Comments on: Idaho Top On Failing Resort List

By: bert farber

bert farber — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:11:54 +0000

I was gonna make the exact same points as Gordon, even using the same phrases, but he beat me to it and so I won’t make the points now.

By: Good Post Gordon

Good Post Gordon — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:15:32 +0000

I was going to make the same points, but you did it quicker, and better.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:21:24 +0000

Antiphobe:
I do read the paper — every day. Plus assorted news magazines, online news sites, etc. So, yes, I am well aware that jobs come and go. I also am aware that some jobs last for many, many years, sometimes decades, perhaps centuries.
Many times, though, the ones that start out sounding best are the ones that crash and burn in a few years. (Some really are great and could last forever, unless an Agee type knocks ’em to the ground, a la Morrison-Knudsen. )
But pie-in-the-sky grandiose pipe dreams like Tamarack (aka Valbois) and the Tower (aka The Hole, and whatever the latest pipe-dreamer is calling it) fail far more frequently than more carefully planned, financed and slowly developed projects.
Remember Joe Albertson? Started out with one little store, gradually grew it into a large chain over many years. Then, when the new greedoids took it over and began buying up every chain in sight while also building more stores, it flared up into more than 2,000 stores — and then collapsed like a house of cards.
Yep, there are still stores called Albertsons, but they’re Supervalue and a few other companies. Mighty Joe’s empire has crumbled after all his years of gradual growth.
Seems to me some part of J.R. Simplot’s megabiz (another one built over many years from almost nothing) have been evaporating lately, since Jack no longer had a tight hold on the reins.
OK, you undoubtedly know of a few (hundred) others that also began imploding after expanding too rapidly. And the benefits to the workers during the growth are more than offset by the devastating losses to those same workers (and subcontractors, etc.) when everything falls apart.
Oh, in interest of full disclosure: I worked for The Idaho Statesman for nearly 40 years — the first few years under Federated Newspapers, then the rest of that time under Gannett.
Escaped just before rapidly growing Gannett began shrinking like a deflating helium balloon. Where is it now?
But, if you’re happy with short-term jobs that disappear like dandelion fuzz in the wind, that’s fine. Don’t worry; be happy.

By: TJ

TJ — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:35:37 +0000

I expect the county assessor is worrying about property tax collections in the following years. And the extreme growth in property values has to be hurting the long time residents.

By: Antiphobe

Antiphobe — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:19:59 +0000

Gordon – “providing decent jobs for people for a few years and then dumping them out with the trash” what are you kidding me? Guess I wasn’t aware that Valley County had instituted a Socialist form of government. Yes good paying jobs were provided for a number of years and now they are gone – that is the way our free market economy and employment base works. If you don’t understand that you have much bigger problems to contend with than the demise of this silly ski resort. Read the paper my man – jobs come and go all the time this is no different than any other industry.

By: Antiphobe

Antiphobe — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:40:38 +0000

I’ve been involved in the developement/homebuilding industry in the West for the past 5 “boom” years and I’ve seen how many (not all mind you there are good ones) of those same subcontractors treated owners and builders. They held builders (general contractors) and customers hostage with unprecedented margins and profits. They are as much to blame for the inflationary spike in home prices as anyone. Many were made millionars over the past years. Do I feel bad for them now – no I don’t not one bit. 90% of them have absolutely no business sense – if they did they would have had checks and balances in place to review their accounts payable and stop working for Tamasham before they were overly exposed. Greed got them into the boat that they are in – same as it did some builders/developers. Quit pointing the finger at the biggest targets – there is plenty of blame to go around.

By: gaybot4000

gaybot4000 — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:45:57 +0000

A French Bank financed it, locals property values increased, Cascade residents got jobs, and someone will pick up the pieces and make money…and the resort will go on.

By: TJ

TJ — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:43:22 +0000

The story in the WSJ does not mention that JPB has been involved in getting this project off the ground for at least 20 or 25 years. Does everyone remember when he called the project “Valbois”?

My friends at a title company in Cascade were salivating over the amount of business they expected to be coming in and were 100 percent sure the project was going to get completed.

I was doing a lot of business in Valley County but was skeptical back then about the project. It just seemed to me that owning overpriced property in such a remote location with access only by driving up SH 55 would appeal to enough people to make the project worthwhile.

Unfortunately there are probably a lot of people who haven’t been paid for work or supplies and will lose out big time.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:47:11 +0000

Another case of someone with a dream way too big for possibility, and not enough sense to see the likely outcome of going nutso for huge development.
Gradual growth is normal; explosive growth usually turns out to be cancer.
But the greedy aren’t satisfied to start small and grow slowly, and instead try to build a megaresort or megawhatever in an extremely short time, so they can be rich and famous and whatever else they desire in a few years.
Mom-and-pop stores almost never make anybody rich, but they often provide a decent living in exchange for hard work for many, many years.

As for Antiphobe: I hope you’re being sarcastic here and don’t really believe that providing decent jobs for people for a few years and then dumping them out with the trash is a good thing.

And to Bob Blurton: If you went up and looked at the crap lumber they were using in much of the construction, I think you already know it would make lousy firewood. Still, free firewood is free firewood.

By: Antiphobe

Antiphobe — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:26:37 +0000

I own two SUVs – one foreign and one American. They are both V8’s and they are both paid for. They both run great…I’ve never broken down on the way from my house to the gas station!!!!!!