Resort reserves 3 slopes for 1 skier

[dbp]

LYON, France, March 16 (AFP) - The posh French ski resort of Courchevel has reserved three slopes for the exclusive use of Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-Hee during his three-week stay, officials said Wednesday.

Rest of article here

Does this sort of thing happen often? I am going to look into having the Hobacks reserved next time I'm in Jackson. ;^)

[bad_roo]

Karl Stall and Truth reserved Cody Peak last time we were in Jackson and had a temporary detachable quad built on the Friday.

[Pinner]

I am going to look into having the Hobacks reserved next time I'm in Jackson. ;^)

[72Twenty]

The newspaper said that Lee would be travelling to Courchevel with 80 colleagues and security personnel. Six ski instructors have been hired to work with Lee during his stay in the French Alps.

Does P-diddy bring that many people to Aspen?

[Buzzworthy]

The place is so freaking huge that 3 slopes would be nothing.

Found this funny: "would have exclusive access from Thursday to three slopes, protected by security nets, for two hours a day between noon and 3:00 pm. "

I count 3 hours there, but maybe that is just me.


"Six ski instructors have been hired to work with Lee during his stay in the French Alps. "

Who the hell needs six instructors???

[Beaver]

Who the hell needs six instructors???

Someone who really sucks?

[powder11]

Im sure Samsung shareholders are stoked to see their $ going to private ski lessons in france

[Benny Profane]

One can only imagine the size of the Thai harem he brought along with him.

[ScottG]

I am going to look into having the Hobacks reserved next time I'm in Jackson. ;^)

Actually, when the Saudi Prince (owner of most of the Four Seasons resorts) was in JH with his two dancing midgets, rumor had it that he was trying to keep AV running late for his entourage to privately ski.

Obviously he's a jong, or else he would have requested private Tram service.

[shmerham]

I read a good article about the Saudi Prince's trip. The writer was a cab driver, who got hired to drive one of the 15 Ford Expeditions (something like that, it could've been more). They essentially took over a mcdonald's one evening. A couple of the drivers bet the amount of the bill. It was over $450. Yes, you read that right, the Saudi Prince and his entourage went to McDonald's.

He had to fly in to Idaho Falls because his plane was too big. This doesn't make sense to me as a 757 can fly into JAC. Must've been a 747? Would one of those be able to land at Idaho Falls?

[ScottG]

Yeah, 747 is too big (JH runway too short).
The King of Jordan had the same problem before he died. He had to heli or smaller jet it over from Idaho Falls.
At least the Jordanian King was pretty laid back (small securtiy entourage, just walked in anywhere without being all uppity) and his wife Queen Noor was (is?) a hot MILF and a good skier.

[bad_roo]

Queen Noor was (is?) a hot MILF

Hah! I'm sure she'd be delighted at that description.

[Hicks]

"Lee Kun-Hee is coming for a Samsung seminar. He's learning how to ski and is very worried about his safety," Claude Faure, director of the Societe des Trois Vallees, which manages the slopes at Courchevel, told AFP.


I'm always worried about my own safety too knowing that guys like on this board might take away all the pow stashes they don't deserve and are reserved exclusively for myself!

Welcome to the snob, Lee!!!!!

[MuleSkinner]

The Prince of Saudi Arabia supposedly rented the gondola at Jackson for a day but didn't ski since it was too cold....he did take up an entire floor of the Four Seasons and traveled with a 50 person entourage which included midgets. Never thought I would see that in this town......

[Lostinthetrees]

I read in "Le Matin" - Geneve;
* 3 pistes are to be reserved for a maximum of 2 hours each day.
* It is costing 1500E for the 1st hour and 1200E for the second. 2700E/day does not include the personnel (ski instructors, etc.).
* A pisteur w/ sled or tractor is also reserved to drive entourage up and down slopes. Perhaps exclusive rights to a telesiege was not included in the arrangement.

Sounds like a nice way to "party" with family, colleagues, etc. Think in terms of reserving a golf course for your business associates and/or clients for an afternoon.

Anyway, sad to see it come to this. I really believe that around the corner we will see some major resorts in Europe rope-off areas to reserve pow-lines and some pistes for paying clients/members. The idea has been floated already at Verbier last season.

Guess those with the means (i.e. money) want to put some space between themselves and "the masses".
Guess many of us feel that way seeing all the BC reports going up in TGR.
...sometimes I feel that way given the behavior, lack of concern for others, and beginner activity I experience on the pistes.

[Viva]

Hah! I'm sure she'd be delighted at that description.

[Tippster]

If by "Saudi Prince" you mean Prince Bandar, their Ambassador to the US, then he is by no means a JONG. He splits his time between here (DC) and his second home: Aspen, CO. (His is the last house on the right as you head up to Independence pass from town.) I've seen him ski with friends in Vail and although he sported the Bogner Fartbag back then he doesn't suck. At all. Neither does Arnold, BTW.

[Ubersheist]

If by "Saudi Prince" you mean Prince Bandar, their Ambassador to the US, then he is by no means a JONG. He splits his time between here (DC) and his second home: Aspen, CO. (His is the last house on the right as you head up to Independence pass from town.) I've seen him ski with friends in Vail and although he sported the Bogner Fartbag back then he doesn't suck. At all. Neither does Arnold, BTW.

Actually, he lives in a private, gated community called Starwood, a good ways off of and north of Highwy 82. It's about 1/2 way between Woody Creek and Aspen. The last house on the right next to the smallish lake as you go up 82 towards Independance Pass is Kevin Costner's. That place is awfully, but it's nothing compared to Prince Bandar's place.

[DB]

Who the hell needs six instructors???

He's from Samsung. 1 wil teach him to ski, the other 5 will read the instruction manual.

[Cornholio]

Who the hell needs six instructors???

I do! I just can't afford it.

Edit: DB's response is hilarious, though.

[truth]

Karl Stall and Truth reserved Cody Peak last time we were in Jackson and had a temporary detachable quad built on the Friday.

We shared it with you and the Mrs though. Hell, I even left you lunch at the top.

[ScottG]

Saudi prince Al-Walid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz is the Four Seasons dood, as if it really matters.

[ScottG]

I guess the important question is:
Does this Prince Bandar have midgets that travel with him and entertain his whims??

If not, I don't care how well he skis. No midgets, no glory.

[Ubersheist]

That Prince Bandar don't f- around, though. A coworker wandered onto the woods surrounding his property by accident while working on an adjacent empty lot. He unknowingly tripped a few motion sensors and was shortly met by a handful of guys bearing large quantities of large firearms. This was before 9-11, so he's surely stepped up his security even more since then. He doesn't care much about glory, since he owns a 100,000 square foot home in Aspen with a small legion of heavily armed men at his beckoning call who'd take a bullet for him.

[gramboh]

Who cares, Samsung is pouring a large amount of money into the resort to reserve some gaper slopes.