Official Coast Gravity Park thread

You guys all ready have Whistler, what more do you want?

Yeah but the commute is a biatch. And you guys are worried about 2 ferries!:D:D

focus on the negative…..

Would love to be wrong on this.

Trying to raise 100 grand to install a lift? Good luck with that.

i think they were just shy of $20k after 24hrs

gonna need a lot more than a hundy.

Consider that Seymour's new lift cost around 5 mil…better hit the fundraising button again.

…and what about insurance?

I don't mean to be negative they all seem like nice kids,but I don't see this getting off the ground any time soon.

screw the lifts; enduro parks - lift free - are the next big thing, I tell you. casual switchback 'social' climbs to a sweet network of mini-dh trails. next level shit.

I don't imagine they will buying a brand new high speed quad chairlift for this venture. I see an older used double or triple chair bought from a ski area that is getting rid of there old ones. Lots of ski areas are shutting down in the states and are getting rid of assets cheap. My guess is that they also have some investors interested that will help foot the bill as well.

I like the idea but there seems to be a lot of variables that aren't mentioned. Accommodations, access due to the ferry rides, what sort of lift (I know they're taking bids but I'd like to see a little more info), what would their staffing be? I tend to be cautious with crowd funded attempts and like to see a lot of data backing what they're doing. An awesome video showing guys shredding doesn't make me want to toss money their way though.

Right now I wont be pitching in, I know I'd go if it makes it, but there's too many variables and I'd like to know what risks and problems they foresee happening and how they plan on over coming them.

gonna need a lot more than a hundy.

Consider that Seymour's new lift cost around 5 mil…better hit the fundraising button again.

…and what about insurance?

I don't mean to be negative they all seem like nice kids,but I don't see this getting off the ground any time soon.

It could turn out great if they could get enough business from the SSC locals to sustain it.

I would think a bike and rider shuttle from the Langdale ferry would be needed too if they want to woo Van area riders. $40 just to take a car on the ferry would be a deal breaker for a lot of potential frequent visitors, and anyone (eg kids and teens who would probably make up a big part of the scene) wanting to get there on public transit or mom's taxi service. Besides the WBP, the Squamish gondola will be online next year too not far up the road, promoting enduro trailriding.

Anyway, I'm sure they have a business plan and if the one they have is rock-solid, they shouldn't have too many problems drumming up investment.

I don't mean to be negative they all seem like nice kids,but I don't see this getting off the ground any time soon.

From talking to industry people, I'm pretty sure it's not just these kids. There's more heavy hitters involved, and the research has been done (into the park, chairlifts, etc.). This fundraiser is more of a show of good faith from the public. The very fact that they get all the funds whether the goal is hit or not tells me there's other money involved, and this is going ahead no matter what.

Well stubz had a photo of them moving dirt with a Terex yesterday so they aren't using John Deere Gators to haul dirt around

From talking to industry people, I'm pretty sure it's not just these kids. There's more heavy hitters involved, and the research has been done (into the park, chairlifts, etc.). This fundraiser is more of a show of good faith from the public. The very fact that they get all the funds whether the goal is hit or not tells me there's other money involved, and this is going ahead no matter what.

It would be nice to see some of these backing details. I'm picturing this being something like ray's indoor mtb park. Everyone had a pipe dream about making an indoor park and then someone came along with the know how. With me realizing money is tighter than I thought I want to know more before I start dropping cash.

In the Pinkbike comments I saw mention of a certain large energy drink company that's know to have massive amounts of cash as a backer…

Knowing these guys they ain't just some eager kids trying to get this off the ground with just crowd funding cash.

As much as I would love to see this work, I have a hard time seeing how all of the numbers will add up to keep this thing alive. The Sunshine Coast doesn't have a substantial population and the mandatory ferry ride will likely make this only a "once in a while" destination for people from the lower mainland. I hope I am wrong though!

I even question if the Whistler Bike Park's direct operations (ie. only lift ticket sales) turn a profit - I always assumed that the indirect revenues (hotels, restaurants, bring people into the village in general, Crankworx, etc.) was what made the bike park a profitable business. I could be totally off on this though.

If you dont watch out the blacks will beat you up over here!

I asked some one in the know about how the Whistler park makes money. It is pretty cheap to operate really. Handful of liftees and a trail crew. Trail maintenance in comparison to ski grooming is nothing. Some of the lifts are already operating for foot traffic anyway so it really is profitable.

A new park on the other side of a ferry from the lower mainland will have to take that into account with a shuttle from the other side so you can ride across and pricing reflective of what they have versus the competition up the highway. But if they have some financial baking from a beverage manufacturer, why would they need crowd funding? Is it to prove that a ridership exists?