For independent ski resort operators
Most ski resorts are overpaying on vendor contracts. Nobody's looked at yours.
A free 30-minute review of your energy, telecom, waste, and facility contracts — run by someone who spent a decade finding hidden costs in hospitals. No switching vendors. No obligation.
The challenge
Most of what you're overpaying is hidden in plain sight.
Energy, telecom, waste, facility suppliers — these contracts get signed once and rarely looked at again. They're not broken. They're just not optimized. For an operation as complex as a ski resort, that gap compounds season after season, and most operators have never had someone check.
Who's behind this
Gordon Matthews
Founder, Black Diamond Strategies
Ski resorts are similarly complex. And it's because of that complexity that the savings potential is usually significant.
I spent the better part of a decade finding hidden costs in hospitals — one of the most complex billing environments in the US. I'm also a ski patroller here in Michigan.
When I turned that same lens on ski resorts, the pattern was familiar. The more complex the operation, the more savings sit unnoticed in the vendor contracts nobody's revisited.
Gordon skis Boyne, Pine Knob, and Nubs Nob, patrols in Michigan, and is part of the MSAA community.
Meeting at MSAA?
Find Gordon at Boyne Mountain, August 16–18.
Gordon will be at the MSAA Summer Meeting. Book a 30-minute review before then, or connect at the conference.
How it works
A free review, in three steps.
A 30-minute call
We start with a short conversation about how your operation runs and where your spend goes. No prep, no data dump, no obligation.
We review the contracts
You share invoices and agreements for the categories worth checking. We benchmark them against what's available in the market today — most of what surfaces is in agreements you've already signed, just not optimized.
You keep the analysis
If something surfaces, we talk about it. If not, the review is yours to keep. No cost, no obligation, and no switching vendors to see the numbers.
What we review
The categories worth a closer look
Recurring line items across the ski-resort P&L — each benchmarked against the current market. Most of what surfaces is in agreements you've already signed.
Energy
Often the largest controllable cost on the mountain. We benchmark your rates and contract terms against the current market and renegotiate supply where it makes sense — without touching operations.
Telecom
Telecom costs snowball across multiple locations, broadband, and seasonal scaling. We check your data, voice, and wireless plans against current rates and uncover what's recoverable.
Waste Disposal
We look for inefficiencies in your waste contracts and hauling, so you pay only for what's necessary — exploring recycling or compaction to lower costs without compromising compliance.
Facility Supplies
Maintenance equipment, cleaning supplies, and guestroom essentials add up over a season. We review the spend, consolidate suppliers, and benchmark against industry pricing.
Fuel
Snowcats, shuttles, and utility vehicles demand serious fuel. We look for supplier contracts and discount programs that shield your operation from price volatility.
Software
Operations, reservations, and guest-management software drift into overlapping features and wasted spend. We audit the stack for redundancies and renegotiate terms.
Uniforms & Linens
From lodging linens and mat service to team uniforms, these recurring costs quietly eat into the budget. We source smarter procurement and renegotiate while holding quality.
Packaging & Shipping
Retail inventory, passes, and merchandise all carry shipping costs that pile up. We streamline shipping and negotiate volume discounts.
Merchant Services
Payment processing agreements are rarely revisited after signing. We review the fee structure against current rates to see what's recoverable — one line item among several, not the headline.
The difference
Why Black Diamond
An outsider's method
A decade spent finding hidden costs in one of the most complex billing environments in the US — the same lens, now turned on ski operations.
An insider's stake
A Michigan ski patroller and MSAA community member who skis these mountains. Not an outsider pitching an industry — part of it.
No risk to look
The review is free, takes 30 minutes to start, and requires no switching of vendors. If nothing surfaces, you keep the analysis and owe nothing.
Part of the community
Invested in the ski community, beyond the transaction.
Proud member of
Michigan Snowsports Industries Association
Supports
Snow Angel Foundation
Gordon supports the Snow Angel Foundation, a cause known within this community.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Find out what your vendor contracts are actually costing you.
A free 30-minute review. No switching required. No obligation.