What Bend should do with our share of the Obama money: buy Mt. Bachelor and run it as a non-profit. Pay all the employees and officers a fair wage, but run it as a non-profit so that the lift ticket, equipment rental, and concession prices can come way down - lower than any other ski mountain in the U.S.
Why is this a good idea? First, it will keep the mountain from changing ownership every couple of years while the investors try to recoup their money at light speed by raping the wallets of locals and visitors. The city of Bend will own it once and for all and we won't have to worry about unscrupulous management marring the mountain's reputation.
Bend buys Mt. Bachelor, runs it as a non-profit, the lift ticket, equipment rental, and food prices come down and we advertise the new affordability of skiing Mt. Bachelor to the world. We get a bigger influx of new, visiting skiers every year because of the affordability and guess what? These guests stay in our hotels, eat in Bend's restaurants & bars, and buy our gifts and souvenirs. This is how we beef-up Bend's winter economy. Everybody wins.
Let's do it, Bend!
Chris Evans
