The Squawlification Of Locker Room 3 (And More)

As I told the friendly staff at Alpine Meadows today, I do love Alpine Meadows. There are so many good things the mountain has to offer, and most of the time, the management and employees of Alpine Meadows all work hard to make things work for all of us. But sometimes, decisions are made that just leave you shaking your head in disbelief. Honestly that has happened more frequently as real estate developers try to run ski resorts. Although this happened far more often with JMA at the helm, KSL has made it’s share of stupid decisions as well. I feel sorry for employees that have been around at Alpine Meadows for a long time whom are now forced to try to explain something decided by a bean counter somewhere in a cubicle in the KSL home office.

It’s clear that KSL has made a lot of people unhappy in Locker Room 3 this week. We have received a number of complaints via email and in person on the subject of locker pricing for next year. Here’s the brief synopsis:

Locker renewal emails were initially sent out saying that lockers could be renewed at the same prices as last year. Everyone was happy, as this was the first year without an increase in recorded history. Later an “oops” email was sent out with revised pricing. The good news is that for 15″ lockers the price was actually reduced from $439 to $429. The terrible news was that rates for 12″ lockers were increased from $309 to $429, a raise of about 39%. This really does not come as a shock to me as KSL had no qualms about raising the price of a kid’s lift ticket 140% or in nearly doubling the fees for children’s ski teams at Alpine Meadows. There certainly seems to be some inequity in the pricing scheme that has some people angry. A 12″ locker is much smaller, especially in an era where fat skis and snowboards have become the norm.

Sadly, I have already talked to 3 different long term residents of Locker Room 3 that will not be returning. The sad part is that we are selling out to Squaw Valley. There is almost no doubt that the new tenants will be Squaw Valley ex-pats who have found that Alpine Meadows is a great mountain, with cheaper lockers and better parking. So Andy Wirth’s promise of keeping Alpine and Squaw as separate mountains….don’t get me started.

Update: One reader has reported that the team locker room (located behind the lost and found kiosk to the right of Viva Treats) will be eliminated next season for not being “up to standards”. It would be the loss of yet another Alpine Meadows institution.

I’ll end this report with one of the passionate e-mails I received on the subject. It says the same thing a lot of people want to say:

“Wow….

I just love corporate America.

So….. yes… your friend is actually completely accurate. Last year the fee for my 12″ locker was $309.00 — and yes, the request this last week was that I gratefully pay $429 for that same locker this year (f*** them) — a 38.8% increase over last year’s price — AND that I should be thrilled, pleased, grateful and happy to watch my neighbor buddy open his own 15″ locker (right next to my own) for which he pays the same (or even slightly LESS THAN???? — WTF???) price than last year.

REALLY?

The good news is that I have spent the afternoon/evening dwelling on my own miserableness which has been (today) dictated by this evil corporation who TELLS people what they want and makes them believe what they want. Hmmmmmmm…………… and I (AT LEAST) have come out the other side of the thought process with a basic and solid (if not…… sobering) and very real understanding that my own attachment to skiing has absolutely NOTHING to do with the little metal box in Locker Room #3 (OH HEY:!!!! price tag $429.00!!!! THIS YEAR ONLY!~!!!!!! —- get it while it’s a real deal — and expect that KSL will stick it all straight up your a**!!!! ) and the sober realization that —- that very real understanding and knowledge that that particular metal box does not contain my heart nor my soul regarding my passion for skiing (all forms), and, therefore, I am pleased and actually quite happy to cough up my little metal box to another, more wealthy (or clueless?) individual…..

Along with my own, personal, resounding rendition of: “F*** YOU KSL!!!!!”

I care little or not about the corporate intention and financial gain of this evil corporation who now runs the show here (WAKE UP TAHOE!!!!!). Although,I do care — ENORMOUSLY — about the environmental cost, the expense to wildlife, the sky….. and everything else that we will lose —– FOREVER —- —- (THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH — catchy little title, don’t a think?????) before our very uninterested eyes. I, however, do expect to be treated, personally, with fairness and truthfulness. (An apparent dream – given today’s corporate truthfullness and communication.)

And OH – hey! — FOR THE RECORD — IN CASE THERE IS ACTUALLY A HUMAN BEING MONITORING INCOMING COMMENTS (that would, of course, require a pulse) —- and not that anyone actually really cares:

I’ve been an Alpine skier/passholder for two (2) plus decades and have been a locker leaseholder of a 12″ locker leasehold commitment (for myself) the last entire two decades: (why do I picture the corporate reader of this writing yawining and rolling his eyes!!!) ALSO: in addition to my own 12″ locker rental, I have/had sustained a previously-committed to another (yeah — I know you don’t give a sweep rip!) ten (10) full previous years of leasehold commitments concerning a separate 15″ locker (previously for my then-ski team child — which was relinquished by myself last year in a professional, fair and orderly and timely manner in order to [one-would-think-rightfully] enable the mounton to expediently offer to another — due to my own lack of future need — kids grow up!) and — ALL IN THAT STINKY, SWEATY, AND SMELLY LOCKER-ROOM #3!!!!

Oh —- and yeah —- so you know: through all of those years (recited above), I was a single LOCAL TAHOE WAGE full-time mother supporting my child, entirely by myself ,and supporting her ski team participation.

And soooooooo:

NO.

I don’t expect to be treated specially by your incoming CORPORATION.

I don’t expect to receive a big award for my own life of choosing.

I don’t expect (or want) to be an unwilling participant on the “Under Cover Boss”.

Nope …. Not at all.

I do, however, EXPECT be treated with fairness and truthfulness.