Budget cuts?

[manhattenskier]

Just heard the place where I ski most weekends, Belleayre which is run by the State DEC, is getting hit by big budget cuts from NYS and may be significantly scaling back its operations.

From the looks of things Whiteface and Gore are both moving ahead without any problem. But has anyone heard anything about their operations potentially being impacted?

Maybe they are better off because ORDA hasn't been hit as much as the DEC?

[highpeaksdrifter]

I was reading about Belleyre on Alpinezone. Cutting funding seems very short sighted to me. The local economy could use the boast that increased year round tourist business would bring.

It’s very surprising that they cancelled their Oct. Fest. I read that it was always a moneymaker and that local business owners are up in arms because of lost revenue to them as a result of losing the thousands of visitors that would otherwise come for the festival and the general area. I don’t get it.

[manhattenskier]

I dont' get it either. It does certainly bring business to the area. When I go there I stay at a motel and eat at local resteraunts and probably spend more money outside the ski area than in it.

Part of what is driving this is some of the private areas in the Catskills really complaining about "unfair" competition from Belleayre wanting the state to stop supporting it. And some of it is probably just the state budget problems.

I know they seem to have stopped their plans to rebuild their base lodge at the beginner area, even though they really need a larger building.

That is why it is good Whiteface and Gore are getting a lot of their expansion done this year - future funding is probably a lot less certain.