With a standing room only crowd in two rooms of the June Lake Community Center Tuesday night, Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory faced off with a sometimes hostile and tearful crowd as they all talked for more than three hours about the closure of June Mountain. The final word – all stakeholders will try to come up with a plan in the next two weeks to try to open June next winter. Guarantees for that outcome still remain slim. Mammoth Mountain will have to deal with the Forest Service on the June Mountain permit.
Gigi Van der Riet covered the meeting for Sierra Wave Media. She reported that some 200 people crowded into the main room of the community center with overflow in an adjoining room that offered speakers and audio of the meeting which was chaired by the June Lake Citizens Advisory Committee and the Mono Supervisors.
Gregory stood up to say he was there to let people know what is happening, face the community and move forward. The citizen response started with a teacher and students who sold lemonade to save June Mountain. They handed Gregory a check for $134. Then the mood turned more angry and emotional. People stood up to ask for cheaper lift tickets, more investment in improvements at June Mountain and better marketing. Others spoke of personal suffering with the closure of the town’s main attraction.
To questions of why he closed down June Mountain so suddenly and without notice, Gregory said the banks that hold Mammoth Mountain loans were calling on the loan covenants which require a certain revenue and financial condition of the company. Gregory said Mammoth is paying the bank but that revenue which is usually $45 million a year had dropped to $25 million this season. The terms, he explained, require Mammoth to remain financially viable. The situation, he said, required major operational cuts.
Gregory had earlier stated that June has lost $1.5 million per year for the last six or so years. Gregory said, “We got one week’s notice ourselves.” He said he went public at once with the news.
Many pushed Gregory to sell June Mountain. He said he would not stand in the way but that no one would invest in a losing venture. He said he has received no offers but did say
he would consider an offer.
Inyo National Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta stood up to report that while the Forest Service sees Mammoth Mountain’s position, there is an obligation to run June Mountain as a facility under the Forest permit. He said that the Forest Service will issue a letter of non-compliance to Mammoth. The crowd broke out in applause. Armenta said the Forest Service also can’t force Mammoth to run a failing business.
Gregory made it clear that the town of June Lake needs 1,000 beds to accommodate more visitors to the Mountain. He repeatedly asked for the community vision. Citizens said they didn’t want a high-end, glitzy resort, but without more amenities would the Mountain succeed?
The CEO brought up another current issue – air service subsidies. He pushed the Mono Supervisors to contribute $100,000 for air service as part of the sustainable future picture for both Mammoth and June. He said, “Get off your wallets and put some money into air service.” A citizen shouted out, “How dare you speak to them like that.” Mono Supervisors said they have many other issues constituents want before air service. That was during a very tense start of the meeting.
To the idea of lowering the price of lift tickets, Gregory said that would mean the need to push hard for more skiers to make up for the loss of revenue. The community continued to push hard for opening June Mountain this coming winter. Gregory said he saw their point but would have to have a good, workable plan to show the bank.
Connie Black, owner of Double Eagle Resort, supported coming up with a viable plan in the next two weeks with meetings of major stakeholders to hash out a new idea.
Tim Alpers, newly elected County Supervisor for June Lake, told Gregory that he had done something no one else could do – galvanize the community. But, he said, “We still need a result.”
A Native American woman suggested Mammoth Mountain partner with one of the tribes and put a casino in June Lake. Some at the meeting described the more than 3-hour dynamic as a rubber band – Gregory would pull people in and they would pull back. Some asked Gregory why he couldn’t put people before profit. He said that’s what he’s been doing, but now he has to think of profit to save the whole business.
I am liking the civil war idea more and more.
We can beat the hardcore right wingers back to thier grassroots in the south!
These are not the best of times to be hyper-partisan. It’s too easy to inspire hatred for the government at all levels. The vast majority of government-workers are good and decent people who love their country. Now, politicians … that’s another matter. No elected official should have that much power… Read more »
Hmmmmmm
Jack Lunch has his “tax-eater” government-bashing in his paper.
You have your” Bureaucrat Beat” government-bashing game.
I swear you so-called journalists are all cut from the same mold.
And now you’ve become so bored you are stooping to censoring things that are getting too close to the real deal.
Dear Truth, If you really read Bureaucrat Beat you know it goes way beyond government-bashing.
What mold is it you think I am cut from?
Benett
The power of media, whether direct or indirect, is a real power which acts on us, which modifies our behavior, our tastes, and probably our thoughts. Like all authority, it cannot be applied at random. Otherwise, that power could become arbitrary and irresponsible. The power gives mediamen responsibility comparable to… Read more »
This may not be a popular stance, for this right-leaning blog, but if we could take down right-wing hate radio at the expense of liberal talk radio, I would make that trade in a heartbeat. Talk radio tilts so far to the right that the harm the right-wing talkies inflict… Read more »
So, why not detail some of Limbaugh’s inaccuracies and poor taste instead of just generically attacking Limbaugh (other than the whore thing)?
Benett Kessler
What’s the problem?
Nobody listens to Limbaugh or reads Ann Coulter’s I hate liberals! books.
To use your reasoning:
Why not detail the left, the progressives, the democrats inaccuracies and poor taste instead of just generically attacking liberals?
Dear Whoever you are, and remember I’m stating plainly who I am, I trashed your second comment because of its untruth, block-headedness,
and now – yes – you have bored me.
Benett
Thank you Benett!
http://thegrio.com/2012/03/06/rush-limbaughs-10-most-offensive-comments/#s:scared-rush-limbaugh-jpg
Thank you, necon. I do know how unjournalistic and untruthful Rush Limbaugh is.
I have no issue with you on that.
Benett Kessler
Listen to Fox News (for as long as you can stand it) Then … Tune in to CNN. This will tell you how and why the country is more divided than during the Civil War era. Then pay attention how the rabid right has found itself on formats like these.… Read more »
Right, right-wing and rightist have been defined as acceptance or support of social hierarchy. Inequality is viewed by the Right as either inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable,whether it arises through traditional social differences. Right-wing politics involves in varying degrees the rejection of egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming either that… Read more »
Benett- “Listen to some Beetles’ songs.” (I think she meant Beatles) Okay. But I’m afraid we have many on this blog (based on the overwhelming amount of “thumbs down” to everything that remotely sounds left, these types would be listening to John Lennon’s Revolution. The song seemed to convey a… Read more »
Dear say, Good grief. I was talking about “All You Need is Love” or “Let it Be.” Perhaps you should try meditation for a few
months and get a shift in your perspective. While you’re meditating, try to say “Om” and not “Rush”.
Benett
Civil war isn’t a bad idea if there isn’t any other way.
Lets go our seperate ways
Mark –
You DO know that Civil War was exactly what Timothy McVeigh preached?
The Young Turks. look it up on internet, we all should be watching there journalism (non bias). So if we go our own way then we need to take turns getting out of eachothers way rather then be bullied by one another. The last thing i want to do is… Read more »
United we stand.
Divided we fall.
And the most clever (albiet dangerous) on the are achieving the most divided country since the Civil War. We even have a black president that I’m sure makes many on the Right furious.
Why is Limbaugh givin so much air time on this website? And why is the word “Liberal” such a bad thing to anyone? Dont y’all know the Republican party my have views that you agree with, but they dont repersent you or those views. THEY REPERSENT THE TOP 2%. sorry… Read more »
JeanGenie,
What are you shouting for?
JeanGenie –
“Lighten up and get a sense of humor before your liberal little heart has an attack.”
Reply:
Do as your neocon guru Limbaugh does and instead of breaking your OxyContin in half – why not just take the whole thing?
Touche’
Or take OxyCotin the liberal way, rub the time lapse outter shell off the OxyContin pill crush it up and smoke it on a piece of tin foil.
Mono County is in a out-of-control downward spiral.
I see the Limbaugh-worshippers have found their way onto this otherwise thoughtful blog.
Now, start counting how many times the word liberal pops up.
Your accusations are completely wrong. I have never listened to Limbaugh.
You spew a lot of stuff much of which is complete bs.
re: Mark
(Loud guffaws)
I know. I know …NOBODY listens to Limbaugh.
(More loud laughter)
Some just like using the word liberal (the demonized Limbaugh version of the word) every chance they get as “the last word.”
(Uncontrollable laughter)
Don’t ya love it when people like JeanGenie shout thinking they are making a profound point?
Kind of like watching a teaparty meeting.
It makes these types seem so … I don’t know … out of control.
Believe me JeanGenie – those glued to the talk-radio freaks who believe all they have to do is throw in the word liberal (the demonized definition) as the last word in any debated subject today (its all the neocons do) are fully entitled to being felt sorry for.
Sorry,
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
we are aware of what lawp is doing….the water trail literally starts about 2 miles from where i live at Reverse creek, Waugh,Gem Agnew and Grant Lakes. I think we are more aware of it than most socal residents. Once again we are not a bunch of bumpkins . I… Read more »
I hope you did not think that I was suggesting that anyone up there are “country bumpkins”. Because I was not. I have studied and read many books about the LADWP and I know very well that from the day Fred Eaton rode into Long Valley that the whole place… Read more »
I would very much like to supplement my last observation. and then I will shut up. Mammoth has always been a “beer and pizza town”. Thanks good ness.My first visit was the legendary winter season of 1968. But the vision of the ski resort has been very proprietary and closed… Read more »
re: beach family “Mammoth has always been a ‘beer and pizza town’ ” I disagree. There are more choices in Mammoth than that. Especially as the economy turns more and more sour, money dries up, and those that do have money want many more amenities than beer and pizza. The… Read more »
I think what ‘beach family’ is saying, is that Mammoth, in the beginning, had been an affordable attraction – you came and skied, and was able to find affordable, good grub to make it worthwhile….it WAS the ultimate destination! The town however, has disallowed, or rather, overpriced anything marketable to… Read more »
On the eve of the death of Councilman Skip Harvey who also owned and
operated Base Camp Cafe, we would suggest you try a sandwich there.
You will feel at home, it will taste good and won’t cost a bloody fortune.
Benett Kessler
I say YEAH Beach family, since my voter button doesn’t work!
@ beach family Thank you for your brutally honest observation. Mammoth indeed looks like an Encino strip mall. This is what happens when the town council sucks up to developers. In fact, the current mayor of Mammoth IS a developer. Take the money and run is the name of the… Read more »
I have never met Rusty Gregory. But he has a summer home about a block from here. I don’t know if he realizes it or not but two of his neighbors that were born and raised here in beach cottages have had to walk away from the homes that they… Read more »
I’m familiar with Disney’s plans to build a ski resort in the Mineral King valley of Sequoia in the 60’s. Mineral King is out of Visalia, on the western slope and at the time was in Sequoia National Forest. Disney planned on building a world class ski resort and spent… Read more »
Thanks for that! The documentary that I saw was a half of a lifetime ago. I remember that they wanted to build a rail system or train to get people in and out. Your the only person that has ever heard of this. Thanks GC
“I will tell you Mr. Gregory’s house is very nice but not all that well taken care of.”
He is a busy guy…Now tell us does his wife or Rusty own that home…?
I don’t know who own’s the home. And it’s really none of my business. And I hope he’s busy.
re: beach family
“Mr. Gregory’s house is very nice but not all that well taken care of”
That’s funny … Mr. Gregory always speaks highly of beach family’s house.
I think you mis understood what I was trying to get across Mr. or Mrs. Kettle.But that’s ok. I was saying that when you take into consideration all of the drastic and painful lay offs at MMS and June Mountain that the CEO is living a fairly modest lifestyle here.… Read more »
We are paying customers of both June and Mammoth who live in Southern California and have been patrons of both mountains since the early 90’s. We generally spend time at June or Mammoth 3-4 weekends a month during the winter and once a month during the summer and fall. We… Read more »
It’s MMSA’s fault, no, it’s all Rusty and his cronies’ fault, no, it’s June Lake’s fault, no it’s hippies fault… What!?! How about the economy for starters? I know we would all love to think that the fate of June rests within some local jurisdiction, but we’re in a major… Read more »
Chet, Maybe the problem is trying to make June a destination resort, why not try to make it a local’s mountain, a skiers and riders (not rich people’s) place. Not every ski mountain is a destination resort, but lots of them run merrily along without all the glitz and glamour… Read more »
Here’s something that I haven’t heard anyone mention. There is a such thing as a municipally (publicly) owned Ski area: Chapman Hill, La Plata, Colorado. Cannon, Sunapee, Gunstock, McIntosh all in New Hampshire. Blue Hills, MA. Juneau, Alaska. Dartmouth College owns Dartmouth Skiway. Ski Cooper was run for 20 years… Read more »
I love the people who think Rusty Gregory has done all he can to keep the mountain open. MMSA is owned by investors. What should that tell you? Investors are long for a return on their money they aren’t interested in the people. Those who would give me a thumbs… Read more »
i think the june june lake community needs to rip the bandaid off all at once. sounds to me like mammoth mt is out, time to start looking for a new owner operater. finding one with june mt’s limited customer base may be difficult but this is america and if… Read more »
It is true that a very vocal minority in June Lake was adamantly opposed to the Rodeo Grounds project, most of the rest of us sincerely want development but also want it to be sustainable. Consider balancing the three P’s of sustainability: People, Planet, and Prosperity. Just looking at what… Read more »
Well, I just heard the Rodeo Grounds are up for sale. Maybe MMSA can purchase the property on it’s own and get this who;e ball rolling!
If getting a casino were that easy… Would the fine people of Mono County and their politicians support such a venture?
dingo- I can’t believe any one thinks Rusty and he’s corporation were really losing that much. The Dodgers claimed they were broke one day and sold for a billion dollar profit the next day. This is all about them cashing in on their investment at the publics expense.
Unfortunately development provides jobs, it seems SOME of the people of JL will never understand this. It seems SOME of them want their ski area and their town all to themselves. They want tourist dollars but not the tourists. Can’t have it all folks. I hate that I agree with… Read more »
Right, development creates jobs. There’s a lot of development in Carson City and Reno. Probably lots of jobs too — except for Nevada’s highest in the nation unemployment rate.
http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm/
When you’re right you’re right Ken, even though I disagree with a lot of things you say. Carson City is struggling, even though they have tons of new strip malls etc. , they have no tenants. Just like North Las Vegas, instead of build it and they will come, its… Read more »
LOL JG .. but yeah high hopes .. sure don’t always work out .. unfortunately, they sure take a lot of folks down with them when they crash and burn.
“Sometimes I watch Glenn Beck or listen to Rush Limbaugh”
I feel so sorry for you.
Dear Easily,
Not as sorry as I feel for you. You are obviously unable to perceive humor or facetiousness, or even sarcasm. Lighten up and get a sense of humor before your liberal little heart has an attack.
You are right JeanGenie. Sustainability and develop for growth is sort of an oxymoron. I think a good model for small towns is adaptability to maintain equilibrium where the town keeps up with World trends (like internet based businesses) and adapts to new technologies and needs. Like I always say,… Read more »
I am pretty tired of hearing from outsiders about what the people in June Lake want or don’t want. Like any community we are a diverse group with a variety of opinions, but we are not so “backwards” as so many would like to portray. We will welcome more guests… Read more »
As a “local” I’m no “outsider” as you reference…..I was intimately involved with the “Rodeo Grounds” project and I reviewed the numerous documents generated for the project. The BIGGEST opponents to the project were the locals themselves, the USFS, and the Mono Lake Committee. With the rally cry of “Don’t… Read more »
The exact truth of what-happened-when in terms of approvals and opposition is ultimately irrelevant. June was always a distant priority for the players involved, and it is highly-unlikely that they would have actually pulled the trigger on deploying the capital/loans that would have been necessary to develop the rodeo grounds… Read more »
Dont Mammoth June had nothing to do with ski areas. It had to do with towns that sell their souls to developers for short term financial gain and then are left to deal with mess after they make their money and leave town. There are 42,000,000 reasons to not Mammoth… Read more »
Who wants to go to June when there isn’t high end accommodations? A defined downtown? One bar? The highway as the only route through the community? Seven SLOW lifts? Only open until April 15th? And little advanced ski terrain? Ten years ago there was a proposal to create a “village”… Read more »
Bang!!!!
You are misinformed: the people of the community of June Lake ultimately approved and gave the go-ahead for the “Rodeo Grounds” development, but the developer (Intrawest) backed out of the deal
Mr Local: how wrong you are! 3 bars 2 high speed lifts…UNBELIEVABLE back country access[some of the best in the country]….face runs into town.all kinds of expert terrain with that….you just dont know where to find it..more of a DOWN TOWN than Mammoth Unlike Mammoth our powder stashes stick around… Read more »
The times-they-are-a-changin. Offer the publlc (ski crowd) something worthwhile and maybe they’ll be interested. You need more than mediocre slopes and the Tiger Bar to attract the money that is still out there. Build it and they will come. Drop the sour grapes. June has resisted anything resembling change and… Read more »
This is nonsense. It is not the people of June Lake who have held back development… Reference: the area plan which was written with local input and adopted by the county in 1991. Development has been called for! Mammoth Mountain has refused to provide anything to its sister resort and… Read more »
“The times-they-are-a-changin.”
You got that right Just look around (Reap) Open your eyes.
Things are NOT getting better and will get worse until mammoth gets rid of the GREED within the town and the Mountain.
GGW
you reap what you sow…….Yeah,but,when you look back to the 80’s,Mammoth WANTED all that change and development….remember ?….So it goes BOTH ways……with those in Mammoth Lakes that wanted to try to develop into the “West Coast” Aspen or Vail,that too has come back to haunt them…..
Slots and Slopes.
Skiing and Casinos.
But the people of June don’t want to even consider it.
So ….
One option,
The gambling option….. It sure seems to help our neighbors up north.
There are only two things Rusty cares about: air service and the Mammoth Mountain land exchange. He could care less about June, other than to hold on to it as a leverage point he can use against people to get what he wants on his priorities, as he did last… Read more »
I think Rusty is doing what he has to do and I’m pretty sure all of us here would be forced to do it the same way if we were in his shoes. He can’t continue to bleed the company to make a few folks happy! At the end of… Read more »
Rusty was Rude??
No Way…
MMGW
SOOOOOO WEIRD! Rusty is an employee of a company and he was defending it? and “rude” to the people that have been making his life a pain in the ass? who woulda thunk?
mammothgal, I’m pretty sure if you had to make the decisions Rusty had to make you would be right there with him. The Mountain isn’t a charity! It has to earn an income and a big one. That’s the way it is!! If this was another operator they would have… Read more »
SierraFan, Too bad you never got past Econ 101, its a little more complicated then that, but then you sound like a teacher, and we all know those who can do, and those who can’t teach!
JeanGeanie,
Nice try! I’m not a teacher. Thanks for the compliment though. I’ve been a business person for 30 years now both working for corporate and being a business owner. So Econ101 is what I do.
I understand that the people of June Lake are upset but they are stupid if they think it is a good business practice to run a business at a loss year after year. If they want the mountain open so bad, they should pool all of their money together and… Read more »
Dont Mammoth June has nothing to do w/ ski areas…Its a term that was coined when we saw what was happening to Mammoth Lakes. Once again, June Lake approved the rodeo grounds development. We elected a supervisor who’s platform was the developement and getting it started……economic times are what killed… Read more »
Don’t buy into the bs. The miss management of June and Mammoth is much bigger than you know. Rusty Gregory has no business running the business of either mountain. He is a failure through and through.
That big badass house in the Bluffs, that I couldn’t afford to heat, looks like success to me.
Andrea, So what you’re saying is that Rusty is why skier visits were down? Why skiers don’t flock to June Mountain where they have very few options to sleep and mingle? Why the economy tanked when it did or that it just tanked? Pretty bold saying the things you’re saying… Read more »
SierraFan If you read my post why are you asking me twice what I said? Do you have a problem comprehending what you read? Rusty is the CEO of the mountain yes he shoulders the responsibility as CEO of MMSA hence the Forestry is Audit MMSA financials. Anyone who runs… Read more »
I agree with Andrea, I just realized that Rusty keeps saying that the banks are telling him what to do, including close June. Once your creditors are allowed to control your business, that means you are in or close to bankruptcy.
The bankruptcy of MMSA is next– I hope– come on Vail Associates.
don’t be stupid….the usfs won’t enter into a permit with ‘a group of people who pool their money together’ to run a ski area…they need to be meeting with other ski resort operator’s to see if one is interested in taking over June Mtn…that’s the only possible solution here, other… Read more »
Sierragrl, True to all but I’m not sure there’s anyone willing to take over a mountain that’s the sidekick to Mammoth. If Mammoth its self were willing to sell then I think June would have half a chance as long as the economy suggested that building a June Lake Village… Read more »
i have head the term ” Don’t Mammoth June” over and over and over. When Mammoth pulled out of June, the towns is in an uproar. Rusty is doing what he can with a failing business. Since the town still doesn’t want to make June Mountain appealing to crowds, the… Read more »
The meeting was surreal. Hard to imagine tough times and how it affects everyone but the meeting reflected that harsh reality. People got to vent but one could feel the capitalism in the air. Don’t take it personally – its only business was the surface message. But underneath it was… Read more »
How rich is this? MMSA has to close June because it isn’t viable – and the USFS says that’s OK since we can’t make you run a non-profitable resort. But we can use it as pretext to dig the greedy hand of government deeper into the private sector’s pockets through… Read more »
I would expect the end result of Armenta’s comments to be the termination of the permit with MMSA….a necessary step in finding someone else to take it over. I haven’t read the permit language, but I doubt there is a monetary penalty to USFS.