Membership Dues Increase at Hermitage

[Jully]

This thread has me pondering just what the size of the, "east coast, rich, but not very serious skier" market it.

Seems to be decently sized if Hermitage has over 600 members. I doubt they have a particularly high piece of the market share.

A good number probably just go out west once a year though.

 

[mikec142]

Seems to be decently sized if Hermitage has over 600 members. I doubt they have a particularly high piece of the market share.

A good number probably just go out west once a year though.

I would think the target market is families and especially multi-generational families. It's probably a nice feeling to be able to have your kids ski on their own (and with friends they make at "the club") with fewer worries than at a larger public ski area. It's probably a nice feeling to know that the lifties and the ski patrol know your kid by name.

My parents don't ski, but I'm 47 years old with teenage skiers. It's my fondest wish that I will be able to ski with my grand kids and that could be easier in this type of environment.

The target market is not the hardcore, aggressive skier. If you're constantly looking for a challenge, you're not going to become a member.

My $.02 which is probably worth less than that.

 

[Glenn]

I believe it's not just all skiing there. I want to say they have direct access to the VAST trails(snowmobiling). I want to say snowmobiling is second to skiing in terms of winter tourist dollars for VT.

 

[The Sneak]

I would think the target market is families and especially multi-generational families. It's probably a nice feeling to be able to have your kids ski on their own (and with friends they make at "the club") with fewer worries than at a larger public ski area. It's probably a nice feeling to know that the lifties and the ski patrol know your kid by name.

My parents don't ski, but I'm 47 years old with teenage skiers. It's my fondest wish that I will be able to ski with my grand kids and that could be easier in this type of environment.

The target market is not the hardcore, aggressive skier. If you're constantly looking for a challenge, you're not going to become a member.

My $.02 which is probably worth less than that.

Agree 100%. I'm 39, decidedly not wealthy, and childless (that I know of)....but I definitely understand the appeal of Hermitage. Having a home there, access to all the amenities, and the social aspects...it's really not that different than a yacht club or a secluded vacation area that families spend their summers at every year (examples here in southern New England: Nonquitt, Green Hill, Watch Hill, Quonnie, MV etc). Sure, not 100% the same, but I can tell you that if I were 'in the manner born'...I'd be all over Hermitage.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I would think the target market is families and especially multi-generational families. It's probably a nice feeling to be able to have your kids ski on their own (and with friends they make at "the club") with fewer worries than at a larger public ski area. It's probably a nice feeling to know that the lifties and the ski patrol know your kid by name.

I'm sure that's all true, but there are small places just like what you describe above where you dont need to spend thousands and thousands on membership. Mad River Glen, Plattekill, etc..... Heck, even Smuggler's Notch is like that and it's a "bigger" area.

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

I'm sure that's all true, but there are small places just like what you describe above where you dont need to spend thousands and thousands on membership. Mad River Glen, Plattekill, etc..... Heck, even Smuggler's Notch is like that and it's a "bigger" area.

But then the rich folk would have to stand in line with the un-washed masses...

 

[Jcb890]

We handled our money poorly and shockingly sold less memberships than anticipated in a bad winter (obviously), but figured '**** it, YOLO', let's keep spending, these yuppies have the money to dump into this to keep it going.

 

[ironhippy]

I'm sure that's all true, but there are small places just like what you describe above where you dont need to spend thousands and thousands on membership. Mad River Glen, Plattekill, etc..... Heck, even Smuggler's Notch is like that and it's a "bigger" area.

my local hill is like that and we rarely have lift lines worth worrying about

However we have less than a 1000 feet of vertical, but we rip every inch of it!

 

[SkiFanE]

I'm sure that's all true, but there are small places just like what you describe above where you dont need to spend thousands and thousands on membership. Mad River Glen, Plattekill, etc..... Heck, even Smuggler's Notch is like that and it's a "bigger" area.

i feel that way at SR. I joke with my now 12yo that he can't get away with anything - always someone he knows will be watching. Between his folks friend and older siblings friends (one now an instructor) - and being passholders since before he was born - The place really doesn't feel "big". Can't wait for the grandkids - we have and will make more space if needed You don't need a private club - save that $ for the grandkids college.

 

[raisingarizona]

i feel that way at SR. I joke with my now 12yo that he can't get away with anything - always someone he knows will be watching. Between his folks friend and older siblings friends (one now an instructor) - and being passholders since before he was born - The place really doesn't feel "big". Can't wait for the grandkids - we have and will make more space if needed You don't need a private club - save that $ for the grandkids college.

Or, if you have that kind of money to burn imagine the good you could do the world by dedicating some of it and your time to charitable causes?

 

[VTKilarney]

Or, if you have that kind of money to burn imagine the good you could do the world by dedicating some of it and your time to charitable causes?

Who says that they don't? The top 1% provides 33% of all charitable donations.

 

[Higgl]

Who says that they don't? The top 1% provides 33% of all charitable donations.

Considering they own ~40% of all the wealth... that is really not impressive at all. Its good and awesome that they are donating large sums to charity, but when taken in the context of how much they have to begin with... they're donating the same, or even a little less proportionally.

I'm just glad the rich who want to participate in something like Hermitage aren't the most serious skiers! Imagine if a mountain like Stowe or Sugarbush went private instead of Haystack...

 

[raisingarizona]

Who says that they don't? The top 1% provides 33% of all charitable donations.

I suppose I was suggesting doing that instead of buying/building excessive giant homes that use valuable natural resources at the expense of many in third world countries.

 

[Smellytele]

oh no...

 

[Whitey]

oh no...

I think we should add a controversial comment about global warming to this thread too and then watch go completely off the rails.

Maybe also add a comment about how "Trump would love Hermitage" too and then watch the thread go full Chernobyl level melt down. . .

Or we could just comment on skiing and ski areas.

 

[raisingarizona]

Nah, it’s not Trump and his supporters that find this place attractive, it’s the Oprah Winfrey loving liberals from New Jersey.

 

[JimG]

Nah, it’s not Trump and his supporters that find this place attractive, it’s the Oprah Winfrey loving liberals from New Jersey.

I always thought they wound up in places like Telluride.

 

[Domeskier]

I suppose I was suggesting doing that instead of buying/building excessive giant homes that use valuable natural resources at the expense of many in third world countries.

I hear a lot of your Hollywood superstars plan trees to offset the size of their homes and the exhaust from their jet planes.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Who says that they don't? The top 1% provides 33% of all charitable donations.

Considering they own ~40% of all the wealth... that is really not impressive at all.

Must be nice being so generous with other people's money.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I hear a lot of your Hollywood superstars plan trees to offset the size of their homes and the exhaust from their jet planes.

Carbon offsets. That's one of the *********giset' things ever.