16 replies to this topic

[zeedotcom]

The owners of Indianhead will be purchasing Blackjack and Powderhorn. Blackjack has been for sale for some time, only running 3-4 days per week for the last couple of years and even had a real estate "For Sale" sign near the entrance.

http://yourdailyglobe.com/main.asp?Search=...tionID=&S=1

[skiersage]

Wow. It is about time this happened. When I was at GCC I was disappointed that there was no joint season pass for all three ski areas. But that will be taken care of now. Now the owner needs to buy whitecap.

[skier691]

Not suprised, but I would be shocked if all three areas remain open in the years to come. There are not enough skiers for anyone to make a profit. The high speed lifts in southern WI and improvements there have far outweighed what theyve done in BSC lately. The ski areas and region are hurting, thus, there is hardly any local midweek business. Its hard to justify another 2-3 hours in a car for many. I'd make Blackjack only a ATV/mt bike park/SnoCross venue, and add a HSQ to Indianhead.

[Lift Dinosaur]

What happens to Mt. Zion?

Dino

[Andoman]

skier691, on Sep 9 2008, 03:08 PM, said:

Not suprised, but I would be shocked if all three areas remain open in the years to come. There are not enough skiers for anyone to make a profit. The high speed lifts in southern WI and improvements there have far outweighed what theyve done in BSC lately. The ski areas and region are hurting, thus, there is hardly any local midweek business. Its hard to justify another 2-3 hours in a car for many. I'd make Blackjack only a ATV/mt bike park/SnoCross venue, and add a HSQ to Indianhead.

This will entice more people to drive down from the colleges if they can hit a few different areas on one ticket. This is what attracted me to different areas around the upper peninsula was good deals on tickets, usually brule (always have to hit ski brule on the free ski day), porkies, and bohemia. I think they'll keep the areas operating the way they are, even if it means only running the lifts at blackjack on weekends. In the U.P. people won't drive for high speed lifts, at least I wouldn't, I'd expect old riblets or halls and be happy with them.

This post has been edited by Andoman: 09 September 2008 - 02:04 PM

[nathanvg]

I too worry that one or even two of the big 3 might close due to this deal.

"Cameron said the ski market here is 'too weak for all of us to be competing.'" I read that to mean one resort is going to close and rates are going to go up. This is really a smoke screen that I doubt will result in any skier benefit.

I wonder how much they went for. I saw that the part of the old Thunder Mountain property is for sale in MI and despite there no longer being any facilities or equipment, they want well over a million for it. Seemed really high to me. For those that don't know, Thunder Mountain is near Boyne falls MI and was bought by Boyne around 1970. It was shut down a few years later despite being one of the best ski areas in the region. I think this BSC deal is very similar.

[skier691]

Lift Dinosaur, on Sep 9 2008, 03:54 PM, said:

What happens to Mt. Zion?

Dino

I believe the 'Z' will always have a place in Ironwood. They really depend on the elem. school kid programs. I know they also have tubing, and are a WSA event site now. They are not really a tourist / day skier hill. But, I really wish I grew up with a Mt Zion in my hometown. Maybe if the bars at the other resorts were a little looser, like in Hurley nextdoor in WI, everone would make money.

[zeedotcom]

The Z kind of acts as a feeder to the other ones. "Get them hooked." It basically seems to operate with the blessing of the big resorts. Plus, it is operated as a lab for the SAM program and a recreation area for the college so it doesn't have the same pressures and stresses.

What has really killed the UP is that with the better technology, you can make and groom the same quality of snow anywhere and you have to drive past perfectly good ski resorts to get here. With the high speed lifts and snow making in southern Wisconsin, as well as the Twin Cities, the UP is somewhat irrelevant. The markets that are drawn from are primarily the Twin Cities, Chicago, Milwaukee, and the Green Bay areas. Coming from Chicago or Milwaukee, you literally drive within sight of Cascade and Granite Peak. The other factor is that while Lutsen is about as far from Minneapolis as Big Snow Country, you have to leave the state and drive across another one. I think that is a mental thing for a lot of people. It might be the same distance, but it seems farther.

From what I heard, Blackjack basically has issues with sewage and water and would need to run city water and sewer out from Bessemer to do any development at all. Otherwise it is locked into being the way it is. That part I'm not 100% on though. If any of them close, Blackjack would probably be the one, with the equipment being moved to Indianhead or Powderhorn and Blackjack converted to other uses (real estate once the economy picks up perhaps?)

[Lift Dinosaur]

Thanks for the update on the UP. It's hard for us out west to even find it on a map!

Dino

[skier691]

I happened to pick up a 'Big Snow Country' brochure during an unplanned trip downstate. Its a 08-09 and makes zero mention of Blackjack.. although a couple of the pics they use have Blackjack in the background. Indianhead and Big Powderhorn appear to be the only two they are promoting. :( ? Bigsnow.com

[zeedotcom]

Blackjack dropped out of the "Big Snow Country" promotion stuff a year or two ago. It went from being 4 resorts down to just the two. Last I heard Blackjack would be open a few days a week the same as it was last year because this merger thing happened too late for plans to be changed.

[skier691]

I agree, I can see it opening just for the weekends also, but why, if youre printing a nice brochure, and you own all three areas, and planned to open all three, why wouldnt you advertise BJack, at least as the weekend only area? The Power of three areas, compared to 2m, is way more marketable.

[Andoman]

From www.skiblackjack.com -

November 14, 2008

Recent efforts to sell Blackjack Ski Resort have not been successful and are now terminated.

Accordingly, Blackjack management has decided to suspend operations for the coming ski season. Blackjack ski resort will be closed for the 2008-2009 ski season.

New marketing plans are being undertaken to find a buyer. Blackjack owners want to sell the business in its entirety. The Steiger family and Blackjack share holders wish to thank all the people…. from skiers and snowboarders, lodging guests, lodging owners, to employees, businesses, and local news media who supported us at every moment beginning with our opening day Dec 26, 1977.

We have had 31 ski seasons and we are grateful for all the people we have met and friendships we have made.

Blackjack

[skier691]

I had a strong feeling... too bad, the skiing there was always fun. Tucker rides and knee deep in Oct., a rarity in the Midwest. Until that area (W.UP) can increase visitors, the 4 main areas can't draw enough people. Like said before, modern snowmaking and high-speed lifts keep people south. But for a ski bum, you might know one, I bet you can still buy a house in the Ironwood area for under $20 g's

[spunkyskier01]

i saw this coming, it simply cant compete with powder horn and Indianian.

This post has been edited by spunkyskier01: 14 November 2008 - 08:02 PM

[kstrange3]

skier691, on Nov 14 2008, 07:16 PM, said:

I had a strong feeling... too bad, the skiing there was always fun. Tucker rides and knee deep in Oct., a rarity in the Midwest. Until that area (W.UP) can increase visitors, the 4 main areas can't draw enough people. Like said before, modern snowmaking and high-speed lifts keep people south. But for a ski bum, you might know one, I bet you can still buy a house in the Ironwood area for under $20 g's

The one I rented in Bessemer "the Jungle" was purchased in '01 for $ 5 g's. Haha, the guy didnt want us to paint it because he was afraid his property taxes would go up. God I miss da u.p.

[Andoman]

kstrange3, on Nov 15 2008, 12:51 AM, said:

The one I rented in Bessemer "the Jungle" was purchased in '01 for $ 5 g's. Haha, the guy didnt want us to paint it because he was afraid his property taxes would go up. God I miss da u.p.

I hear you, i lived in a rental in the Houghton area for 3 years before I found out it was condemned. My favorite memory of Houghton that me and my wife still laugh about was all of the temporary city road barricades had the name spelled wrong (hoton, i believe).

UPDATE: Sounds like indianhead didn't manage to purchase powderhorn ether.

News Report - Indianhead

This post has been edited by Andoman: 15 November 2008 - 11:16 AM