Sale rumors...

[JFskiDan]

3 hours ago, mbike-ski said:

ha yea ski the northeast or some other jerry fb group was petty entertaining over the weekend...

lots of "reliable sources" lol

was there some internet chatter about it?  i just actually assumed it was just going around here, and was only for someones entertainment.  

[mbike-ski]

27 minutes ago, JFskiDan said:

was there some internet chatter about it?  i just actually assumed it was just going around here, and was only for someones entertainment.  

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/oLpprfM9TaReoFLr/

[rgrwilco]

According to alpine zone, Gregg Confer is the manager at elk. And according to Gregg confer, elk is for sale (as of June 10th).

[Shadows]

1 dollar bob

[RidgeRacer]

Let’s all chip in and buy it. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

1 hour ago, RidgeRacer said:

Let’s all chip in and buy it. 

To far to ski at regularly 

[paul45]

It's under contract. Still in discovery phase, has been since early July. Straight from multiple employees. They've all been told the new owner is hands off for the first year, so no changes to how it operates this season. (As evidence from the new prices being completely unphased by multi mountain competition..chugging away at the usual 3% increase or bust). Could also still fall apart in discovery before it closes, but as of a few days ago was still progressing through the legal hurdles. The staff is all under NDA and can't say anything more.

Rumor is announcement in the fall sometime (that one not from an employee, so calling that one rumor for now).

 

[Old Geezer]

On 9/1/2024 at 12:51 PM, paul45 said:

...The staff is all under NDA and can't say anything more.

 

The staff might very well be under NDA. But there are hundreds of locals who can and will pick up on even a hint of a whiff of a clue of this. And word travels fast in that part of the world.

So while it cannot be ruled completely out, if something like this has been in the works for eight weeks from early July to now (early Sept) someone will have picked up on it. 

[Benm]

37 minutes ago, Old Geezer said:

The staff might very well be under NDA. But there are hundreds of locals who can and will pick up on even a hint of a whiff of a clue of this. And word travels fast in that part of the world.

So while it cannot be ruled completely out, if something like this has been in the works for eight weeks from early July to now (early Sept) someone will have picked up on it. 

I asked someone who grew up there about it as a joke (this person has zero vested interest in elk or skiing). Imagine my surprise when they were like oh yeah it's a done deal. 

Word def gets around. 

[JFskiDan]

Im no longer interested in this thread. Since it will be business as usual for the first year, it wont be on the Ikon pass this year. 

[paul45]

On 9/6/2024 at 8:07 PM, JFskiDan said:

Im no longer interested in this thread. Since it will be business as usual for the first year, it wont be on the Ikon pass this year. 

Feels more like an Indy mountain than Ikon. Would increase Ikon's average lift age by about 20% and decrease their average skiable acreage by the same! 

Seriously though, unless they decide to double down on the "feeder mountain" business model like Vail, that feels unlikely unless Alterra themselves bought them (on good intel they did not). They were hesitant enough to add camelback/blue under that business model and Alterra's parent company owns those guys. Another feeder in the same market feels like a long shot. Deal closes end of the month though, so should know soon. 

My personal pipe dream is PGRI... Not a mega conglomerate, business model has some desire to compete on affordability and free days at Jay wouldn't be a bad perk. But rumor is a rando non-industry real estate investor... If that rumor's true I'll just keep my hopes for whoever buys it from them out of bankruptcy in a few years 🤣. 

 

[rgrwilco]

[enjoralas]

Stole this from a Skitalk poster who grabbed it from Snow Brains. Reposting it here because it's interestingly gone from Snow Brains, and could see it disappearing from Ski Talk as well. Don't know why, not like there's anything groundbreaking there:

 

Sale of Elk Mountain, PA, Nearly Complete - SnowBrains

Elk Mountain Pennsylvania is being sold

 snowbrains.com

For some time now, there has been speculation that Elk Mountain, Pennsylvania, is for sale or has been sold. In an industry as competitive as the ski industry, climate change, labor shortages, and the expense of regularly maintaining and upgrading equipment and infrastructure make it increasingly difficult for independently owned-ski resorts to operate successfully. Some ski resorts have chosen to close with no plans to reopen, while others sell to a larger conglomerate. The industry’s selling and buying of ski resorts is somewhat a game of cloak and dagger. Everything is so secretive and hush-hush, but SnowBrains was able to find out details regarding the sale of Elk Mountain.

80-year-old Joe Moore has owned Elk Mountain for 60 years, and there were rumors that he was interested in selling it. This rumor mill has been circulating for years, with most speculation happening over the last few months. SnowBrains wanted to end those rumors and get clarification regarding the sale of Elk Mountain. We spoke with Elk Mountain’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Bob Deluca, to confirm the rumors that the ski resort had been sold. “There is an interested buyer, and I would describe the sale as pending,” Deluca said in a phone interview. “Until we have a sale completed, we have nothing to announce.”

While attending an Indy Pass event in New York City earlier this month, SnowBrains once again heard the rumor that Elk Mountain has mostly been sold circulating amongst event goers there. We did some investigating only to find out that a sale is indeed pending, with specific details still under wraps until the sale is officially closed. While the identity of Elk’s new buyer(s) has not been revealed, we can assure readers and local season pass holders that Elk Mountain has not been sold to the duopoly of Vail Resorts or Alterra. It’s clear that Elk Mountain is determined to remain an independently owned ski resort.

The name of the person(s) purchasing Elk Mountain was not stated, and there was no timetable for an official announcement. The final details of the resort’s purchase are currently being finalized. While the sale price hasn’t been confirmed, new ownership generally brings plans for future upgrades and investments in the mountain. This ski resort, with infrastructure and lifts that haven’t seen significant updates since the 1990s, is in need of substantial modernization and improvement.
 

• Related Article: The 9 Best Independently Owned U.S. ‘Mom-and-Pop’ Ski Resorts, According to SnowBrains Reader

Elk Mountain is a skier’s mountain best known for its rustic charm and offers some of the best terrain in Pennsylvania. The atmosphere at Elk Mountain is undeniably old-school Pocono Mountains. It has the mystique of Pocono ski resorts in their glory years of the late ’60s and ’70s. Elk Mountain has 1,000 vertical feet and 27 trails, most of which are cut from the natural fall line of the mountain; Elk’s terrain often reminds skiers of Vermont’s skiing on a smaller scale.

Elk Mountain is the northernmost ski resort in the Poconos, about 2.5 hours away from New York City and Philadelphia. Its history dates back to 1959 when it became one of Pennsylvania’s first commercial ski areas. The lodge is rustic and small, and it looks like it has not been changed in decades. Elk still has a double-seat chair lift that dates back to the early ’60s. An old-school open-air shuttle escorts guests from the lower parking lot to the lodge.
 

 Elk Mountain is an easy day trip from Philadelphia and New York City. Photo Credit: SnowBrains

Elk Mountain Quick Facts and History:

• Peak elevation 2,667 feet (813 meters)
• Vertical 925 feet (282 meters)
• 27 trails
  • 6 beginner trails
  • 10 intermediate trails
  • 11 expert trails
• 2 terrain parks
• 5 double chair lifts
• 180 acres of skiable terrain
• Day lodge
• Guest Services
• Ski school center
• Restaurant
• Rental and a ski-and-snowboard shop

The sale of a ski resort can be a very scary thought for long-time season pass holders or die-hard locals who have been visiting the ski resort for decades. Many unknowns and variables cannot be immediately answered, raising many questions. However, it can also be an exciting time. A change in ownership can lead to better things at the mountain. Many people ski or snowboard at Elk Mountain because of its rustic charm and how it has not really changed over the last 30 years. The snow conditions and terrain are some of the best that Pennsylvania offers. Some people are afraid of change, but it does not mean it is bad. What the future holds for Elk Mountain is still unwritten, but many would agree that a change was needed.

For more information, visit Elk Mountain’s website.

[mbike-ski]

Anybody go to Warren Miller, did they give away Elk vouchers this year?

[enjoralas]

On 11/6/2024 at 9:30 AM, mbike-ski said:

Anybody go to Warren Miller, did they give away Elk vouchers this year?

Did it happen already? I was just saying to Pops last weekend that I wanted to look up when it was

[mgguy]

It wasn't Elk, just had the movie at Schuylkill Valley HS a few weeks ago and I think I remember it being Shawnee this year. Not 100% on that though being Shawnee....

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

31 minutes ago, enjoralas said:

Did it happen already? I was just saying to Pops last weekend that I wanted to look up when it was

Yeah it happened a week or two ago cause one of my FB friends went 

[paul45]

On 11/5/2024 at 4:25 PM, enjoralas said:

Stole this from a Skitalk poster who grabbed it from Snow Brains. Reposting it here because it's interestingly gone from Snow Brains, and could see it disappearing from Ski Talk as well. Don't know why, not like there's anything groundbreaking there:

Yea...I saw that too but question if that actually had any more info than the rest of us. I had elk employees tell me all that 4 months ago when it first went under contract but nothing new since other than the deal is still expected to eventually close.

I largely question that article because they got some basic facts flat out wrong. For example, Joe Moore is (was not is..i also have heard, as of a month ago) a lot older than 80 unless he was 17 when he bought elk and installed the first chair lift in 1961 (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2020/01/11/local-history-scranton-ski-club-played-role-in-launch-of-elk-mountain-ski-resort/&ved=2ahUKEwiTtrXG6N-JAxVcLFkFHQ3eHZYQFnoECBIQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0HdpqBYvQLjMmL0PEg9c6Q) I believe the number was 97. His son is also Joe Moore but presumably younger than 80 by a little at least, so no idea where that comes from. 

The rest has been posted various places on the Internet for months. I suspect that Joe Moore passing away in the middle of the deal probably didn't make it easy.. Although you'd think they'd have planned for that possibility and have it into families names or power of attorney or whatever. But rumor was he was a control freak so perhaps to the bitter end. 

 

[RidgeRacer]

This is the longest sale in the history of sales. The Louisiana purchase was quicker than this. Just tell us who it is already elk.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

TLDR blue installed new snowguns on the Falls

[JFskiDan]

I find skitoolivesluvtoski trip reports and pics more interesting than whats going on at Elk at this point.  
 

both boring and kinda like “well, did it really happen?”  

[paul45]

On 11/16/2024 at 7:45 AM, RidgeRacer said:

This is the longest sale in the history of sales. The Louisiana purchase was quicker than this. Just tell us who it is already elk.

60-90 days seems pretty standard for a large business + real estate transaction.  Lot more due diligence required than a home inspection.  My understanding is it went under contract end of June, which would have put this https://www.mcconaghyfuneralhome.com/obituary/joseph-moore-jr smack dab at 90 days.  Could be the cause of the latest delays....