January 19, 2012 - I finished shooting with the Atherton's today and sat down to my computer to find some unfortunate news on facebook, Diablo Freeride Park will be closing. This didn't come as a complete surprise, we've heard a few rumors lately about the future of the park and we're currently trying to find out more about what will be happening. Fairly reliable sources have given us a few details of the new bike park at Mountain Creek, and it looks very promising. As soon as we know more we'll let you know.
Update 1/20/12 - You can read our post about the
new Mountain Creek Bike Park here.
Aaron Gwin racing to the win at the 2011 US Open of Mountain Biking at Diablo Freeride Park
Here is the note that was posted on the Diablo facebook page today, you can find the
original hereGreetings Diablo Fans!On this day we have some unfortunate news to share with you. As most of you know, Mountain Creek Resort was recently purchased by a local golf course developer and during this ownership change the bike park has gone through a tough transition suffering from executive pitfalls. Recently, the new owners of the resort offered Diablo Freeride Park a 5-year lease extension and unfortunately the terms of this agreement are not favorable for the future growth of the park and are clearly not representative of a resort that has a genuine interest in the sport of mountain biking.
As a result, we have declined to accept this offer to extend our existing agreement and Diablo Freeride Park is now officially closed for business. During the past 12 months, the resort has repeatedly and negligently breached existing agreements, caused unnecessary damage to the bike park and has adversely influenced the ability of the park to progress, expand or simply operate and provide a high level of service that you have come to expect. As a result, we can no longer invest time, passion and valuable resources at a resort that does not share our passion for the sport or respect for the community of riders that have called Diablo 'home' the past nine years.
The backstory...While the owners of the resort were aggressive and motivated to sign an agreement that would continue the current Diablo / resort relationship, this arrangement would greatly inhibit our ability to offer our guests the high standard of quality you have come to expect over the past nine years. We devised an extensive, 5-year plan and investment commitment that would bring a plethora of new improvements to the park including several new downhill trails, tons of new terrain features and an all-new, innovative 20mile XC/FR trail network/center on the mountain top. We were motivated and committed to these projects, however, the risk of investing these significant resources without a proper & fair agreement is simply not a wise venture. Once bitten, twice shy.
Broken Promises...In addition to various other operational issues caused by the new resort management, the 2011 season saw an immense amount of unnessecary park closures, trail damage, operating shedule 'broken promises' and various trail interuptions. This past September & October the bike park was completely closed for six weeks as a result of the resorts inability to properly maintain their ski trails and control erosion. After repeated requests, the resort refused to dedicate the proper resources to get the premise repaired and the park back open for business. Instead of honoring a contractual agreement to make speedy repairs, the resort focused on completing less important projects while mountain bikers were left stranded, frustrated and unable to ride their favorite park. This was simply unnacceptable. As a customer, you deserved better.
Furthermore, this past fall the resort management forged ahead and caused the demise and destruction of nearly $100,000 of developed mountain bike trails. Offering no advanced warning, explanation or plan to remediate or reimburse for the loss of these popular bike trails, the end result is an extensive amount of terrain and features that are damaged, destroyed and / or needing significant repair. These actions are not only in breach of contract, they are also not representative of a resort that has ambitions of growing the sport or a management team demonstrating respect for the mountain biking customer.
In closing, we made every effort to reach a mutually benefitting agreement with the current resort ownership, however negotiations have ceased and we have rejected their proposed 5-year lease extension.
***Perhaps as a final measure to save face for a season filled with tons of downtime and broken promises, Mountain Creek resort has at least agreed to honor all 2012 season passes that have been purchased to date.
With regards to the U.S. Open of Mountain Biking, negotiations are currently underway bringing the event to the Lake Tahoe region. More info soon!
A huge thanks goes out to all of our friends and loyal fans throughout the years! Hosting tens of thousands of riders from points across the globe, it has been a great adventure filled with many accolades and good times.
We appreciate your support.
As mentioned in the update at the beginning we have since heard from Mountain Creek and they will be running the bike park now with freshly updated and maintained trails, you can find the post about it
here.
It's all good news. The previous owner Shawn was a douche to people and failed to mention the broken promises were his fault and he never invested time and money into Maintence. Shawn let the park go to hell. Serves him right. There will be DH at the same location this year with new owner" douche to say the least
www.facebook.com/pages/Mountain-Creek-Bike-Park/347148481980127
still, the locals must be gutted. I Northstar isn't even that close to me and I don't know what I'd do if it were to close permanently
sounds like a very good possibility!
IT lives, so I told you so
I have local knowledge
Hopefully this just leads to the building of a another bikepark for "popular bike trails"!
I've been a Diablo regular for a few years and after the U.S Open this year, gave up on Diablo and started heading to other parks in the northeast. From what I hear, the little narrative above is a bit of propaganda. I don't think the new owner is completely to blame and the current (now former) management of Diablo had more do with the demise of the place than is described above. I know for a fact there were a lot of regulars who were really pissed at the management this year. They screwed a bunch of people out of prizes won and money.
I don't if it was the management or what, but I do know Diablo was a disaster this year. If they don't refund all the season passes they've sold for 2012, and were still selling up until a couple weeks ago, I do know there are going be a lot of angry people.
"Diablo" in name is shutting down, meaning the current owners who lease the land from the resort and run the place are under the name 'Diablo Freeride Park' are no longer there. But according to Mountain Creeks facebook page, the bike park will still be open for business just under new management. And according to comments by some of the locals who were and will still be involved with the park, the change could be a good thing. Of course we'll have to wait until may to see what all this means, but its not the terrible news it woud seem to be.
I'm now back in Japan but used to enjoy nice trails on 2008-2010 when I was living in Long Island NY.
It was so fun to try myself on new stunts, and I was hoping to visit there some day... and now I know there is no chance any more.
(I can't understand why resort management don't understand the value of Diablo.)
Guys, please post as much Diablo videos as possible so that we can show our love and remember this place!!!
Brett
www.facebook.com/pages/Mountain-Creek-Bike-Park/347148481980127?ref=tck&sk=wall
May your hands never pick up a club unless it is to hurl it into a bottomless black hole called greed.
Thank you to the crew at Diablo for giving me some of the best years in my life. Best of luck.
Golf... a gentleman's sport. Pht. *angry*
The dickgolfers here are have also trashed their own courses here by leaving trash everywhere, trampling undergrowth, clear cutting, illegal burning and dumping vandalism of their own areas etc. Basically ruining local ecological systems thusly promoting erosion/hightend ground temps etc which make it hard for vegetation to grow back let alone the dangerous use of needles which are left around thier current trampling grounds. As such the dickgolfers are starting/trying to do it to our most popular local riding spot which just got a huge grant from Specialized/IMBA to build new Whistler style trails 'which everyone is super stoaked on and are turning out awesome!', and I hate hearing how 'lower risk' sports seem to be taking the time/work/dedication away from our sport without so much of a consideration for the work and love people have put into the places that they congregate.
No more Dominion Trail ripping
Not surprising.
live on
www.facebook.com/pages/Mountain-Creek-Bike-Park/347148481980127?ref=tck&sk=wall
U MAD, BRO?