When Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory recently sat down in his executive conference room with local reporters and his new management team, he ran through the Ski Area’s history, the ups and downs of money and snow, the lay-offs, the bitterness, and what he sees now as the start of another wave up. He may have given up daily operations, but Gregory is still in charge.
The CEO spoke of the emotional fatigue of recent problems and the need to “grow out of it.” He said the pessimism that grew out of the last several years’ challenges has been “intensified by our small, rural community.” Gregory pointed again to the Mountain’s debt restructuring, verified by a Forest Service audit, that led to the closure of June Mountain.
In a presentation designed to get his message out, Gregory showed clips of movies that highlighted strength and positivity – from Peter Pan to Bravehart. Said Gregory, “These have been times that have tried men’s and women’s souls.” He said he believes in a new wave of opportunity. Said the CEO, “I can prove it. Jobs are up. Gross Domestic Product is up, investment capital is available, the stock market is up, housing starts are up and interest rates are up.”
Gregory said the new management team is about what is happening. He presented a new branding for Mammoth Mountain Ski Area – “Southern California’s Mountain Home.” He said this new identity is not about shrinking from a world-class destination resort image. He said it’s about Mammoth’s Southern California market. He said he wants Mammoth to have the “loudest voice in Southern California.” He called for more marketing and for the Business Improvement District assessments to help pay for it.
New marketing developments for the Mountain include a new website, Facebook and the ability to make purchases on the website. Gregory said baby boomers are dropping out of skiing and Mammoth has to take its share from the next two generations. He did not agree to the question of lift tickets being too pricey. He said the Value Passes work for frequent skiers. He said employers will be able to buy transferable passes.
As for the immediate future of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Gregory said they are not selling the company. He added that “Some day Barry Sternlicht will sell.” And, on what he will now do as CEO, Gregory said he will focus on investment capital. He said he has a deal for $350 million on his desk to refinance debt – one of many deals. Gregory sees opportunities missed in the recent pass. He said, “We couldn’t get our act together. We couldn’t put political acrimony aside long enough to develop.”
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There is only one reason the Mono County Supervisors (the worst we ever seen yet) allow hour-long discourses on the most minute and trivial “issues” … they like to pretend they are something they clearly are not and get off on the power of it all. Get rid of all… Read more »
There are reliable sources around that are openly speaking about the group that is even more inept than the town council – the Mono County supervisors. The Mono County supervisors are clearly the absolute worst group ever. Total ego maniacs who love to drag out a simple situation that results… Read more »
Gregory said, “the new management team is about what is happening. He presented a new branding for Mammoth Mountain Ski Area – “Southern California’s Mountain Home.” Rusty, Thats not a new Idea Thats what Dave Built !! Glad to see you coming around …. keep thinking that way Rusty you… Read more »
Rusty, like our town council, has now been reduced to a transparent embarrassment…
Didn’t we see this before.
He forget to mention June Mountain. It must have been an overisight.
oversight.
Where’s the edit function?
Alice,
Don’t take it personally, It’s an apples and oranges thing.
There is different caliber of people that go to Mammoth. Another caliber that prefers June.
GDP up from 0.4% to 1.8%? That’s not good. People in So Cal are doing better but how long will that last? Money is getting more expense….
Maybe during their next Main Lodge movie night they can show the scene from Star Wars were Darth Vader is choking people out from across the room with this death grip. Much like the grip the mountain has on the town. lol. But seriously – If you want to change… Read more »
” The mountain is responsible for the mountain and their businesses. They don’t run the town.”
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Yeah! First we’ll start by closing access to motorized users, then we’ll farm out all the campgrounds to concessionaires and raise all the camping fees (Cash only please). Then we’ll close down access to a bunch of lakes to protect the frogs and polliwogs, then we’ll expand wilderness boundaries –… Read more »
He should have shown clips of the “Money Pit” with Tom Hanks. He should focus on making our mountain, and or June Mountain AFFORDABLE for the masses, and while doing so be PROFITABLE. Focus on that instead of borrowing 350 million, airport subsidies, and condo developement at the base of… Read more »
Developers have to develop. It’s what they do. (Councilman Lehman is a developer). Connect the dots. As the economy gets tighter, and those with the dough prefer the Deer Valleys, the Aspens and the Vails, the mom & pop ski resorts do what they must to compete. Look for downsizing… Read more »
Lehman is a real estate appraiser; has been for 20 years. He’s appraised my house a few times through the years. He owns a plot of dirt in Paradise that he’s done nothing with and doesn’t seem eager to do so anytime soon. Hardly a “developer.”
@ SkiJohn – With respect. Okay. Words were designed to confuse people. If the word “developer” (as it pertains to what Councilman Lehman does or does not do to earn a living)irks you, perhaps then merely entertain the very real possibility that Councilman Lehman has friends in places and can… Read more »
I just find it funny that he’s been labeled the evil developer when he appraises homes for a living. At the end of the day, I could care less, but when I’ve talked with him off and on through the years, he strikes me as having good intent. He grew… Read more »
It is, has always been and will forever be a consumers market in the snow / water industries of the eastern Sierras. The latest “marketing” moves by the brain trust and his lackeys on the town council will prove my point this very season in spades. Pigs get slaughtered, Boss… Read more »
The word “developer” can be interchanged with “exploiter” — develop with exploit.
Gone forever are the days when elected officials were passionate about the welfare of the community – not just how they can personally gain from a situation. However, voters can still be quite active and boot them out of office. Also, however, much damage (graft) can and does occur while… Read more »
He should of shown A SCOOBY DOO CARTOON. Exactly What he is doing, A human version of the cartoon. Yes he is the villian in this episode and has the rest of the town council and Mono county Sups helping him destroy our once bitchen town. Leaving not Leaving, make… Read more »
Actually, Mammoth is OUR mountain home! … we live here. Enough with the marketing gimmicks … catchy phrases will not bring people here to ski and play…. a strong and confident community will.
= “Don’t feed our bears”. Is it our bears and our mountain or the bears and the mountain? I think the later is just or best. =
Couldn’t agree more. And there are so many other ways to get there. Cerro Coso; Mammoth Hospital; renewable energy — all offer more potential and stability and prosperity in the long term than being a tourist trap and turning the local people into dancing bears begging for dollars in the… Read more »
According to the 2010 census, there are 14202 people living in Mono County. If Palomar JC really has 35000 students, it’s not ‘nearly more’ than Mono’s population, it’s more than twice the population. The thought of Cerro Coso College having 15000 students is kind of scary. What would Mammoth be… Read more »
You are right. And Inyo County has about 18,000. Mono County is pretty big. Lots of room. And remember, the Mammoth Lakes General Plan calls for 52,000 people at one time which is really scary. We already have a lot of people around. Are you really afraid of living in… Read more »
Peter Pan and Bravehart clips? Guess you had to be there. =