[texcolo]

Colorado may have a reprieve from invading Texans with this new artificial ski resort being built in Dallas. There's not a whole lot of images or information yet, but this website will keep us all posted...

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/resort2.jpg

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/resort1.jpg

[Derek]

wtf is that thing? man-made?

[Nowhereman1280]

wtf is that thing? man-made?

Must be...

Weird...

Oh America, always finding new ways to waste energy...

[Derek]

its kind of sad actually:shrug:

[foxmtbr]

:no:

[BG918]

I thought it was going to be something in the Davis Mountains in West Texas, where it actually does snow some in the winter. And there are actually mountains. I don't think ski resorts in NM and CO should fear this 'proposal' too much...

[MolsonExport]

Colorado may have a reprieve from invading Texans with this new artificial ski resort being built in Dallas. There's not a whole lot of images or information yet, but this website will keep us all posted...

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/resort2.jpg

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/resort1.jpg

What a pathetic pile. The pavilions are almost larger than the mountain. Who the hell would want to ski there?

[BamaGrad04]

I guess if you have skiing here in Alabama, you could have it in Texas.

Mentone, Alabama's famous Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort...http://cloudmont.com/
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q196/BamaGrad04/cloudmont.jpg

[texcolo]

FRICKIN' HATERS

If this was built in Vegas or Disney World you wouldn't have anything to say about it.

This is the FUTURE, bend down to the ground and take a whiff of it!!!

What gives???

:sly:

[BamaGrad04]

:previous: :no:

[BnaBreaker]

FRICKIN' HATERS

If this was built in Vegas or Disney World you wouldn't have anything to say about it.

This is the FUTURE, bend down to the ground and take a whiff of it!!!

What gives???

:sly:

The future is all about constructing insanely wasteful, fake environments where they don't belong just so people don't have to drive a few hours to where they already exist? I think you're mistaken. How about we turn all of those empty plains in the middle of the country into a giant ocean! For residents of Lincoln and Topeka it's just such a long drive to a real ocean!

[Nowhereman1280]

The future is all about constructing insanely wasteful, fake environments where they don't belong just so people don't have to drive a few hours to where they already exist? I think you're mistaken. How about we turn all of those empty plains in the middle of the country into a giant ocean! For residents of Lincoln and Topeka it's just such a long drive to a real ocean!

AMEN!

Honestly, this kind of stuff doesn't belong anywhere, Las Vegas, Dubai, or elsewhere. Refrigeration is one of the most energy consuming processes there is and this would have to use it on a mass scale. It would be a complete waste of energy (not to mention time if you are one of the people foolish enough to ski here). I hate paying the measly $15 they charge at the tiny ski resorts around Wisconsin in the middle of winter, I would much rather spend my time and money on a trip to Colorado to ski on a real mountain!

[jammin]

It's not real snow, it's some kind of material that mimicks snow. So dont worry about the energy wasting. Think of this as a theme park, instead of waterslides, it's a ski theme. That's all.

This is the stuff, apparently its already in use in Europe.

http://www.snowflex.com/snowflex.html

[bbeliko]

in madrid and in dubai there are indoor ski parks

[MtnClimber]

I guess if you have skiing here in Alabama, you could have it in Texas.

Mentone, Alabama's famous Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort...http://cloudmont.com/
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q196/BamaGrad04/cloudmont.jpg


As someone who snowboards I feel sorry for anyone who has to ski or board in either of these states. For starters the quality of the snow sucks, and you can really only ski about a month out of the year.

Even most of the east coast ski resorts pretty much blow.

I hope this project fails miserably =)

[zaphod]

If people in Texas really want to ski/snowboard then they drive to colorado as they have been doing for as long as there have been the roads to get you there

This looks like a thing for people who arent into real skiing to do in one afternoon. whats wrong with it?

[ginsan2]

FRICKIN' HATERS

If this was built in Vegas or Disney World you wouldn't have anything to say about it.

This is the FUTURE, bend down to the ground and take a whiff of it!!!

What gives???

:sly:

It's probably one of those complex concoctions that triggers some unusual combo of hatred at land use not taken up by 7,000 story office buildings or condos. :shrug:

[MolsonExport]

FRICKIN' HATERS

If this was built in Vegas or Disney World you wouldn't have anything to say about it.

This is the FUTURE, bend down to the ground and take a whiff of it!!!

What gives???

:sly:


what the hell are you talking about? :koko:

[BnaBreaker]

It's probably one of those complex concoctions that triggers some unusual combo of hatred at land use not taken up by 7,000 story office buildings or condos. :shrug:

You're absolutely clueless, sir. You need to believe that we are all evil liberal communists who want to turn the nation into 1950's Moscow so you can continue believing that our arguments are invalid and worthy of the lack of attention you pay them, so by God, you are going to believe it despite what anyone says. Anything to keep your small-minded fantasy world alive and well fed, right? That's just sad.

[jammin]

If people in Texas really want to ski/snowboard then they drive to colorado as they have been doing for as long as there have been the roads to get you there

This looks like a thing for people who arent into real skiing to do in one afternoon. whats wrong with it?


Exactly! You Disney World, i hope that place fails miserably. Can you believe they have a fake castle?

[texcolo]

How is this thing anymore wasteful than your average waterpark? And they are using fake snow aka snow flex... so what's the harm?

[Hoplite330]

It's almost utterly useless, as many people said, just go to Colorado and get an even better ski experience than you wold ever would at that.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I can see the headline now "Dozens of skiers killed when EF4 tornado tears through suburban dallas. Snow reported in Fort Worth." :haha:

Okay, well it was funny to me. Maybe not.

Environmentally speaking, I don't think this is necessarily any worse than attractions that already exist in theme parks around the country, but we should be working towards having those attractions shut down... not looking into building new ones!

[texcolo]

^

What???

I'm a card carrying member of the Sierra Club, and quite frankly, I'd rather have folks tearing it up down a glorified landfill than further ruining the Rockies. Have you seen Vail, Aspen, Breckinridge???

[denizen467]

If god had meant for texans to ski, he would have made bull**** white.


I can't believe after 24 posts nobody had said it yet. :P

[MtnClimber]

^

What???

I'm a card carrying member of the Sierra Club, and quite frankly, I'd rather have folks tearing it up down a glorified landfill than further ruining the Rockies. Have you seen Vail, Aspen, Breckinridge???

I actually agree the mega ski resorts are a disgrace to the enviroment, Whistler tops that list.

[Nowhereman1280]

I actually agree the mega ski resorts are a disgrace to the enviroment, Whistler tops that list.

I disagree. I think that, though they do damage the environment on the mountains they occupy, their overall benefits outweigh that. I mean think of how many people get to go out and enjoy and see the wildness of the West that would otherwise be unaware of what is out there to be protected.

Besides, exactly what is wrong with those ski mountains other than the fact that they cut large swaths of trees down?

Would you really have places like this releasing tons of carbon into the atmosphere so people can skid on artificial snow?

I think that people who are complaining about ski mountains like Vail would be much more productive if they worked on doing stuff like banning Snowmobiles in Yellowstone. I've spent quite a bit of time in the Rockies (and various other ranges out west) and I can say the best way to get an understanding of their beauty short of backpacking them or renting out a dude ranch in a valley (my uncle owns Emerald Valley Ranch just over the front range from the Broodmore in Co Springs) is to go skiing in them.

[-GR2NY-]

Colorado may have a reprieve from invading Texans with this new artificial ski resort being built in Dallas. There's not a whole lot of images or information yet, but this website will keep us all posted...

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/resort2.jpg

http://www.bearfireresorts.com/resort1.jpg


Seems there are bigger hills in the distance, why not use them?

Also, whats with the apparent 'ice walls'?

[BigBird9]

It will probably cost more to stay here at an artificial resort than it would be to go to a real one.

[MtnClimber]

Seems there are bigger hills in the distance, why not use them?

Also, whats with the apparent 'ice walls'?

They need to put the whole project in a glass wall so that it can have its own microclimate. As far as the big hills in the background, they are an exaggeration. Besides even if they were big enough the climate is to warm to make snow.

[KevinFromTexas]

Seems there are bigger hills in the distance, why not use them?

Also, whats with the apparent 'ice walls'?

Those "bigger hills" in the distance, are fake, too. They actually don't exist. That's just a rendering. I have no idea why they threw that in there. Dallas is quite flat, (prairie lands). Unless this is actually west of Fort Worth someplace, or northwest of the Metroplex, then that's fake. West of Fort Worth and to the Northwest there are some hills, but still, nothing like that.

Texas is mostly flat, but the hilliest area of the state is in the central part, (Texas Hill Country). The hills start on the west side of Austin and San Antonio and go for about 300 miles out. Then it gets flat for another 100 miles then the real mountains of Texas which are "under New Mexico". But even those mountains are not ski worthy, think Western Colorado. Most of West Texas does get snow during the winter due to the altitude, but the mountains are so rocky and craggy that they're worthless for skiing. The only mountain range in Texas that would be the best candidate for skiiing would be the Davis Mountains which are around 6,000 feet high and do get some snow on occassion, but not regularly. It's sort of a catch 22, the only places in Texas that have real mountains is West Texas, but that's the driest part of the state. So even when they do get snow it doesn't last long.

[Calgarian]

Is this thing for real? Even if I lived right beside this place, I would never go there. The problem with a park like this (besides the fact that it is a complete and utter joke!) is that everyone who used it wouldn't have a damn clue how to ski or snowboard, so it would take 2 hours to get down the hill because you would be too busy dodging beginners.

I live in Calgary and we have a ski hill that looks to be about the same size WITH REAL SNOW within city limits (Canada Olympic Park), with the exception of the board park, the hill gets boring in about 5 minutes (or 1 run) if you can actually ski or snowboard.

If this thing ever gets built, then Texas is officially the stupidest place on earth. A weekend trip to a real ski resort isn't that expensive if you only go a few times a year, if you go every weekend, then this this place is a waste of time anyway.

Lastly, half the fun of going to the mountains, is the scenery. You don't want to look over bald prairie when you are standing on the summit, you want to see mountains!

http://skilouise.com/images/the-mountain/photo_gallery/6.jpg

This is a picture from Lake Louise, widely regarded as one of the most scenic places on earth

[forumly_chgoman]

It's not real snow, it's some kind of material that mimicks snow. So dont worry about the energy wasting. Think of this as a theme park, instead of waterslides, it's a ski theme. That's all.

This is the stuff, apparently its already in use in Europe.

http://www.snowflex.com/snowflex.html


Yeah its Ice-9.....now we are all in deep kimchi.....forget about global warming....the oceans are freezing baby


where is Vonnegut when you need him......oh yeah......nevermind :jester: :jester:

[Nowhereman1280]

WHAT?!?!? This is going to be astro-snow!?!?!

SICK!!! (and not in a good way)

Have you ever seen what an astro-turf minigolf course looks like after a few years? I can't imagine that on a large scale and white! It would get sick and gray after like 3 months...

[KevinFromTexas]

Either way, I'm glad it doesn't snow in Texas. Shorts and flip flops for ~7 months baby! :banana:

Why no love for Texas? :sly:

[texcolo]

Either way, I'm glad it doesn't snow in Texas. Shorts and flip flops for ~7 months baby! :banana:

Why no love for Texas? :sly:


So, I'm not the only one picking up on this?

:sly:

I tell ya, if they built this on top of the Hudson River Rail Yard in Manhattan, these guys would be going nuts.

[pseudolus]

Wow, $28 for a lift ticket to Cloudmont, with its 150 foot vertical? That's almost 20 cents a foot...

I wonder what the proposed lift ticket price is for this place.

[travelinmiles]

This park is actually in North Fort Worth near the I-35W/US 287 split on the old intel site. I'm not sure how well the snow will last in 105 degree heat come July and August.

[TexasBoi]

then Texas is officially the stupidest place on earth.

Yes..because other place don't have stupid projects like Texas.:rolleyes:

Oh and Kevin, I thought the southern portions of Dallas and Tarrant counties were pretty hilly. At least that's what I saw.

[zaphod]

This park is actually in North Fort Worth near the I-35W/US 287 split on the old intel site. I'm not sure how well the snow will last in 105 degree heat come July and August.

for the last time, the snow is PLASTIC.

[Dalton]

"Bearfire"?

I smell a back door attempt at an Indian casino...

[Visiteur]

So, I'm not the only one picking up on this?

:sly:

I tell ya, if they built this on top of the Hudson River Rail Yard in Manhattan, these guys would be going nuts.

No they wouldn't. Let's review:

-A massive ski project is being built near Dallas/FW.
~with a massive lodge
~with fake snow
~did we mention it was near Dallas, which isn't known for wintry activities, be it fake snow or not.

So in the end, the question is, do the people of the Metroplex really want a fake snow theme park? If that answer is yes, be prepared to face criticism about decadence. You would find a lot of people using it to demean your metropolis.

[ATLian12]

that might be the worst and best thing ive ever seen. They should put a bubble over it.

[jammin]

that might be the worst and best thing ive ever seen. They should put a bubble over it.

You guys sound like a bunch of whiney little kids. Again, this is no different than wet n wild or six flags. Its just a theme park get over yourselves.

[MolsonExport]

No they wouldn't. Let's review:

-A massive ski project is being built near Dallas/FW.
~with a massive lodge
~with fake snow
~did we mention it was near Dallas, which isn't known for wintry activities, be it fake snow or not.

So in the end, the question is, do the people of the Metroplex really want a fake snow theme park? If that answer is yes, be prepared to face criticism about decadence. You would find a lot of people using it to demean your metropolis.

that sums it up nicely.

[texcolo]

^

Seriosly, how is this any different than the Mall of America in Minneapolis or the Edmonton Mall, with their respective indoor water parks???

I don't hear the outcry of decadence for that???

:sly:

[forumly_chgoman]

^^^^^ummmm....well.....just off the top of my head, they are not using plastic water.....are they?

only in oil country could someone create oil based fake water

[KevinFromTexas]

^ Um, what?

First of all Dallas isn't an oil city, Houston is. Dallas is a banking city.

Also it does snow in Dallas every year, they just lack the hills and slopes to enjoy it.

Also, dumber, more fake and stranger projects have happened in other places, most notably Las Vegas and Orlando.

No doubt this is for the lazy, disconnected suburban couch potatoes, but then again pretty much all theme park type developments are.

[vanman]

I actually agree the mega ski resorts are a disgrace to the enviroment, Whistler tops that list.

Not exactly.


Environmental Awards


Whistler Blackcomb Sustainability Awards List 2007
At Whistler Blackcomb, we are grateful for the recognition we have received for our efforts in working toward sustainability through the following awards:

2006 – BC Tourism Award for Environmentally Responsible Tourism

2006 – Silver Eagle Award for Excellence in Waste Management in the North American Ski Industry

2006 – First Choice Responsible Tourism Award for Best in Mountain Environment

2005 – Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence in the North American Ski Industry

2003 – Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence in the North American Ski Industry

2002- Silver Eagle Awards for Excellence in Stakeholder Relations 2002 – Special Commendation from British Airways for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism in Global Tourism

2002 - British Columbia Ethics in Action Award for Large Scale Business

2001 – Silver Eagle Award for Excellence in Environmental Group Relations

2001 – Starfish Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism

1999 – Silver Eagle Award for Excellence in Habitat Protection

1999 – Silver Eagle Award for Excellence in Environmental Group Relations

1998 – Silver Eagle Award for Excellence in Environmental Education



I do hate when new resorts are created in pristine areas. There are quite a few planned for BC and they all come with massive sprawling golf courses
100s of singlefamily houses/ thousands of condos.

[Nowhereman1280]

Also it does snow in Dallas every year, they just lack the hills and slopes to enjoy it.


No offense, but do you know much about skiing? The snow they get in Dallas every year is nowhere near enough to do anything of sport in. Not to mention when it does snow, everyone here (I say here because I am here right now, in Dallas, well Prosper actually, but the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex anyhow) is terrified of the snow and basically won't leave their homes...

There is no way to ski in 2 inches of snow. I have seen people in California ski down dirt before though...

^

Seriosly, how is this any different than the Mall of America in Minneapolis or the Edmonton Mall, with their respective indoor water parks???

I don't hear the outcry of decadence for that???

:sly:

Well it is different because indoor water parks aren't very different from the tried and true outdoor pool. Building a "ski resort" (in quotes because it can hardly be considered real sking) in a non-winter climate with fake snow where it is ~100 degrees for a good few months of the year, is a bit different.

Also, Dallas already has a reputation for decadance (true or not) that this will hardly help.

[Geaux Tigers]

Well it is different because indoor water parks aren't very different from the tried and true outdoor pool. .

How is this different than building something based on the tried and true ski mountain?

IT'S AN AMUSEMENT PARK PEOPLE!!!! It's time to give up the jealously and outrage that this isn't being built in your town and come on down to ski in your shorts with us.

[KevinFromTexas]

No offense, but do you know much about skiing? The snow they get in Dallas every year is nowhere near enough to do anything of sport in. Not to mention when it does snow, everyone here (I say here because I am here right now, in Dallas, well Prosper actually, but the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex anyhow) is terrified of the snow and basically won't leave their homes...

There is no way to ski in 2 inches of snow. I have seen people in California ski down dirt before though...



Well it is different because indoor water parks aren't very different from the tried and true outdoor pool. Building a "ski resort" (in quotes because it can hardly be considered real sking) in a non-winter climate with fake snow where it is ~100 degrees for a good few months of the year, is a bit different.

Also, Dallas already has a reputation for decadance (true or not) that this will hardly help.

Yes, I know, it would have to be deep enough to provide a smooth flat surface without anything poking through the surface of it. I was just pointing out that Dallas does get snow. Some people think Texas doesn't see any at all, which isn't true. But yeah, we don't get anything like the ski resorts do. The only area that does get pounded from time to time is the panhandle up around Amarillo. They even have blizzards.

[KevinFromTexas]

How is this different than building something based on the tried and true ski mountain?

IT'S AN AMUSEMENT PARK PEOPLE!!!! It's time to give up the jealously and outrage that this isn't being built in your town and come on down to ski in your shorts with us.

I doubt it has anything to do with jealousy when they have the real deal. ;)

[MolsonExport]

How is this different than building something based on the tried and true ski mountain?

IT'S AN AMUSEMENT PARK PEOPLE!!!! It's time to give up the jealously and outrage that this isn't being built in your town and come on down to ski in your shorts with us.

Jealousy? Outrage?

Quite frankly, I would be downright embarrassed if they built this mountain of margarine in my hometown.

[James Bond Agent 007]

I think this project is cool, in a kind-of goofy way.

Skiing - in Texas! :haha:

[liat91]

So is it getting built or what?

[MtnClimber]

Also it does snow in Dallas every year, they just lack the hills and slopes to enjoy it.
.

The amount of snow they get in Texas is hardly enough to support a real ski resort. Heck even the ski resorts back east hardly get enough snow to operate quality ski resorts, unless you want to ski on crappy ice all winter.

Give me at least 150-200 inches of snow a year, then we can start talking about making a ski resort. And that number alone is pretty low. The really great resorts get closer to 500 inches of snow a year.

initially I was opposed to this resort, but if it gets more people interested in real mountains well so be it!

[ThrashATL]

^

What???

I'm a card carrying member of the Sierra Club, and quite frankly, I'd rather have folks tearing it up down a glorified landfill than further ruining the Rockies. Have you seen Vail, Aspen, Breckinridge???

Yes, I have a timeshare in Breck. One thing about Breck though, unlike Vail, it's a real town, not like it was carved out of the hill all at once by some developer. Get ready to squirm, looks like Breck will expand to Peak 6 sometime soon which I'm against. There's enough skiing in Summit already.

[Nowhereman1280]

How is this different than building something based on the tried and true ski mountain?


Well lets see, a pool uses water no matter what regardless of location. This ski hill wouldn't use snow, it would use plastic snow-turf. There you go, its as simple as that. This thing will probably look like crap in 30 or 40 years (or sooner) as the snow-turf gets dirty and is slowly disintegrated and will become a huge eyesore...

[texcolo]

The Wall Street Journal: Texans Bet Big on Winter Theme Park

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Texans Bet Big
On Summer Skiing
On Snowless Slopes
Defying 100-Degree Days,
Fort Worth Bearfire Resort
Plans an Alpine Village
By JENNIFER S. FORSYTH
The Wall Street Journal
May 16, 2007; Page A1

FORT WORTH, Texas -- When summer hits the parched, flat prairie here, temperatures can spike to 100 degrees and firefighters get busy responding to the grass fires that routinely flare. To Charlie Aaron, it's a perfect time to go snowboarding.

Mr. Aaron and several investors have ambitious plans to build a 25-story mountain with slopes for year-round, outdoor skiing and snowboarding. Surrounding the mountain will be an "Alpine Village" with chairlifts, ice rinks, a bobsled track, a winter wonder-park for children, a retail center, a 600-room hotel and a convention center. Total cost of the proposed Bearfire Resort: $696 million.

Bearfire is just the latest outdoor leisure venture to make a giant bet on defying nature in wildly improbable places. Dubai, in the Persian Gulf region, has an indoor ski dome that is part of its Mall of the Emirates. It plans to open another next year that revolves and has polar bears. A $35 million artificial whitewater-rafting center opened outside Charlotte, N.C., in September.

But even Bearfire's investors acknowledge that people are skeptical about summer skiing in Texas -- outdoors on artificial slopes that are without snow and aren't even cold. "There are some naysayers and people who can't really wrap their brain around it," says the 53-year-old Mr. Aaron, president of the investor group. Originally from San Francisco, he has spent most of his career in sales, marketing and public relations. "They have the same questions that everybody else has, because it's really incongruous, is it not?"

Saving a Trip

He insists the nearly six million people who live in metropolitan Dallas-Fort Worth, will find, in winter too, that it is easier and cheaper to ski Bearfire Mountain than to fly 700 miles to Colorado. Texans made up 6.5% of all visits to Rocky Mountain area ski resorts last year, second only to Coloradans, according to a survey by the National Ski Areas Association, a trade group in Lakewood, Colo.

Included in the group of investors is former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey, who says he has invested some of his own money. Mr. Armey says he likes the idea of winter sports in the sweltering Texas summer. "I'm a grandfather in Texas and there's not a summer that goes by when I'm not moaning over the fact that I can't be outside with my grandkids except neck deep in a swimming pool," says Mr. Armey, who now practices law. "Wouldn't it be great if there was a place where we could be outside and enjoy ourselves, even in August?"

The technology that makes it possible, which is known as Snowflex, uses water-misting systems to create a nonrefrigerated surface -- think of wet, white Astroturf with bristles -- that is slippery enough for skiing but with enough grip for turning. A few Snowflex slopes are operating in Europe, including one that is open year-round in Noeux-les-Mines, France. It is built on old coal-mining slag heaps in an area near Lille that isn't naturally conducive to skiing.

But this is Texas, so it must be bigger. With 650,000 square feet of skiable surface, the Bearfire slopes promise to be six times the size of the artificial slope in France. The mountain's superstructure is supposed to rise about 240 feet and require 7,000 tons of steel.

Wendell Jacobson, an investor in Bearfire and president of Management Solutions Inc. in Fountain Green, Utah, a multifamily-residence management company, says investors will ultimately put up $150 million, and the rest will be borrowed. Mr. Jacobson said the Bearfire investors are exploring several financial alternatives and are contemplating hiring advisers from UBS and Merrill Lynch, among others. The group plans to open the resort in the fall of 2009.

Mr. Aaron has never been involved in a large-scale development project. He has brought in family-entertainment industry veterans, including the Baker Leisure Group, of Orlando, Fla., to pull together the business plan and Greg Damron Design Inc., whose résumé includes the master plan of Universal Studios Japan, to design the resort.

Keeping Things Cool
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/images/P1-AH924_BEARFI_20070515185515.jpg
Artist's rendering of Bearfire ski resort.

Unlike existing domed ski resorts -- including the one in Dubai -- the winter activities at Bearfire will be outdoors. The polymer surface will feel cooler than the air in summer, but it won't be cold. To battle the heat (in an area that had 43 days in which the temperature topped 100 degrees in 2006), the developers plan to install misters, shades and turbo-fans, to reduce the temperature by about 20 degrees where people are lining up.

Mr. Aaron says Bearfire's consultants predict 2.4 million visits in the first year, but that the venture will still be profitable if the numbers come in 20% below that. To make a go of year-round skiing, Bearfire also will have to change the mind-set of the typical skier who is eager to hit the slopes in November but whose interest wanes with the first whiff of spring.

"I'm not convinced that people will have the desire to ski in the warm weather," says William Marks, an analyst who follows ski-resort companies for JMP Securities. "Do they want to go on a ski vacation when kids are off playing baseball or soccer?"

Bearfire will face strong competition for local leisure dollars in summer. In addition to Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers franchise and a minor-league baseball team (the Fort Worth Cats), the area has a Six Flags Over Texas amusement park and a giant water park called Hurricane Harbor. Just 10 miles away from the proposed Bearfire site, Great Wolf Resorts Inc. is building an indoor water-park resort with its own 400-suite hotel. In winter, Bearfire would have to compete with ski areas in Colorado and New Mexico that charge comparable fees but have real snow. An all-day pass for an adult will cost about $70 at Bearfire, not including rental equipment or lessons.

Mr. Aaron says he's confident the project will avoid the unanticipated costs of some large projects. Mr. Marks says most of the hotel developments expected to open between 2006 and 2008 are coming in over budget, primarily because of increased construction costs. In an extreme example, the cost of the Meadowlands Xanadu, a mammoth retail and amusement development being built in northern New Jersey that will include the first domed artificial-snow ski facility in the U.S., ballooned to $2.3 billion from $1.2 billion in just two years. Colony Capital took over the Xanadu project in November after the original developer, Mills Corp., wasn't able to finance the project's cost.

Paul Hilbig, an avid skier who attended the University of Texas at Arlington, tried out several Snowflex slopes in the United Kingdom in 2005, courtesy of Bearfire investors. At first, he was skeptical of the technology, but he found that it felt remarkably like real snow. "If you were blind, you couldn't tell if you were skiing on one or the other."

Video:
http://link.brightcove.com/services.../bctid902099517

[texcolo]

:shrug:

I first post photos of the ski resort and everyone bashes it, bashes Dallas, bashes Texas.

I now post a WALL STREET JOURNAL article on it, WITH a clip. The article states that the artificial snow surface was developed by an Englishman and that there are similar, but smaller resorts in place already in Europe.

NOBODY SAYS A DAMN THING!!!

:hell:

[Visiteur]

What else is there to say? Some view this as a good thing; others do not. The article does nothing to make the project sound better or worse-well actually, although it lists the pro of a synthetic material that feels like snow, it also lists that the mountain for skiing will be 25 stories. And it saved posters here the trouble of comparing this to the often-criticised projects in Dubai.

[SkyWatcher]

OK...first off it's NOT in Dallas....plans are to build in Fort Worth.

Second there are NO hills anywhere near that size there....yet.

Third....why not? Texan's helped build the resorts in NM and Colorado as well as the towns and resorts.

Fourth, it's meant to augment the skiing experience, not replace Colorado and NM slopes.

I agree that if it were in LV no one would say a word, but a lot of folks just love to hate Texas....as to why, there are many reasons, but it sure is a waste of good mind power doing so and none of them are really good reasons to bad mouth us.

My cousin has lived all over the world and chooses to remain here permanently because of the people here. He taught skiing in Vail, Aspen and Jackson Hole back in the 70's. I'd bet you'll find him out there sweating on the slopes if it gets built.

So like the guys before me said....relax, it's a freakin' park!

I think the project is very unique and would love to see it built

[Nowhereman1280]

If this thing is "twenty five stories" how tall is that? 300' vertical rise maybe? If that's the case, I highly doubt you will find anyone who has skied in Colorado on this hill. Hell, real ski hills in Wisconsin with a 500' don't attract those people, I learned to ski around here, but I can't tolerate it anymore since I experienced Colorado. Hell its not even worth the time to ski a 700' vertical mountain like Rib Mountain in Wausau Wisconsin... I doubt many people would waste their time with a 300' "mountain" with fake snow, it would take like 45 seconds to go down it, you would spend more time getting on (not including the ride itself) the chairlift than skiing...

[zilfondel]

hey, when people are desperate to ski...

[dallasbrink]

OK...first off it's NOT in Dallas....plans are to build in Fort Worth.

Second there are NO hills anywhere near that size there....yet.

Third....why not? Texan's helped build the resorts in NM and Colorado as well as the towns and resorts.

Fourth, it's meant to augment the skiing experience, not replace Colorado and NM slopes.

I agree that if it were in LV no one would say a word, but a lot of folks just love to hate Texas....as to why, there are many reasons, but it sure is a waste of good mind power doing so and none of them are really good reasons to bad mouth us.

My cousin has lived all over the world and chooses to remain here permanently because of the people here. He taught skiing in Vail, Aspen and Jackson Hole back in the 70's. I'd bet you'll find him out there sweating on the slopes if it gets built.

So like the guys before me said....relax, it's a freakin' park!

I think the project is very unique and would love to see it built

First of all, if you live in the DFW metroplex, u say dallas so u dont have to explain how the Metroplex has 30 cities surrounding 2 major cities.

Also,i agree with you, how is this as bad as one of those elevated domed ski resorts? This is a good idea and u guys with a problem are ether 1. Jealous or 2. You work and live in Colorado and you dont want to loose the Texas money your state pulls, also they are planning on building one of there in Phoenix and Vegas, why dont u go criticize them to? there's just to many haters out there, and there just mad that they arnt TEXANS!

[MolsonExport]

ah, the sweet slopes of margarine mountain.

[wong21fr]

If this gets built does it mean that Texans may actually learn how to ski before trying their hand at the slopes in Utah or Colorado?

If so, I'm all for it.

I'm sorry, but the stereotypical Texan on the ski slope image is still prominent in the Rockies. If Texans don't want to receive crap, please bitchslap your fellow Texans who show up on the mountains in snowsuits and cowboy hats and proceed to careen down the slope with absolutely no control yelling, "Yeehaw!".

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Never thought of it that way, if it teaches Texans how to turn, or even snowplow, its worth it. They'll certainly be no Midwestern skiers (the best in the world because they learn to ski on ice sheets, not snow), but at least they will be able to stay out of the way of people who know what they are doing.

Then again its always fun to be on the lift and see some hooligan go careening down the ski slope unaware of the moguls below and watch them hit the moguls. Good stuff, can you say "yard sale"?

[dallasbrink]

Hey, we dont all not know how to ski. Ive been skiing sence i could walk (snowboard now) and the generalization going on here is sickening. If this gets built, Colorado wont loose any business, this will just be making money during the summer as well as the winter.

[wong21fr]

Get used to it, Texas. There are only two good things in Texas; cheerleaders and Fort Hood (Bliss is a dump).

[TexasBoi]

There are some childish ass people on these boards, I see. The last few posts basically shows that.

[stranger]

The basic summary of this thread is this:

"Hey, Texas is building an artificial ski resort!"

Responses:

"Yeah, those Texans and their big mouths are about to destroy the environment even more... stupid Texans"

Or..

"Hah! 300 feet? I've snowboarded down bigger slopes IN MY BACKYARD! You guys are a bunch of noobs."

Watch.. just replace "Texas" with "Dubai" or "Tokyo" and you will get: "Oh my god... they are such innovators! These guys are revolutionizing the world, and here we are, driving our SUVs..."

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Not from me you won't hear that. I think that thing in Dubai is an abomination an complete gimmicky waste of energy. If all of Dubai's electricity were coming from nuclear power, then I wouldn't care, but I think the whole concept is slightly ridiculous.