Green 2015 Christmas has Chicopee Ski Resort seeing red
Resort is cancelling annual New Year's Eve party, closing for holidays
As temperatures remain firmly above or around zero in Waterloo Region, singing a round of "Let it Snow" seems more fantasy then festive— at least for the staff at Chicopee Ski Resort in Kitchener.
The resort says the warm weather could cost them up to $400,000 in revenue, the amount its ski hills could generate in December if there was snow.
"We're really waiting for those cold temperatures and snow to get here," said Bill Creighton, executive director of Chicopee Ski Resort.
"It's tough economically," Creighton said.
Creighton said he's most concerned for his staff who won't be working this holiday season for the first time in the resort's history.
"We just hired over 400 people for the season so we have a lot of students who are counting on working over Christmas and making some money for their education," said Creighton.
"So that's a little bit concerning because obviously there is nothing for those people to do yet."
New Year's Eve party on hold
Without snow, Chicopee has also been forced to cancel their annual New Year's Eve party.
"Our New Year's Eve party is really focused around skiing and the families that we have out," said Creighton.
Still, Creighton said the resort's fireworks aren't off the table— instead of painting the sky over the ski hill on New Year's Eve, the fireworks will be held until Family Day.