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| Updated on 01.18.2006 | ||||||||||||||||
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Since unveiling the Bitterroot Resort proposal last winter, the resort team has toured various groups on the property, and conducted public meetings involving the Missoula community, the Lolo community, the Florence community, the Lolo Creek Watershed Council, and many civic organizations.
Important themes and issues have emerged in these meetings. On the positive side, we’re finding great enthusiasm for the recreational opportunities – most importantly the ability to ski or ride on a tremendous mountain. Many are concerned about the local economy, and see Bitterroot as a major shot in the arm for the visitor industry, particularly during the winter slow time. Some are taking a neutral stance; they want to know that the resort will be appropriate for the region, that natural resources such as water and wildlife habitat will be protected, that it will be a place that all of us – our families, our kids, and our friends - can enjoy and feel welcome, as opposed to being a ritzy place where we work, but we don’t necessarily play. We’re brainstorming every day about how we can adapt our proposal to reflect these concerns. We’ve come up with a few ideas, but more importantly, we’d like to know your reaction to these ideas; are we on the right track, or do we need to go farther? We find these discussions extremely useful in helping us identify issues and understand the reaction to our proposal. If you have an organization or just a group of friends, we would love an opportunity to come and discuss our proposal with you. Just contact us at cynthia@admaverick.com. DROUGHT YEAR BLUES? We’ve been monitoring the temperature, humidity this past fall, and we are confident that the snowmaking system we have planned could have ensured quality skiing during this drought period. The ski runs on the Maclay property were carefully designed to face north and northeast. Casual observers see that the early January snow melted uniformly from the bottom of the runs to the top. Two feet of man made snow would have easily survived the 2005 January thaw. MONTANA OR COLORADO? We frequently hear a concern about whether the resort will be a good “fit” with the Bitterroot Valley and Missoula. People want the advantages the resort will bring – jobs, recreation, and a wonderful place to shop and relax – but they question whether the resort will change the character of the communities in which we live. Many appreciate that Tom Maclay has engaged experienced, international experts to prepare mountain and village designs that are of the highest quality; people don’t want a half-measure development, and they appreciate James Tuer’s inspired design of an aesthetic village layout at the foot of the Bitterroot slope. So the question is, “Can we create a sense of place that is both attractive to our destination tourist market, and at the same time attractive to locals from Missoula and the Bitterroot?” Certainly, achieving that is in our business interest; anyone who has traveled outside the state knows that to outsiders this area has certain wondrous qualities: it’s laid back; it contains diverse, multi faceted communities. Montanans are open and unpretentious, reflecting the personality of place that is wide open, with millions of acres of wild country in each direction. FAMILY FRIENDLY Here are some ideas – and commitments – we’re considering to demonstrate our vision that Bitterroot should be a place that Montana families can enjoy with their children: All 5th graders will enjoy free alpine and Nordic skiing for that season. Any student carrying a 3.0 grade point average or better will be offered a season pass at half the price of the regular student pass. We see an enormous interest in school ski programs that are made affordable for children. We’ll be modeling our programs after the one at Marshall, and other resorts, where ski lessons, lift tickets, and equipment are provided at cost to the students. We firmly believe that to grow the sport, such programs are vital to our success. We’ve made space for family recreation facilities including ice skating, swimming, and tubing. These could be community facilities, with pricing and administration that is appropriate for open, public use. We’re investigating other ideas to make sure that the families of our employees have fair, economical access to Bitterroot’s recreation facilities. Full time employees and their immediate family will be provided seasons passes as a benefit of their employment with the resort. AFFORDABILITY Big Mountain charges $49.00 for an adult weekend pass; Big Sky charges $61. Both areas allow children under 10 to ski free, and both have reduced prices for teens and seniors. Bitterroot will have competitive pricing for day ski passes. To assure accessibility for locals we’ll have season and multi day pass programs, enabling frequent - usually local – skiers, snowboarders, and Nordic skiers to substantially reduce their costs over a season of use. With regard to ice skating and other recreational attractions at the resort, we expect to charge typical prices for similar uses elsewhere. The advantage of a public-private partnership, for example, to build and operate an ice rink would assure appropriate, affordable prices to the public. SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT Some may have seen Greg Cory’s (Economic Research Associates) presentation regarding the economic feasibility of the resort; briefly, Mr. Cory found that the market is strong for the recreation facilities being proposed. The next, perhaps more important step is a detailed analysis of the socio-economic effects of the project on the region. We’re working on economic impact analysis studies to address some of the key questions, including: What are the jobs and economic benefits to the region of a Bitterroot Resort? How is the project likely to affect local trends in property values and taxation? What are the issues involved with providing employee housing? What are the likely tax revenues in support of local government and schools? WATER All of us in the area share a concern about enhancing the Lolo Creek and Bitterroot River fisheries, as well as enhancing the other streams flowing across the Maclay Ranch. People want to know the specifics, and we’re working to develop the information necessary for detailed conversations about our plans and the opportunities that we see to enhance stream habitats through the project. Briefly, though, the ranch controls a bundle of water rights that amount to more than 5000 acre feet of water in support of agriculture on the ranch. These rights include water from Carlton Lake, Carlton Creek, Maple Creek, Squaw Creek, McClain Creek, and Lolo Creek. Under our proposal, we would change the use of some of this water from summer use for irrigation to winter use as snowpack. The important, physical difference is that irrigation water is wholly lost to area streams, since it is efficiently applied to the land for plant growth. We think that water stored as snowpack will runoff in the spring and summer, enhancing stream flow, feeding the aquifer, and improving fisheries. FOLLOWING IS A DISCUSSION FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF SNOWMAX: At the Florence meeting a question came up regarding additives we would apply during the snowmaking process. We would propose the use of Snomax, a common bacterium that acts as a condensation nuclei, enabling us make snow more efficiently. Pseudomonas syringae is so commonplace that an average of 40 organisms is found per cubic meter of air worldwide. A single tomato leaf can yield as many as 10 billion of these organisms. In fact, a study done for the Canadian government concluded that if Snomax were used at all of the country's ski resorts with snow-making, the total release of live organisms would be no more than what could be recovered from 100 leaves in a farmer's field. The strain of Pseudomonas syringae used in Snomax has been proven to be a safe non-pathogenic organism. Key agencies that have regulated the commercial development of Snomax include the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service, and Environmental Canada. Regulatory agencies in Canada, Norway, Japan, Swede, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, France, Switzerland, and Australia have approved Snomax for commercial use. These countries are known as some of the most environmentally conscious countries in the world. A wide body of independent studies has come to the same conclusion: Snomax poses no health or environmental threats whatsoever….More than $1.5 million dollars has been spent to be certain Snomax is safe. Snomax is the most tested product for safety in the industry” (Source:York snow, York International; www.snomax.com). OUR COMMITMENTS: The environmental analysis process will fully explore and document the environmental implications of our use of water for snowmaking. As soon as possible we will hold work sessions with water conservation leaders to explore the issues involved with water, and seek opportunities for win-win solutions for both the resort and the stream quality we all care about. ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS We’ve heard from a variety of recreational users – hikers, motorized uses, mountain bikers, and hunters - about their continued access to the country between the ranch and the Carlton Ridge/Lolo Peak area. With regard to hiking and summer recreation, we would expect greater opportunities for people to ride a lift to the ridge to begin their hike. Certainly, existing roads and trailheads would remain, although the experience would be different from what it is today. We would expect to work collaboratively with the various user groups through the environmental review and decision making process to find measures protecting full public enjoyment of these lands. In many ways we expect opportunities to be enhanced. SUSTAINABILITY We’re proud that this resort would provide sustainable economic activity to Montana. Sustainability involves many aspects of the project, from the energy used to run the place, efficiency standards involved in building construction, and efforts to sustain wildlife habitat throughout the project. We’re forming a work group to examine measures to improve the sustainability aspects of the development. IS IT REAL ESTATE OR IS IT SKIING? In today’s resort industry, you can’t have one without the other. This project would not be feasible without the combination of the Maclay Ranch base property and the quality mountain resource of Lolo Peak and Carlton Ridge. Industry observers understand that a sustainable, modern ski resort cannot be built without the advantage of quality base area real estate. The opportunity to raise capital through the sale and development of real estate in the base area provides the financial resources necessary to build a quality alpine resort. The question on the table concerns a tremendous ski and snowboard mountain and its attributes to the community. If the proposal is denied by the public and the Forest Service, Tom Maclay has other options for property development. The reality is that the substantial equity involved in the Maclay Ranch allows for the quality infrastructure in the form of gondolas, high-speed chairs, automated snowmaking and world-class vertical to be obtained. The community directly benefits from the higher values generated by a destination alpine development. Higher real estate values will generate capital to finance lifts and facilities; these projects involve high paying, skilled construction jobs. Greater capital investment will circulate through our communities many times over, as overall wages go up, goods and services are purchased, etc. ACCESS TO HIGHWAY 93 We expect transportation issues to be an important piece of the public review and analysis process. However, Bitterroot Resort has a number of advantages regarding highway access: As commuters from Hamilton/Stevensville to Missoula understand, Highway 93 southbound is virtually empty in the early morning. The resort benefits from this “reverse commute” in which employees and visitors will travel against the dominant highway pattern. The vast majority of our visitors will arrive between 9 am and 11 am, and depart between 2 pm and 4 pm. This traffic would avoid the heavier rush hours. We expect the public review process to include detailed analysis of this issue. It is likely that a traffic light will be necessary for northbound access on to Highway 93. WILL THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN LOOK LIKE THE SKI RUNS ALREADY CUT ON THE PRIVATE LAND? Our web site graphics illustrate our vision for the mountain. Final design is subject the public process, in which the Forest Service would consider several alternatives to the proposed action. The Maclay Ranch ski runs were carefully designed by leading mountain planners for their north aspect, a variety of skill levels, and their ability to disperse skiers exiting the mountain at the end of the ski day. WHAT IS THE NON-NATIONAL FOREST LAND SCENARIO? IS THIS AN ALL OR NOTHING PROPOSAL? First, we’re finding significant public support for our vision of a Bitterroot Resort. However, if we are unsuccessful in securing public and Forest Service approval for a project, it is likely that many aspects of the project will go forward. Tom Maclay has gone forward to prepare ski runs on his property, so some form of ski development will occur; the runs you see already carved involve approximately the same vertical descent as Snow Bowl. We would probably not be as competitive as a destination resort if national forest lands were excluded; Tom Maclay would likely consider development scenarios that would involve more year-round residents, and it’s likely we’d have more year-round residents on the property than would occur under the resort proposal. Of course, in either scenario our preference is to create a community of year round residents. PROTECTING THE SELWAY One of the special assets for the Bitterroot Resort is the close proximity to the 1.3 million acre Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. This magnificent area was set aside by Congress in 1964 as a part of its policy to “secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness”. These are to be managed for all time as bits of the America that was when the first settlers arrived in the Bitterroot Valley. The Bitterroot Resort can and will be developed and managed without degrading the wild character of this Wilderness in any way. We will work with the Forest Service to be sure that our management and staff have a full understanding of the meaning and value of Wilderness. Our folks, in turn will help spread this understanding to all of our guests. WAGES Everyone should understand that Bitterroot Resort will involve many hundreds of well-paying jobs during construction, and many well paying jobs during the ongoing operation of the resort. The public concern, of course, pertains to the entry level wages and benefits we’ll pay to the lift operators, hotel and restaurant workers, cashiers, etc. that will constitute a segment of our employees. First, we expect to pay above average, if not the highest, wages in the region for the work being performed. Our management team believes that to attract people who can perform above average guest service you need to pay above the average wage. Second, part of the attraction that students and others have to resort work is that it comes with a seasons pass. That’s an important benefit, and we’re considering other sweeteners as well for our employees. SIZE MATTERS We’re proposing the largest vertical drop of any existing resort in North America. In terms of the village, we propose a mountain village that is about 1/10th the size of Whistler Village. Again, if you have any questions or comments contact us at cynthia@admaverick.com. |
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© Bitterroot Resort 2007. All Rights Reserved.