Hey everyone, hoping your enjoying your winter as much as I am.
For a recent class at college, we had to prepare a business plan. While most students built pizzerias or bars, I designed a resort.
The resort is called the Ravines, and would be located on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The resort would be built on the assumption the US Forest Service would actually lease several hundred acres to my compan. It would have one of the highest vertical drops in the country and offer skiing into June. For those of you who are not familiar with Tuckerman's Ravine and Mt. Washington skiing, I highly recommend it.
For anyone who would like to see the resort and its plans, post your email or send it to me through Skilifts. Your criticism are thanks are both welcomed.
and of course, I'm graduating from college in May, so if anyone likes what they see, keep me in mind.
Think snow.
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The Ravines Mountain Resort?
Started by ewillso7, Jan 28 2010 01:48 PM
9 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 29 January 2010 - 03:05 PM
ewillso7, on 28 January 2010 - 01:48 PM, said:
Hey everyone, hoping your enjoying your winter as much as I am.
For a recent class at college, we had to prepare a business plan. While most students built pizzerias or bars, I designed a resort.
The resort is called the Ravines, and would be located on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The resort would be built on the assumption the US Forest Service would actually lease several hundred acres to my compan. It would have one of the highest vertical drops in the country and offer skiing into June. For those of you who are not familiar with Tuckerman's Ravine and Mt. Washington skiing, I highly recommend it.
For anyone who would like to see the resort and its plans, post your email or send it to me through Skilifts. Your criticism are thanks are both welcomed.
and of course, I'm graduating from college in May, so if anyone likes what they see, keep me in mind.
Think snow.
For a recent class at college, we had to prepare a business plan. While most students built pizzerias or bars, I designed a resort.
The resort is called the Ravines, and would be located on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The resort would be built on the assumption the US Forest Service would actually lease several hundred acres to my compan. It would have one of the highest vertical drops in the country and offer skiing into June. For those of you who are not familiar with Tuckerman's Ravine and Mt. Washington skiing, I highly recommend it.
For anyone who would like to see the resort and its plans, post your email or send it to me through Skilifts. Your criticism are thanks are both welcomed.
and of course, I'm graduating from college in May, so if anyone likes what they see, keep me in mind.
Think snow.
Found a way to make it small enough to attach, check it out.
Attached File(s)
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The Ravines Mountain Resort Business Plan.zip (868.37K)
Number of downloads: 79
#4
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Posted 29 January 2010 - 10:33 PM
Since you welcome criticism, I feel that I would like to share my thoughts on your resort. :)
While I must admit that I still need to read your 'resort proposal,' I did look over your 'financial statement' and it downright scares me.
Below is a link to your ‘financial statement’ with my comments on it. A long story short, you have too high of expectations and are not calculating other key factors like the current state of the current economy into your development/operation and are leveraging numbers with high skier visit forecasts which don’t exist and will definitely not materialize in the time frame you have shown. You are building a brand new resort, which is also happens to be a brand new brand name. Statistical research has shown that in poor times, people far more likely to stick with a brand they trust than to take a risk on something new that they have no experience with.
When I have time to review your ‘resort proposal,’ I will have more comments to share.
I must admit though, you did a good job displaying a lot of the essential information for your ‘financial statement.’ I would have expanded on it, but it’s probably not required for your project.
Ravines Part 2.pdf (652.48K)
Number of downloads: 27
While I must admit that I still need to read your 'resort proposal,' I did look over your 'financial statement' and it downright scares me.
Below is a link to your ‘financial statement’ with my comments on it. A long story short, you have too high of expectations and are not calculating other key factors like the current state of the current economy into your development/operation and are leveraging numbers with high skier visit forecasts which don’t exist and will definitely not materialize in the time frame you have shown. You are building a brand new resort, which is also happens to be a brand new brand name. Statistical research has shown that in poor times, people far more likely to stick with a brand they trust than to take a risk on something new that they have no experience with.
When I have time to review your ‘resort proposal,’ I will have more comments to share.
I must admit though, you did a good job displaying a lot of the essential information for your ‘financial statement.’ I would have expanded on it, but it’s probably not required for your project.
Ravines Part 2.pdf (652.48K)
Number of downloads: 27
- Cameron
#5
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Posted 29 January 2010 - 11:17 PM
Speaking from experience of trying to put together a feasible business plan to start a ski resort from scratch (and failing miserably) that it's a darn near impossible feat these days I'd say. I do realize that this was a class project and what not, and I have to say you did quite an excellent job on it, as I was very highly impressed with the details and thoroughness for a school project, but if you want to get a ski resort up and going it's probably much easier to do so by taking over one that is already in operation, or one that has been closed. Antelope Butte in Wyoming could probably be had for around $200k I would guess, if you could show the Forest Service you had a strong business plan, and extra cash to pull it off. (it has two lifts and a lodge)
Sleeping Giant in Wyoming is another resort that has been somewhat resurrected by a new ownership group as well. While I'm not saying it's impossible nor a bad thing to think about new ski resorts, or even attempt to get them off the ground in my experience they are things that are near impossible. And if you thought they were difficult before the recent fiasco at Tamarack probably does nothing to help people think that they should be risking money on new resorts.
The good thing though (especially if you'd like to find yourself in the industry down the line) is you're researching and learning about all the different aspects that go into a resort. When I was working with a group to put together a proposal in Wyoming I learned an incredible amount about the industry and how all the pieces go together. Did it make me a genius in the industry, of course not but I did learn a lot and made me realize that this is an industry that I'd love to be in at some point. Further ideas, and various other attempts at learning more and talking with people in the industry and getting to know people in the industry have also helped me learn more about it, and how everything works together.
While I can't speak for everyone in the industry the one thing I've found more than anything else is people are incredibly helpful and always willing to answer questions. I've talked over the years with a couple folks that ran ski lift companies, a couple mountain managers, a sales rep for various ski products and even the ownership group of a small ski resort. If you ever need any advice don't be afraid to ask people in the industry, they are some of the nicest people and most helpful I've ever met, whether on the web at this site or even in person.
Interesting plan and very good job, the fact that people are looking at it and studying it means that it's not only well put together and substantive, but also that they find it as an interesting idea. While I've had a chance to look it over I haven't had a chance to put together a detailed response, which I'd like to put up at some point. (whether it will be helpful or worth anything I don't know) but the fact is you came to the right place with a ton of great people who are more than willing to put their two cents in based on their vast array of knowledge in this industry.
Glad to have on board, and can't wait to see you around the board more...
Sleeping Giant in Wyoming is another resort that has been somewhat resurrected by a new ownership group as well. While I'm not saying it's impossible nor a bad thing to think about new ski resorts, or even attempt to get them off the ground in my experience they are things that are near impossible. And if you thought they were difficult before the recent fiasco at Tamarack probably does nothing to help people think that they should be risking money on new resorts.
The good thing though (especially if you'd like to find yourself in the industry down the line) is you're researching and learning about all the different aspects that go into a resort. When I was working with a group to put together a proposal in Wyoming I learned an incredible amount about the industry and how all the pieces go together. Did it make me a genius in the industry, of course not but I did learn a lot and made me realize that this is an industry that I'd love to be in at some point. Further ideas, and various other attempts at learning more and talking with people in the industry and getting to know people in the industry have also helped me learn more about it, and how everything works together.
While I can't speak for everyone in the industry the one thing I've found more than anything else is people are incredibly helpful and always willing to answer questions. I've talked over the years with a couple folks that ran ski lift companies, a couple mountain managers, a sales rep for various ski products and even the ownership group of a small ski resort. If you ever need any advice don't be afraid to ask people in the industry, they are some of the nicest people and most helpful I've ever met, whether on the web at this site or even in person.
Interesting plan and very good job, the fact that people are looking at it and studying it means that it's not only well put together and substantive, but also that they find it as an interesting idea. While I've had a chance to look it over I haven't had a chance to put together a detailed response, which I'd like to put up at some point. (whether it will be helpful or worth anything I don't know) but the fact is you came to the right place with a ton of great people who are more than willing to put their two cents in based on their vast array of knowledge in this industry.
Glad to have on board, and can't wait to see you around the board more...
#9
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Tom
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Posted 31 January 2010 - 04:32 PM
ewillso7, on 31 January 2010 - 09:20 AM, said:
They get some crazy weather out there, but you can Tuckerman's Ravine until mid June.
How many days will your lift system be shutdown due to weather?
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Posted 31 January 2010 - 04:52 PM
102Terry, on 31 January 2010 - 04:32 PM, said:
How many days will your lift system be shutdown due to weather?
I've got 4 lifts that end below 4,000 feet, while the gondola from the base to ravine floor will have a midstation at 3,800 feet. The gondola will actually be in 2 parts, with the midstation serving as the transfer hub. If the weathers bad there, you're not going any higher. I can't say how many days the lifts couldn't run, but I've got several options to keep the skiing going when the weather gets bad at high elevations.
Also, from the ravine floor to the top of Tuckerman's, the tram type is a funitel. This will help on those windier days.
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