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 A group of happy patrons on the deck of the Yodler Saturday enjoy the fun and sun after a day on the slopes. Photo by Susan Morning |
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MMSA cancels Mammoth Life & Wellness |
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Sunday, 19 August 2007 |
 Mammoth Life & Wellness, a major weekend for total wellbeing, was scheduled for August 24-26. Two weeks before it was to take place, it was canceled.
The news came as a shock to locals and business owners, who learned of the cancellation as MMSA staffers removed posters from storefronts. Last year's event, while a mammoth undertaking, was full of information about living well and at one's optimum level. The interface among keynote speakers, local practitioners and residents/visitors produced a positive chemical reaction and promised to carry forward and must have made this a very difficult decision for Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to make. Considerable funds had been expended to promote the event and contract the speakers, but “participation numbers from both this year and last year indicate that this event may be ahead of its time,” said an e-mail from the Mountain on Friday, Aug. 10. “Those who have registered or booked lodging packages will receive personal contact and a full refund.”
Mammoth Life & Wellness, a major weekend for total wellbeing, was scheduled for August 24-26. Two weeks before it was to take place, it was canceled.
The news came as a shock to locals and business owners, who learned of the cancellation as MMSA staffers removed posters from storefronts. Last year's event, while a mammoth undertaking, was full of information about living well and at one's optimum level. The interface among keynote speakers, local practitioners and residents/visitors produced a positive chemical reaction and promised to carry forward and must have made this a very difficult decision for Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to make. Considerable funds had been expended to promote the event and contract the speakers, but “participation numbers from both this year and last year indicate that this event may be ahead of its time,” said an e-mail from the Mountain on Friday, Aug. 10. “Those who have registered or booked lodging packages will receive personal contact and a full refund.”
According to Communications Manager Dana Vander Houwen, they looked at three groups for interest: locals, core audience (skiers, second homeowners) and new audiences. Strangely enough, they didn't get the response they'd expected from the first two groups. “The demand was not anywhere near what was expected,” Vander Houwen said. They did get a lot of hits on the event Web site, but those didn't translate into reservations. And because Mammoth is so often a last minute town, locals hadn't committed to the event in time to be considered in the ticket count.
Last year was run at a loss and this year's event was expected to run at a loss as well, which is par for the course in building a loyal and returning audience.
Mammoth Life & Wellness was a major event in Mammoth's 2006 calendar, but perhaps the timing wasn't quite right. Held in September, the weather was brilliantly and ideally autumnal, perfect for hikes and outdoor recreation sessions. This year it was to fall on the weekend before Labor Day, and might have lost out to other activities— back to school, end of summer bike races, etc.
It's not that Mammoth isn't a wellness center simply by virtue of its cloudless blue skies, its mountains and trails and clean air. One of the best parts of this event is the number of local practitioners who serve as guest speakers and also teach yoga, Pilates, Nordic walking, etc. It's a showcase for the healthful activities that exist in this mountaintop oasis.
Barry Sternlicht was a visionary when he bought the mountain and saw Mammoth as a wellness center. Sometimes it takes time for others to catch up to a vision. “Looking at the Town's General Plan and Ski Area's Master Plan, we know wellness amenities are a part of our community's future and we may revisit hosting a similar event in the future,” said MMSA in Friday's e-mail. –DE
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 26 August 2007 )
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