Casper, Wyoming — While it’s a busy ski area, Hogadon Basin is currently not a profitable one. The city-owned ski area currently runs at a loss, meaning that the city subsidizes it. In response, the city plans to increase prices..
Oil City News reports that city leaders are considering an increase to lift ticket and season pass prices at Hogadon Basin, which is intended to make the city no longer need to subsidize the operation. Additionally, a fee is being considered to help finance the much-needed replacement of a chairlift.
Day tickets would increase by $5 for all age levels. For season passes, price increases range from $25 to $200. They are also planning to eliminate the sale prices that offer discounted season pass prices if skiers and riders buy early.
Carter Napier, who’s the city manager of Casper, explained his proposal to the city councillors during this week’s meeting:
“My proposal would be that we increase that threshold so that we reflect not only more closely with what we’re seeing in business activity, but so that we could also come closer to getting to a point of breaking even, and not have to provide a subsidy. At the heart of the business plan approach, that is the goal.”
Another idea discussed during the meeting was a 10% facility fee, which would go towards a new chairlift. Last November, Casper voters were asked whether a new tax should be approved, which would have paid for the replacement of the Prospector Chair. The voters rejected it. This is despite the ski area needing to close for the 2023-24 season early due to a chairlift breakdown. To refurbish the chairlift, the city had to purchase a part that was extremely rare and cost more than $40,000.
Ultimately, these price increases are also being made in comparison to nearby ski areas. As part of this process, they created a table detailing prices at nearby competitors to ensure they’re not overcharging locals.
“Even though people can complain about the cost of skiing going up — especially as it relates to season passes — through all the data we have, it’s fairly inelastic,” said Carter Napier. “If we drop those prices down, we don’t see a dramatic increase. And if we raise the prices up, we don’t see a dramatic decrease. … The people who choose to have a season pass to ski here are like, ‘Hey, I live close to here. In the absence of skiing here, it’s quite a bit of a trip for me.’”
Image Credits: Hogadon Basin Ski Area (City of Casper, Wyoming)
