The New York Times reports on the bitter lease dispute that threatens to shut down Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. As this case shows, leasing adds unnecessary complexity to operating a ski area.
Read The Times story to learn more.
There's not currently a Cannon Mountain lease bill before the New Hampshire state Legislature. But we know lease proponents still aim to privatize the mountain, which would effectively carve out part of Franconia Notch State Park and turn it over to the private sector.
Like all state parks in New Hampshire, no money from the state's general fund is allocated to Cannon. New Hampshire state parks are funded only by revenue from user fees. Cannon is the largest single source of revenue for Franconia Notch State Park and the Division of Parks and Recreation. And it generates more than a third of the annual revenue of the entire park system.
Cannon has produced an average annual operating profit of more than $500,000 each year since 2007, when a new management team took over with a mission to make the mountain profitable.
August 20, 2014
December 5, 2013
WMUR Story Touts Benefits of State Owned Cannon Mountain
"Hi. I'm a New Hampshire resident and I'd like a 25 percent discount on my season pass, please."
Try that at any ski area in the Granite State and you'll be laughed out of the season pass office. Except at New Hampshire's state owned and operated Cannon Mountain, where by law state residents get 25 percent off their season pass as long as they order it by Dec. 14.
This and other benefits of continued state control of Cannon were mentioned a WMUR story by Paula Tracy. You can read the full story by clicking here.
"If you are a New Hampshire resident, you own a ski area, and a pretty nice one. New Hampshire is cool that way," the story begins.
We couldn't have said it better.
May 5, 2013
Despite 'Avalanche' of Opposition, Lease Talk Resurfaces in Concord
Although there is no Cannon Mountain lease bill before the Legislature -- and an "avalanche" of opposition helped kill the lease bill last year -- there's still lease talk going on in Concord.
In this Union-Leader story from today, which noted the state treasurer's common sense recommendation that the state use Cannon revenue to pay down the Cannon Mountain Capital Improvement Fund's accumulated deficit of $372,000, state Sen. Jeb Bradley discussed leasing.
Bradley said that while he does not plan to file a lease bill, he believes that the state should consider whether it should remain in the ski business. Significantly, the senator told the newspaper that he has backed off from leasing in the face of "strident opposition" both in Concord and the Franconia region. "I was climbing uphill with an avalanche coming down at me," he told the newspaper.
State Treasurer Catherine Provencher told the newspaper that Cannon operates at a profit and that Cannon revenue funds the rest of the state park system. "Our parks fund was intended to be self-supporting, so I have to say Cannon and the Hampton meters pay for an awful lot of our system of parks that we can all enjoy," she told the newspaper.
"The New Hampshire model is that we have a few parks that support the rest of the parks system," state Parks and Recreation Director Phil Bryce told the newspaper. The state is fortunate to have "special places like Franconia Notch State Park, like Hampton Beach ... fantastic places, so they can generate that revenue to support the rest of the parks system."
This year Cannon will send $650,000 to the state park system and another $50,000 to state Fish and Game to help fund rescues.
In this Union-Leader story from today, which noted the state treasurer's common sense recommendation that the state use Cannon revenue to pay down the Cannon Mountain Capital Improvement Fund's accumulated deficit of $372,000, state Sen. Jeb Bradley discussed leasing.
Bradley said that while he does not plan to file a lease bill, he believes that the state should consider whether it should remain in the ski business. Significantly, the senator told the newspaper that he has backed off from leasing in the face of "strident opposition" both in Concord and the Franconia region. "I was climbing uphill with an avalanche coming down at me," he told the newspaper.
State Treasurer Catherine Provencher told the newspaper that Cannon operates at a profit and that Cannon revenue funds the rest of the state park system. "Our parks fund was intended to be self-supporting, so I have to say Cannon and the Hampton meters pay for an awful lot of our system of parks that we can all enjoy," she told the newspaper.
"The New Hampshire model is that we have a few parks that support the rest of the parks system," state Parks and Recreation Director Phil Bryce told the newspaper. The state is fortunate to have "special places like Franconia Notch State Park, like Hampton Beach ... fantastic places, so they can generate that revenue to support the rest of the parks system."
This year Cannon will send $650,000 to the state park system and another $50,000 to state Fish and Game to help fund rescues.
Cannon Mountain Turns Healthy Profit in 2012-13 Season, Advisory Commission Told
Cannon Mountain reported an estimated operating profit of up to $900,000 during the 2012-13 ski season, mountain General Manager John DeVivo told the Cannon Mountain Advisory Commission last month.
Since fiscal 2008, the mountain has generated an average operating profit of $515,000 annually.
For the 2012-13 season, skier visits were up 25 percent from the prior (and relatively snowless) season and were within 3 percent of Cannon's record season. The mountain's revenue was up 23 percent while expenses were down 1 percent vs. the prior season.
The commission discussed ways to pay down the Cannon Mountain Capital Improvement Fund's accumulated deficit of $372,000. The CMCIF is funded by annual lease payments from Mount Sunapee Ski Area, which the state leased in 1998 in order to fund capital improvements at Cannon. The annual payments from Mount Sunapee have totaled $372,000 less than what the $6 million revolving CMCIF has spent in bond issuances since 1999.
State Treasurer Catherine Provencher, state Sen. Jeb Bradley and State Parks & Recreation Director Phil Bryce pledged to work together to craft legislation that would direct Cannon's annual surplus to paying down the CMCIF debt, supporting the state parks budget and to pay for improvements at Cannon.
Cannon plans $717,000-worth of capital projects this summer, including $400,000 for snowmaking improvments, $167,000 for water and power upgrades and $150,000 to replace the Peabody Express Quad haul rope.
To read the advisory commission meeting minutes and get all the financial nitty gritty, click here.
Since fiscal 2008, the mountain has generated an average operating profit of $515,000 annually.
For the 2012-13 season, skier visits were up 25 percent from the prior (and relatively snowless) season and were within 3 percent of Cannon's record season. The mountain's revenue was up 23 percent while expenses were down 1 percent vs. the prior season.
The commission discussed ways to pay down the Cannon Mountain Capital Improvement Fund's accumulated deficit of $372,000. The CMCIF is funded by annual lease payments from Mount Sunapee Ski Area, which the state leased in 1998 in order to fund capital improvements at Cannon. The annual payments from Mount Sunapee have totaled $372,000 less than what the $6 million revolving CMCIF has spent in bond issuances since 1999.
State Treasurer Catherine Provencher, state Sen. Jeb Bradley and State Parks & Recreation Director Phil Bryce pledged to work together to craft legislation that would direct Cannon's annual surplus to paying down the CMCIF debt, supporting the state parks budget and to pay for improvements at Cannon.
Cannon plans $717,000-worth of capital projects this summer, including $400,000 for snowmaking improvments, $167,000 for water and power upgrades and $150,000 to replace the Peabody Express Quad haul rope.
To read the advisory commission meeting minutes and get all the financial nitty gritty, click here.
October 23, 2012
Where North Country Candidates Stand on Leasing Cannon Mountain
As North Country voters consider their choices for state Legislature, we thought you'd like to know where the candidates stand on the potential leasing of Cannon Mountain to the private sector.
Here is what the candidates for House District 2, which includes Franconia, Lisbon, Lyman, Monroe and Sugar Hill, have told us:
Denis Ward
Republican Candidate
I think the old expression "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies quite well here. Though I think there are places where the NH government could gain efficiency by enlisting the help of the private sector, I don't think Franconia Notch State Park is one of them. I would not support privatizing Cannon Mountain.
Rebecca Brown
Democratic Candidate
So far, leasing is more a way to tackle the state's fiscal issues than a way to serve the interests of the community and the park. I will oppose any attempt to solve the state's fiscal issues on the back of Cannon Mountain - just like I oppose Northern Pass as an attempt by PSNH to solve its financial woes on the back of the North Country. If the leasing issue continues to be brought forward, we need to put that question into the context of a master plan for the entire Franconia Notch State Park. A master planning process needs to be driven by the needs of the park, Franconia and the rest of the local community, and it needs to recognize and respect the park's history and intent, as well as the economic and financial factor.
In House District 14, which includes parts of Littleton and Bethlehem:
Brad Bailey
Republican Candidate
Did not reply to our requests for information
Doug Grant
Democratic Candidate
I cannot help but see the resemblance between privatizing Franconia Notch State Park and running Northern Pass through the White Mountain National Forest. In both cases land belonging to the people in perpetuity is to be turned over to a private group of developers. I could go on and on but I will keep this statement brief. Let me be clear - I am totally opposed to this plan.
Senate District 1:
Jeff Woodburn
Democratic Candidate
Democratic Candidate
He opposes leasing and sent us a link to something he wrote for the NH Business Review:
http://jeffwoodburn.com/?p=294
Debi Warner
Republican Candidate
Did not reply to our requests for informationDebi Warner
Republican Candidate
Here is what the candidates for House District 2, which includes Franconia, Lisbon, Lyman, Monroe and Sugar Hill, have told us:
Denis Ward
Republican Candidate
I think the old expression "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies quite well here. Though I think there are places where the NH government could gain efficiency by enlisting the help of the private sector, I don't think Franconia Notch State Park is one of them. I would not support privatizing Cannon Mountain.
Rebecca Brown
Democratic Candidate
So far, leasing is more a way to tackle the state's fiscal issues than a way to serve the interests of the community and the park. I will oppose any attempt to solve the state's fiscal issues on the back of Cannon Mountain - just like I oppose Northern Pass as an attempt by PSNH to solve its financial woes on the back of the North Country. If the leasing issue continues to be brought forward, we need to put that question into the context of a master plan for the entire Franconia Notch State Park. A master planning process needs to be driven by the needs of the park, Franconia and the rest of the local community, and it needs to recognize and respect the park's history and intent, as well as the economic and financial factor.
In House District 14, which includes parts of Littleton and Bethlehem:
Brad Bailey
Republican Candidate
Did not reply to our requests for information
Doug Grant
Democratic Candidate
I cannot help but see the resemblance between privatizing Franconia Notch State Park and running Northern Pass through the White Mountain National Forest. In both cases land belonging to the people in perpetuity is to be turned over to a private group of developers. I could go on and on but I will keep this statement brief. Let me be clear - I am totally opposed to this plan.
October 17, 2012
Cannon Earns High Marks in Ski Magazine Guide...And Reader Touts State Control
The annual Ski Magazine resort guide is in, once again with kind words for Cannon, which ranked No. 17 in the East. We particularly liked one reader's comments: "Great history, challenging trails, killer views, good value. A skier's mountain; love the vibe. Please, please, please remain state-owned and managed."
To read the guide, click here.
October 10, 2012
Gubernatorial Candidates Reveal Positions on Potential Leasing of Cannon Mountain
As New Hampshire voters consider their choices for governor, we thought we'd pass along where the candidates stand on the potential leasing of Cannon Mountain to the private sector. At a travel and tourism forum this month, Ovide Lamontagne said he favors exploring lease options for Cannon. Maggie Hassan's campaign said this month that she opposes leasing Cannon.
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