AMC Action Plan for 2025-30

[Yury]

$213 milllion is essentially chump change for a nonprofit. Most nonprofits require quite a lot more just to survive in a corporate world of multi billion dollar for profit companies

You are wrong comparing a non-profit to a large company.
They (e.g. AMC and Coca Cola) do not compete against each other.
Do you remember a story how Canadian MEC abandoned its humble coop roots and decided to compete heads on against big retail chains?
It did not end very well.

 

[pwsull]

You are wrong comparing a non-profit to a large company.
They (e.g. AMC and Coca Cola) do not compete against each other.
Do you remember a story how Canadian MEC abandoned its humble coop roots and decided to compete heads on against big retail chains?
It did not end very well.

Point well taken Yuri. My experience is in health care where for profit companies in direct competition with non profits and are making it increasingly difficult for the traditional non profit hospitals (who emphasize quality of care over profits and pay outs to shareholders and CEO’s) to survive. First they took over non profit health insurance, now they are far along in taking over hospitals and medical practices.
Let’s hope the for profit world doesn’t find a way to subvert environmental protections and devastate the wilderness like they did in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

[KRooney]

Do you remember a story how Canadian MEC abandoned its humble coop roots and decided to compete heads on against big retail chains?
It did not end very well.

I haven't bought anything from MEC in a few years, and some of my best ice/snow/cold weather gear is from MEC. I did wonder why their catalogs stopped coming a few years ago. They still have an online presence. I hope REI doesn't follow their example. A few years ago I visited one of REI's flagship stores on the West Coast (multi-story) and was overwhelmed by their wall of headlamps - hundreds of them. At that point I had to leave.

 

[Mac]

https://happiestoutdoors.ca/mec-is-...ed and,they were putting MEC back up for sale.

We still have a store (bricks & mortar) in Halifax

 

[KRooney]

https://happiestoutdoors.ca/mec-is-for-sale-again-what-happened/#:~:text=In October 2020, the cooperative was dissolved and,they were putting MEC back up for sale.

We still have a store (bricks & mortar) in Halifax

I counted 26 such stores on the MEC website. I think the closest/most convenient one for me in NH is Laval.

 

[ImYourHuckleberry]

The only alternative at the time was Crawford House at the head of Crawford Notch, which was an expensive grand hotel, like the Mount Washington at Bretton Woods, but it burned to ground in 1977. The AMC bought the property but it took them over two decades with much controversy to get the powers at be to allow construction of the Highland Center (HC) on the site, which was dedicated in fall 2003.

Before HC, didn't they have another building(s) there? I distinctly remember staying there in a cheap bunkroom (maybe $10/night) many times while ice climbing at Frankenstein and other areas around Crawford Notch before I discovered the SubSig cabin.

 

[KRooney]

Before HC, didn't they have another building(s) there? I distinctly remember staying there in a cheap bunkroom (maybe $10/night) many times while ice climbing at Frankenstein and other areas around Crawford Notch before I discovered the SubSig cabin.

Yes they did. It was in the approximate location of Shapleigh Bunkhouse. It was torn down when the Highland Ctr was built.

Re: Subsig - I found this: https://www.subsig.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/History.htm

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Before HC, didn't they have another building(s) there? I distinctly remember staying there in a cheap bunkroom (maybe $10/night) many times while ice climbing at Frankenstein and other areas around Crawford Notch before I discovered the SubSig cabin.

Yes, the Shapleigh bunkhouse, as noted by Kevin Rooney. The original Shapleigh bunkhouse was built after the Crawford House burned down in 1977 and was torn down when the Highland Center opened in 2003. I believe that the AMC said that the old Shapleigh bunkhouse had fire code problems.

There was an incredible uproar from donors to the AMC for the HC, including myself, as the AMC had promised us donors that the Shapleigh bunkhouse would remain as a cheaper option to the HC. Many of us tried to get our donations returned and threatened a class action suit to which the AMC finally reconsidered and rebuilt the Shapleigh bunkhouse. The new version is not as cheap accommodations as the old but it is a lot cheaper than the HC. I forgave the AMC for this egregious stupidity, but many other donors to the HC did not. I do not believe any of the AMC management team from that time remains today.

 

[KRooney]

Yes, the Shapleigh bunkhouse, as noted by Kevin Rooney. The original Shapleigh bunkhouse was built after the Crawford House burned down in 1977 and was torn down when the Highland Center opened in 2003. I believe that the AMC said that the old Shapleigh bunkhouse had fire code problems.

There was an incredible uproar from donors to the AMC for the HC, including myself, as the AMC had promised us donors that the Shapleigh bunkhouse would remain as a cheaper option to the HC. Many of us tried to get our donations returned and threatened a class action suit to which the AMC finally reconsidered and rebuilt the Shapleigh bunkhouse. The new version is not as cheap accommodations as the old but it is a lot cheaper than the HC. I forgave the AMC for this egregious stupidity, but many other donors to the HC did not. I do not believe any of the AMC management team from that time remains today.

Thom - Was the Highland Center built under Andy's reign?

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Thom - Was the Highland Center built under Andy's reign?

Yes, Andy Falender was AMC President from 1989 to 2012 and was a transformative leader. About everything described above in regards to the AMC other than the building of Mizpah hut was accomplished during Andy’s presidency. He has a Harvard MBA and led the New England Conservatory of Music before the AMC. He was succeeded at the AMC by John Judge in 2012. Andy is now a Senior Fellow at the Conservation Law Foundation. The Shapleigh bunkhouse snafu was my main complaint with his leadership.

 

[skiguy]

N

Yes, the Shapleigh bunkhouse, as noted by Kevin Rooney. The original Shapleigh bunkhouse was built after the Crawford House burned down in 1977 and was torn down when the Highland Center opened in 2003. I believe that the AMC said that the old Shapleigh bunkhouse had fire code problems.

There was an incredible uproar from donors to the AMC for the HC, including myself, as the AMC had promised us donors that the Shapleigh bunkhouse would remain as a cheaper option to the HC. Many of us tried to get our donations returned and threatened a class action suit to which the AMC finally reconsidered and rebuilt the Shapleigh bunkhouse. The new version is not as cheap accommodations as the old but it is a lot cheaper than the HC. I forgave the AMC for this egregious stupidity, but many other donors to the HC did not. I do not believe any of the AMC management team from that time remains today.

Now you have an idea of what I speak of when I mention “antique infrastructure”. The upper hierarchy and it’s inner circle run the ship. Hardly makes one want to join what is supposed to be a “Club”. Unless you enjoy charades or possibly cloaks and daggers. Please counter if you wish in hopes that maybe change is on the way or already has.But don’t sugar coat it.