By Robert Rizzuto rrizzuto@post-journal.com
 | | Holiday Valley is celebrating 50 years of service as management announces $2 million to be reinvested into the facility over the next year. Above is an artist's rendering of the $33 million Tamarack Club at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville.
P-J photo below by Robert Rizzuto | | 5/9/2008 - ELLICOTTVILLE— Although the ski slopes are mostly green and closed until next season, one of the area's premier resorts is gearing up for facility improvements totaling $2 million and an event-filled summer.
''All 18 holes of the ''Double Black Diamond'' Golf Course at Holiday Valley are now open, and the course is in great shape,'' said Steve Carney, PGA Master golf professional and director of golf. ''The course came through the winter very well, thanks to the Holiday Valley Mountain Crew and their careful grooming of the ski slopes. The golf course maintenance crew are completing the finishing touches, and we look forward to a great year.''
Patrons may notice some changes and construction as they arrive to golf, or to take advantage of the spa and restaurants, as the resort currently has several expansion and improvement projects underway.
Holiday Valley Mountain Resort and Conference Center has spent more than $50 million over the past 15 years to improve the facility, including $2.9 million this season, according to Jane Eshbaugh, director of marketing.
She explained that since the business is based on the weather, the resort doesn't want to get too far ahead of itself by investing exorbitant lump-sums at once, but rather chooses to spend incrementally each year, while managing the resort's growth.
One Season at a Time
The resort's president and general manager, Dennis Eshbaugh, said that Holiday Valley had a record-breaking year, thanks to the ski season.
''The 2007-08 winter season was a success with over 500,000 visitors and 124 days of skiing and riding,'' Eshbaugh said. ''Our entire staff worked hard to maintain great snow conditions and excellent customer service all year long. The payoff is that we can reinvest into the resort and continue to improve our product.''
The planned improvements include several moves aimed at enhancing the customer experience at the resort.
According to Mrs. Eshbaugh, the resort will be purchasing two new slope groomers; one for the resort's steeper headwalls and another for the general resurfacing which takes place each night during ski season.
She said the resort also plans to reinvest in its snow-making system, which is crucial to success every season.
According to the director of marketing, the resort's snow-making capabilities are helped by the 62 million gallon lake on the top of the mountain behind the Yodeler Lodge.
''There's no way we could exist in the area without our snow-making system,'' Mrs. Eshbaugh said. ''What the large supply of water does is allows us to take advantage of the weather to produce more and better snow.''
Planned improvements to the system include automating the snowmaking pump house controls so crews can efficiently control and balance all three pumps from one location. Several water lines in the system will also be replaced with larger ones, further expanding the snow-making capabilities.
The five-year-old Holiday Valley Tubing Company, located a short distance down Route 219 from the main resort, will also be getting an upgrade, according to Mrs. Eshbaugh.
That snow-making system will be expanded and the resort plans to purchase new tubes and install an outdoor music system.
''It's hard to find a radio station that will please everyone,'' Mrs. Eshbaugh said. ''But it will add some excitement for people who aren't listening to their I-Pod.''
The increasingly popular terrain park will also be getting some new rails, as Mrs. Eshbaugh said the resort is constantly changing and rearranging it in order to keep things fresh.
Also scheduled is the widening of the Foxfire slope and a clean-up in The Glades between Ego Alley and Champagne.
Several improvements intended to further the summertime experience at Holiday Valley are also on the list.
The director of marketing said that the resort plans to construct a picnic/wedding pavilion on Sugar Plum and a picnic shelter at Spruce Lake.
''Over the summer, we do have a lot of weddings up here,'' Mrs. Eshbaugh said. ''The pavilion (on Sugar plum) will be 2,000 square feet and available for those as well as picnics.''
Mrs. Eshbaugh said the resort is also planning to develop and launch a new Web site with e-commerce options to make transactions more convenient for the customers.
50 Years of Growth Leads to Further Expansion
In early April, construction crews began working on a new upscale housing complex located in the heart of the resort.
The Tamarack Club, a 78-unit, four-star condominium-hotel project, being constructed at Holiday Valley's base area, adjacent to the main Clubhouse Chalet, is the resort's largest undertaking to date, according to Mrs. Eshbaugh.
She also said that even though the structure won't be complete until the 2009-10 winter season, many of the units have already been sold.
Sales Manager Denise Schneider said that sales have already exceeded the expectations of Holiday Valley and Project Director Terry Elsemore.
''The test phase indicated that interest in this project was high,'' Elsemore said. ''At our launch on December 1, 2007, we sold 25 percent of the entire building. Over the next three-and-a-half months, we sold an additional 40 percent, totaling 65 percent sold out. This project is one of the fastest-selling fractional properties ever.''
Ms. Schneider said that fractional property ownership is popular in vacation-style housing, and it will allow a fractional owner to use the property once every fifth week on a rotating basis.
''Many buyers see this option as an advantage not only because the cost of ownership is lower, but also because the fifth share fits into their vacation schedule,'' Ms. Schneider said. ''Added benefits of ownership are exchange privileges to over 4,000 resorts and optional property rental management.''
The exchange through Resort Condominium International consists of properties are located across the U.S. as well as in many popular foreign destinations.
The Tamarack properties can also be purchased as whole ownership, according to Ms. Schneider.
The building will house a combination of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and include ''a wealth of amenities.''
A health club and spa, a year-round outdoor heated pool, a restaurant and lounge, underground parking, conference facilities and an owners club, are among the benefits of ownership, according to Ms. Schneider.
Holiday Valley also expects the Tamarack Club to benefit the surrounding community, as well as its patrons.
''The $33 million condominium project will have a significant economic impact on the Ellicottville community, Cattaraugus County and Western New York,'' Ms. Schneider said. ''In addition to the construction jobs over the next two years, 15 full-time jobs and 30 seasonal jobs will be created.''
The resort also expects sales tax and bed tax revenue of more than $305,000 annually, and property tax revenue of $375,000 annually.
''The high interest level in the Tamarack Club speaks well of Cattaraugus County's tourism potential,'' Holiday Valley's President said. ''This is a positive sign for the possibility of further development and growth of the region.'' For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
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