Greetings from Londonderry. I want to provide you all with a brief update as to the happenings at Magic since the inception of the Magic Partnership.
First, Tom Barker and I are very pleased to be working with the new shareholder elected Board members, John Jacobi, Dave DeMatteis, and Duke Sullivan. They are already providing inspiration, ideas, and energy.
Snowmaking Investment Planning
As discussed in the Business Plan, improving the snowmaking is the primary focus of our efforts and as such a majority of share funding will be deployed in that arena over the next three years. We have engaged Slavko Stanchek of Mountain View Technologies to consult and assist in modifying and where necessary redesigning our snowmaking system. Slavko has a more than thirty years background in designing and engineering snowmaking systems all over the country including both large and moderate sized areas in Vermont. His role will be to create a system using as much of the old as is reasonable and meshing that with new equipment and piping as needed. Efficiency without sacrificing production is his goal. There will be many components of the snowmaking upgrades and Slavko will help us implement them in a coordinated fashion assuring notable progress over the next three summers. The end result will be a far more productive system which specifically caters to the unique needs of Magic. Work on the snowmaking improvements will commence shortly and will include pipe replacement, new valving, and purchase of higher efficiency guns. We will keep you closely posted as to the progress on projects which are being tackled this summer.
New Leadership For Outside Operations
As we look to improve our outdoor operations, there is no doubt that personnel plays a critical role. I am pleased to announce that we recently added an important piece to the personnel puzzle. Travis Richmond came on board this week to direct and manage all outside operations. Travis spent the past seven years working at Stratton in the mechanical/grooming field. He also has been involved in lift construction and snowmaking renovations. Prior to Stratton, Travis graduated from Lyndon State College where he majored in ski area management and for two years after his graduation he worked at Magic. As such he has an in depth knowledge of the outside operations at Magic as well as a wealth of experience over the past seven years at Stratton. We welcome Travis aboard with great enthusiasm. As an aside, some of you may recall meeting Greg Kinsey (our primary groomer last season) or at the very least you had the pleasure of enjoying his work product. Travis and Greg were roommates at college, and we are expecting that Greg will return to Magic this year and join Travis to further the mission to make Magic the best skiing and riding experience in southern Vermont.
Summer Fun at Magic
In terms of activities at the mountain this summer, we are again hosting the Londonderry Independence Day fireworks show which will take place on Friday July 6th. There will be live music, BBQ dinner on the deck, and a great time will be had by all. Shortly after that, The Butties, one of the best Beatles cover bands around, will be playing their annual show on Saturday July 14th. Both of these are fun family events, so be sure to make your way to VT to participate in the festivities. Another event which is taking place at nearby Timber Ridge (the back side of Magic) on June 14 -16 is the Frendly Gathering which is a three day music festival. There will be lots of music and many other activities. For more information please visit www.frendlygathering.com.
On another note, we have held several discussions with someone who is interested in investing in Magic by building an aerial tree park in the woods. The park would consist of platforms built around trees connected by various balancing elements, bridges, and zip lines. It is a challenging, active, and fun sport which dovetails with Magic’s outdoor adventurous spirit perfectly. If this project comes to fruition it will provide much needed summer activity at Magic. At present we are engaged in the permitting process which is an inevitable/mandatory stepping stone in VT. We will keep you posted as to the progress and when to expect the building to commence. In conjunction with this park, we are planning on opening the Black Line Brew Pub on summer weekends for dining and entertainment. We have not yet determined the schedule, so please keep tabs on line, and wewill put out the word when it is set.
Spread the Word
Please also remember that it is never too early to be spreading the word about Magic amongst your friends and encouraging them to make Magic their winter home or at least to give it a try. Growing this mountain by spreading the enthusiasm within the community of the Magic faithful is one of the most effective ways to build our following and perpetuate the Magic experience long into the future.
Thank you for your support. We’re looking forward to a productive summer and will keep you closely posted as to the progress on specific projects with a monthly update. We will outline how people can participate in the effort to improve Magic in the next newsletter. In the meantime, be sure to come to Vermont and enjoy the beautiful green mountains, and while you’re here, stop by Magic to say hello.
All the best,
Jim Sullivan
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