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Greene County officials, business owners push for Outdoor Recreation Bill

ALBANY — Organizations representing virtually every kind of business in New York state, including private ski areas, golf courses and campgrounds recently called on Gov. David Paterson to enact legislation establishing a Blue Ribbon Commission which would examine the outdoor recreation industry in the state.

The bill, sponsored by State Sen. James Seward and Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, would create a panel charged with making recommendations to promote fair competition between public and private recreational facilities.

Wayne Speenburgh, chairman of the Greene County Legislature, said, “The ongoing practices at Belleayre pose a considerable threat to the continued economic viability of Greene County that relies on the ski tourism industry as its primary economic engine. The Blue Ribbon Commission will provide an objective examination of these advantages and evaluate the extent of their impact on competition in the outdoor recreation industry.”

Those who called on the governor to approve the legislation were:

Business Council of New York State; National Federation of Independent Businesses; Ski Areas of New York; Greene County Coalition for Economic Equality; Hunter Mountain; Windham Mountain; New York State Turfgrass Association; National Golf Course Owners Association; Campground Owners of New York; Greene County Legislature; Bristol Mountain Ski Center; Plattekill Mountain Ski Center

In referring to the current state expansion proposal that would increase the size of Belleayre Mountain by 62 percent, Scott Brandi, president of Ski Areas of New York, said, “Last year, when the Belleayre project was announced, Ski Areas of New York publicly called for a study of the economic impact of public ski areas on the surrounding private resorts. This bill is simply going to establish facts and figures so a proper road map can be established. The entire Ski Areas of New York Board of Directors, made up of both public and private ski resorts, unanimously supports this bill.”

Russ Coloton, the president of Hunter Mountain and head of the Greene County Coalition for Economic Equality, said, “Every year, ski resorts, golf courses and campgrounds are forced to compete with enterprises owned by the state of New York. We all pay taxes that the state then uses to undercut prices and take business away from us. We’re actually financing our own demise.”

Another member of the Greene County Coalition, Tim Woods, president and general manager of Windham Mountain, said of state-owned local competitor Belleayre Mountain: “Belleayre, thanks to state assistance, prices its product so low that it’s difficult for private ski sites to compete. What we’re really looking for is for Belleayre to be more fair with their pricing and to stop giving away thousands of free and promotional tickets season after season.”

Dan Fuller, president of Bristol Mountain, said, “Recently, a central New York ski club which had booked a trip to Bristol Mountain canceled at the last moment because Belleayre offered them $15 tickets. We can’t sell $15 tickets and stay in business.”

Speaking for another ski resort, Laszlo Vajtay, the owner of Plattekill Mountain, said, “The effects of these competitive disadvantages are real and pronounced at Plattekill. During Belleayre’s Winter Festival Week when they offer $10 lift tickets, I had to reduce our ticket prices and even had to close for three days and cut back on staff. All we are looking for is a level playing field so that we can compete fairly.”

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