Letters to the Editor 4.14.2018
Not cheap
Dear Editor,
Thanks to Paul Oster for explaining the ups down side of owning and renting in the Town of Mammoth Lakes (See “Supply Side Economics.” March 31).
I also see he views that Airbnb, other rental options and CHEAP ski passes as a contributing factor to the shortage of workforce housing.
I do not view the current option of ski passes as CHEAP. The mountain is the main draw of people traveling to Mammoth. If you want people to come and buy housing and spend money and generate income and pay taxes, you need reasonable prices for skiing, fishing, camping and other outdoor activity. Remember Henry Ford, Costco, Amazon and others became successful on volume of business. You create a reasonably priced product, and the people will come and spend their money.
As for the shortage of workforce housing, the shortage can only be solved by the Town, the Mountain and businesspeople. When they work together, the shortage of workforce housing will be solved.
At the moment they are failing to see the long term economic picture. Do not blame CHEAP ski passes and low end condos for competing for living space. The Town is most stressed on the major holidays. Maybe Bishop can help accommodate Mammoth with short-term workforce housing. Share the wealth.
Herman Roethel
Los Angeles
Not funny
Dear Mr. Lunch,
As a senior I do not think your “April Fool’s joke” is funny (See “The World According to AARP,” March 31).
This “joke” is mocking seniors who are protesting the loss of senior discounts, which have existed at Mammoth for years. Many of these seniors are on fixed incomes and don’t drive Teslas or use limousines. Rather, this appears to be a thinly disguised “hit piece” for Alterra, which is charging higher prices because it can after consolidating so many ski resorts.
The people with the limousines and Teslas who live in exclusive areas are the narcissistic jet setters Alterra is trying to attract. These are the people who can afford to pay extra for passes to be able to skip lines and paying to park close. The “old” Mammoth never has these kinds of “rich” amenities.
A more appropriate “April Fool’s” article would be one on the jet setters praising the raising of ticket prices to price seniors out of skiing saying the slopes will be less crowded without seniors there to get in their way!
The government never should have allowed such a consolidation of ski resorts without assurances that the merged company would not gouge customers. Given Alterra’s greediness, we need to push the government to break Alterra up.
Nancy Moore
Mammoth 2nd homeowner
Not happy
Dear Editor:
Initially we greeted the change in ownership of Mammoth Mountain with optimism. With the announcement of the new pass pricing, we realize that the locally owned and operated ski area that we have come to love has become just another corporate profit center run from afar and out of touch with a large share of its skiers. The new pass pricing ignores two groups you should be paying attention to. Seniors and Mammoth Lakes second homeowners.
Look around the lodges during lunch on weekdays. The majority of the skiers there are the seniors you have ignored. You offer a college discount and a military discount but no senior discount. Also, the idea of being able to ski additional areas in your ski chain is not a benefit that Mammoth Lakes second homeowners like us need, want or will ever take advantage of.
I am 76 years old and my wife is 73. We have been skiing Mammoth Mountain since 1978. With each change of ownership the ski experience has gotten better. Until now. We have purchased season passes for the past six seasons. In April of 2017 we again purchased our Cali4nia passes for +/- $400.00 each. This in- cludes the senior discount and an early purchase discount. The inferior (blackout dates in Mammoth) “Ikon Pass” has cost us $600.00, a 50 percent increase. We ski 20+ days a season and spend money in the lodges each time. Instead of being rewarded for our loyalty, that loyalty is being taken advantage of.
What has The Alterra Mountain Company done to improve our ski experience that warrants this increase? Mammoth Mountain became part of your ski empire less than a year ago. Good job! Way to make a positive first impression.
A very disappointed Mammoth Mountain skier,
Robert Hornacek
Mammoth 2nd homeowner
