to be hard to motivate some of the folks to drop their monthly state check and actually do something productive. It is getting harder and harder to do this as many are multiple generations into this lifestyle. But I have confidence that as some see friends making progress in a resort job they will want it too. On the other hand, there is the risk of the local populous going to the other way and throwing up bigger walls between themselves and the "Big rich ski resort".