As the Mammoth Town Council got ready for more talk on use of utility users’ tax money for an air service subsidy, we talked to Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory about the issue. He said that Alaska Air made it clear if there were not a fall subsidy, they would cancel all service for the year. Gregory said, “We let the Town Council know, and that’s what led to the discussion.”
Gregory explained that Mammoth Mountain pays for the entire winter air service subsidy. The winter air service guarantee will cost $3.5 million for the next season. Gregory said the Mountain will handle that but needs participation to pay for summer and fall guarantees. The CEO said, “That’s the time Mammoth Mountain gets significantly less value. It’s important that the Town is behind us on this.”
Asked if the Town’s bankruptcy were a game changer, Gregory said that the Town Council has to set priorities, even in adversity, and decide the important things to keep going. “Air service,” said Gregory, “is one of those things.” He said, “If the community is not behind this, the destination resort strategy won’t work.” Gregory called air service a fundamental element for a sustainable future and a way to make Mammoth Lakes a convenient place to live.
According to John Urdi, Mammoth Tourism Director, independent American Express research on air travel indicated that summer of 2011 saw an estimated economic impact to Mammoth Lakes of more than $4.6 million. That’s an estimated expenditure of $500 per passenger. More than half was spent on lodging and the rest on retail and food. Transient Occupancy Tax collected for summer of 2011 was around $316,000.
The special meeting to deal with this issue was scheduled for Wednesday at 5pm in Suite Z.
Look I am 48 years old and drive from ORANGE COUNTY (an hour past LA) 3-4 times a year. My friend have for the last 15 years. This idea that Air Service is going to save Mammoth and June mountain is BS. We drive over 6 hours to get there… Read more »
Council FINALLY did the right thing last night and voted in favor 5-0 to take a loan against Measure U funds to keep air service going and growing! WAY TO GO, to go against the “special interest” groups on these boards that have the Measure U spent for their own… Read more »
I say do whatever it takes including using the U money to keep the flights coming. Limiting customers options in any way always hurts revenue in every business I have been a part of. The 6 hour drive from LA to Mammoth blows and I would always fly if I… Read more »
Ok, lets break it down… flying vs. driving. You be judge – does it really beat driving? So what’s it now, approx. $70 per person one way – on the weekday, (and if you hunt around for a sale)? So… let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and call… Read more »
Have you read this?
http://thesheetnews.com/archives/14568
I’m sending the following to all the council members. Councilmembers: The intent of Prop. R and Measure U was to allow the people of Mammoth Lakes to reinvest in their town to make it a better place to live. I opposed both bills not because I think it’s a bad… Read more »
Keep spouting Warner and you will help kill Mammoth faster than MLLA. As I have said to you before, “Why aren’t you on the Town Council?” You seem to have all the answers as long as it’s coming from your peanut gallery.
Ken, I think you’ve missed the “Tea Party” message! They’re great Americans from both the left, the right and the Independents that are looking to revert to what our founding fathers wanted for us. The numbers may not show this because most folks won’t stand up in public but the… Read more »
When the going gets tough – the greedy in power turn genius. The Great Depression had a record number of people in dire straits and consequently a record number of millionaires. Those with all the dough exercised their capitalistic rights and were now in the position to buy and manipulate… Read more »
There is a political movement today that has brilliantly convinced some people that the answer to America’s problems lies in the hands of the wealthy. While having their legions focus on how evil the government is again and again and again and – they are accumulating more and more wealth.… Read more »
Theodore Roosevelt once said “Far better it is to dare mighty things, even though checkered by failure, than to live in that gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat”
“According to John Urdi, Mammoth Tourism Director, independent American Express research on air travel indicated that summer of 2011 saw an estimated economic impact to Mammoth Lakes of blah blah blah…” I can make estimates too — in fact, I’ve got your estimate right here. I mean really, does anybody… Read more »
What’s the point of having air service when Alaska/Horizon Air frequently cancels the flights?
Such as today, July 10, 2012. (Cancellations do happen in summer as well as winter.)
I’d rather ride the Crest Bus to and from Reno Airport because it’s RELIABLE, even though it takes longer!
yup, 7/10 flight was indeed canceled due to “mechanical issues” – hmmmmmmm…..
Jan,
You have a valid argument for you but travelers from So Cal won’t take the same approach. We nee air service here even if it takes from the transit fund.
Here we are having a discussion over how to spend tax generated dollars. At the same time our Town leaders have plead insolvency with respect to the filing of bankruptcy. This is the best legal advice money can buy? This is the best our political leaders can come up with?… Read more »
Many times I’ve ridden the ski lift with people from LA who have flown in, and all agree it beats driving. If there is one less option to get to Mammoth, then I believe there will likely be less visitors during the winter – and thus less revenue and fewer… Read more »
Right! Take money out of public employee’s pockets to subsidize a convenient sales point for a multi-national property developer. “…there are numerous public services and public servants whose salary and benefits can be cut without significantly impacting private sector jobs…” What? Are you a Republican Congressman or something? That’s pure… Read more »
Ken – when will you stop putting people in political boxes??? You think you have everyone pegged left or right, rep or dem….you must be the world’s greatest mind reader…..quit acting like you know everyone’s political side….you simply have no clue…and anyone you disagree with you call a “tea bagger”….… Read more »
Agree with Kaat
“…putting people in political boxes”
Are you referring to that in-group that believes it speaks for the only true America and listens to talk-radio 3 hours a day, 5 days a week and reruns on weekends whose entire show consists of bashing “liberals” (Conservative guru Rush Limbaugh) ?
I’m pretty sure she didn’t mention that! It looks like you put everyone there as well by your post. We’re all Americans here and have the right to agree or disagree as we wish but at the same time I think we can stop political bashing anytime now. Let’s just… Read more »
With politically driven comments such as these Ken, your credibility just got tossed. It is obvious from what political venue you come from. That says tons as to your level of open mindedness towards any issue regarding progress or change in any direction that does not meet your political view.… Read more »
You sound like a public employee, perhaps even one of the more successful looters that are employed at the higher pay grades. Most of them are on track to be millionaires if they can steal the funding for their pensions from the taxpayers of our state. If you’re stuck in… Read more »
I can’t see the comparison between cutting public salaries and benefits and “taking from the poor to give to the rich”. You’re defending people who make in taxpayer-funded salary and benefits almost THREE TIMES the average income of the people they are supposed to be serving!!! From the April 2,… Read more »
Interesting how Larry Johnston was not whining when both he and his wife were on the public salary payroll. When Larry gives back what he felt was too much money when he was flying high and dry, then perhaps I’ll pay closer attention to his political noise regarding so-and-so making… Read more »
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/san-bernardino-sheriff-says-officials-investigating-possible-crimes-within-city-government/2012/07/12/gJQApg5ggW_story.html
Dear Mr. Johnston, I understand you were elected by a mere 5 votes and represent a constituency that rarely if ever attends any public meetings – but that is another matter. Since you have painstakingly submitted employee salary contract figures complaining “the contracts are out of touch with reality of… Read more »
@ Out of Touch.
It is not the salaries they are after…
It is the Pensions after retiring at 52 and the benefits they want…
This is when the fun starts for them
Govt gone wild
Tom, Many rank and file public employees actually make less than private sector, and in the beginning, it was the benefits that made it worthwhile. As Whatisname says, its GGW, Government Gone Wild, and if you look at the pay scales, its the upper and middle managers (who in reality… Read more »
I don’t think you know what you’re talking about either Tom. .. Yeah you should really look at who is actually making all of the money … it isn’t the average public employee, that’s for damn sure! Most pensions cover at the most … 60 – 75% of one’s salary… Read more »
I agree on a good weather day flying it beats driving. On the days you have to return to the airport of origin because bad weather prevents you from landing in Mammoth or the flight is cancelled outside of MMH, you’ll wish you would have driven. The bankruptcy judge will… Read more »
Tom,kaat,Rick and all the rest of the Tea Baggers —
Cut your salary and set an example we all can admire.
It’s easy to demand cuts in someone else’s pay — put your money where your mouth is.
…oh, and if the box fits — wear it.
Just so everyone knows, “teabagger” in its origin was a pejorative term for homosexuals in reference to a putative sexual act. It is now used by vulgarians to refer to those of their fellow citizens concerned with authoritarian and unaffordable government because so many on the Left confuse crudity with… Read more »
Strawman, strawman, strawman…
T(axed) E(nough) A(lready) that’s the name they gave themselves and when they first showed themselves — THEY WORE TEA BAGS!!!!
http://2media.nowpublic.net/images//7f/ee/7fee1d1e70f934651f9691da4de30452.jpg
Give it a rest. You’ve posted this same vacuous argument more than enough times. It’s as meaningless as using liberal as a pejorative.
You lost this debate Warner.
c’mon tourbillon, we know what other meanings it has and how people can use it .. but is it really what everyone who uses the term really mean it to be? It’s like carpet baggers .. what can you come up with for that to liken it to?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourbillon
“…a tourbillon aims to counter the effects of gravity….. when …stuck in a certain position. “
DTOM
If winter air is worthwhile, call Alaska’s bluff. They aren’t the state’s only airline. No fall subsidies. Let a competitor fly for the winter dollars. The airlines are hurting and cannot relinquish a profitable route even for a season. Game on.
Fed Up why are you using my name? Back to the issue at hand. I think Rusty needs to ask the question is He and the Mountain ( MMSA) willing to loose air travel? Is it worth another 400k to have air travel at all. That is the real question.… Read more »
That would be money well spent for air service, instead of a 43 million dollar mistake!
OK–so Gregory wants winter service, which he is prepared to back to $3.5M, but won’t get unless the TOML kicks in $400K for Fall service. Not mentioned is that in a good year MMSA makes the guarantee but doesn’t have to pay out much if anything to Alaska Air. Also… Read more »
Rather fuzzy math there. The $4.6mil estimated Summer economic impact figure little-doubt assumes most every “enplanement” is a customer that would otherwise not visit. This is pretty ridiculous, as anyone who’s flown on (at least) the LA flights knows that they tend to be packed with locals, 2nd home owners,… Read more »
The figures provided by John Urdi indicated that the $316k of TOT was only on the lodging
paid for by the air passengers, not the entire summer TOT.
Benett
What was the MMSA lodging,retail and food profits for summer 2011? The town council is suppose to do the peoples business promised with the measure U dollars , not socialize the cost of doing business for a few minimum wage jobs that the air service might generate!