Big White is AWESOME! And... Big White are AWESOME!

I know it is not a summer picture...
but it is pretty cool tho.

Summer is here! 
Officially, come Saturday 19th July, 2014 Big White Ski Resort, will become something more - a two season resort. This is huge! I have been waiting for this since I arrived 14 years ago.

But we criticize Big White...? Longer season please? More spend please? Summer activities please... blah blah blah...

Closing with lots of snow?
Yes they do, but for good reason, come April the only skiers are the seasons pass holders - they are not buying lift tickets, ski lessons, or even coming to the mountain much - it is golf/boating/biking/winery season in Kelowna, and the rest of BC. 

You want to ski/snowboard? Get some skins on your skis, or strap on some snow shoes and hike up - enjoy a pristine mountain with fresh powder everywhere. Don't give me any excuses, we have discussed excuses before haven't we...?

Yes they close with snow but lets think about things. Your seasons pass is one of the least expensive for a major resort. The abundant staff running your lifts, teaching you to ski, patrolling the mountain, keeping the resort clean... not to mention the state of the art equipment making your perfectly groomed corduroy runs... power turning the lift, insurance... lift maintenance... surprisingly this is expensive, who would have known... 

But what about investing 'they never spend any money...' rubbish, capital expenditure In the last 14 years at Big White has included-

And Ice tower... don't forget the ice tower!

• Built the Snow Ghost six pack chair lift.
• Built the Gondola
• Built Telus Park and the Telus chair lift.
• Built the Cliff Chair.
• Built the two acre outdoor skating rink - one of the largest in North America.
• Built the Tube Park - again biggest in North America
• Built Happy Valley Day Lodge
• Built the Beginner area, with its' two magic carpets.
• Built a second reservoir at the bottom of Powder Chair.
• Added new runs and has continued to summer groom the runs every year.
• Built Happy Valley car park.
• And Big White enjoys a great school in Happy Valley.
• In addition, there is more retail space and more restaurants.
• Provided a seasonal, free bus service. Incidentally this was supposed to be 50% funded by some Regional District program. Big White was left with the whole $150k bill!

Hiking Trails!

And from Saturday, Hiking Trails at Big White - the start of Summer

Summer is here!!!

Seasons at Big White.

And the spend? This is Big White's capital... What do I mean by this? Sun Peaks, Whistler, Jumbo resorts are Municipal Resorts - they can apply for provincial capital improvement grants - Sun Peaks is (according to their Mayor, Al Raine) generating $600k - $700k per annum in additional funding, through various programs, specific to Municipal Resorts. Big White company cannot apply for these programs, Big White community cannot apply for these grants. Big White is (currently) part of the Regional District Kootney Boundary (RDKB), RDKB could apply for these grants... but they have their own thing going on... 

Wait, what... how much...? Zero...?!!

As a side note RDKB's budget for capital and cultural improvements is roughly $7m per year, and remains fairly constant for the next five years. RDKB's total budget is $35m+/- so 20%+/- of RDKB's budget is for capital and cultural development.

RDKB's planned for Big White? Let's see, Big White represents 23% of the RDKB's tax revenue, therefore could we reasonably expect around 23% of the $7m, or $1.61m per annum... all things being equal? Yes, I think so. 

RDKB will spend zero at Big White - in the next five years - $35m in the region, nothing allocated to Big White.

Big White have been upgrading the resort themselves.

And the rest? Awards for best groomed runs, awards for best family resort, awards for friendliest staff, awards for best ski school etc etc? Including a top 100 spot for the best ski runs in the world! The world people! Want to see more?

Finite Spend.

We all have finite resources, Big White is the same, they have a choice - brilliant award winning service and product for the regular season, or lower quality, none award winning, longer season? Err... I will have the quality please Mr. Pickles...

And before you ask, 

no, I don't work for Big White, I have never worked for Big White (despite begging every week... well... until the restraining order was issued... but that expires soon!) and no, they don't pay me to blog - the blog pays its own way - it earned $12 last year!

Sólido Properties lives, works, exercises, drinks beer, skins and snowshoes up the mountain pre and post ski season... and writes a crappy blog. Oh, and we manage and own seasonal rental properties - if you need expert management... we probably are not the ones for you, if you are happy with moderately competent (well we aspire to be soon... in the next couple years anyway...) we are your guys!