Articles

Two SE Group Articles featured in May edition of SAM Magazine

The May issue of Ski Area Management magazine is out and we are pleased to report that it features not one but two articles from SE Group authors.

Director of Resort Planning Claire Humber‘s piece is titled “Investing in Retention of Interest.” Leaning on her deep expertise in strategic planning, Claire encourages ski area owners and operators to look beyond the traditional ROI (return on investment) to consider another ROI when planning capital expenditures: retention of interest.

Learn More

The May issue of Ski Area Management magazine is out and we are pleased to report that it features not one but two articles from SE Group authors.

Director of Resort Planning Claire Humber‘s piece is titled “Investing in Retention of Interest.” Leaning on her deep expertise in strategic planning, Claire encourages ski area owners and operators to look beyond the traditional ROI (return on investment) to consider another ROI when planning capital expenditures: retention of interest. These are often strategies that transcend the timeframe of traditional modeling – and are critical to sustainable growth in this increasingly complex and competitive market.

Senior Project Manager’s Ash Smith‘s article “Getting to the Root of Forest Management” is a deep dive into best practices for maintaining the health of ski area forests. Ash uses three SEG projects/partners (Sun Valley, Monarch Mountain, and Winter Park) to make the case that forest health is at the heart of sound and sustainable ski area management – and how resorts can identify needs, build collaborative partnerships, find funding, and overcome obstacles to achieve these goals.
X

Community Planning Practice Continues Growth Into Housing Planning with Leadville Housing Authority Approved

Affordable housing is an acute issue for mountain towns from coast to coast. Over the past few years, SE Group’s Community Planning team has expanded its practice to include housing-specific planning, led by Senior Community Planner Gabrielle Voeller, AICP. Considering our deep experience working with these communities – as well as our expertise in policy review and analysis, site design, and engagement – this has been a natural extension of our work.

Learn More

Affordable housing is an acute issue for mountain towns from coast to coast. Over the past few years, SE Group’s Community Planning team has expanded its practice to include housing-specific planning, led by Senior Community Planner Gabrielle Voeller, AICP. Considering our deep experience working with these communities – as well as our expertise in policy review and analysis, site design, and engagement – this has been a natural extension of our work.

In March, the Leadville Lake County Regional Housing Authority (Colorado) was awarded $1M to begin the development of affordable housing by the Department of Local Affairs, a state agency. SE Group’s feasibility study for this project (in collaboration with partners Tetra Tech and SHAPE Architecture Studio) was an essential part of the successful grant application. In addition to assessing three sites in Leadville for affordable housing, our project team lead bi-lingual community engagement on the housing stressors in the community and the types of housing that are most needed (size, unit type, # of beds).

Strategic housing plans that are rooted in community engagement are critical to the growth mountain and gateway towns – and we are excited to continue to build upon this practice with our partners in these communities.

For more details: Housing authority approved for $1M | | leadvilleherald.com

X

Capital Suggestions

Ski Area Management January 2022

Capital investments are a critical aspect of master planning for any resort – and the amount of data that can inform these decisions has dramatically risen in the last 10 years. So where does one begin?

SE Group has been guiding ski areas and resorts through capital planning since its inception in 1958. And in this article for Ski Area Management, CEO Kent Sharp joins a panel of experts to talk about growth and maintenance capital in this ever-changing environment.

Read the full article.

Unpack Your Assumptions

Ski Area Management November 2021

COVID has forced a broad rethinking of resort operations, the guest experience, and the use of space. In this article for Ski Area Management, Carolyn McShea and Claire Humber examine the operational assumptions that COVID disproved – and how resorts can continue to turn last year’s challenges into this year’s opportunities.

Read the full article.

Lift-Served Mountain Biking

NSAA Journal  Summer 2021

SE Group’s  Patrick Olstad and Drew Pollck-Bruce co-authored an article about the potential for lift-served mountain biking growth opportunities at ski areas and mountain resorts. Their findings are based on the insights and trends identified in a national survey of current riders and guests.

Click here to read the full article.

Montpelier Elementary School Playground

Advocate, Vermont Recreation and Parks Association Newsletter Summer 2020

SE Group’s Tom Hand and Drew Pollak-Bruce provide insight to the recently completed Montpelier Union Elementary School Playground project, and how the new design achieves key upgrades to the school facilities and grounds while providing education and play opportunities for students and the community at large.

 

Click here to read the full article.

 

Moving Forward

Ski Area Management magazine

SE Group’s Claire Humber, along with Collaboratory’s Regina Connell and Bull Stockwell Allen’s John Ashworth, discuss best practices as resorts begin to re-open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to read the full article.

 

The Adventure Continues

Ski Area Management  January 2019

Claire Humber and Jason Hoover, along with Maura Trumble of Cottle Carr Yaw Architects, have authored an article about the need for a shift in focus to summer operations at mountain resorts.

Click here to read the article

Inside the Complex World of Ski Resort Design

In an interview with Architectural Digest, SE Group team members discuss the art and science of planning mountain resorts.

Click here to read the article.

It’s all uphill now for Aspen-Snowmass

The Aspen Times details SE Group’s work with the City of Aspen develop a recreation plan that will provide recommendations, goals and policies for various forms of uphill recreation, whether it’s skiing, backcountry touring, hiking, or mountain biking.

Click here to read the article.