Month: October 2017

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CP Fans confident about State funding

By: Richard Jenkins

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP – Supporters of the effort to bring ski flying back to Copper Peak were optimistic the effort will receive state funding Wednesday as they gathered at Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort to hear a brief update on progress and meet Horst Tielmann, one of the officials overseeing ski jumping for the International Ski Federation.

Tielmann said there was a lot of excitement in the international ski jumping community for Copper Peak’s effort, with many having fond memories of past competitions. “If you talk to former ski jumpers, nowadays coaches or (leaders in national programs), they all jumped here in the ’90s,” Tielmann said. “They are so excited to see Ironwood back on the (international) stage.” He continued by talking about the opportunities Copper Peak presents, saying if the plans are carried out it would be the only hill in North America built for summer competition and the only competition-level hill that could be used as a practice site.

Along with Tielmann’s brief talk, there was an update on the progress of a bill in the state legislature to fund the necessary renovations to the ski jump. According to the information presented at the meeting, a bill introduced by state Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, to create a funding mechanism for the project is expected to be voted on in the senate in the next few weeks. The bill would take excess funds tied to bonds taken out for Cobo Hall in Detroit and allocate them to projects in northern Michigan over the next 10 years. Approximately $1.2 million a year would be designated to Copper Peak for the next decade to generate the money needed for the ski jump’s renovations. The money will be used as a debt service on the bonds taken out to fund the construction.

Ed McBroom, who was at the event on behalf of Casperson, said an identical bill has been introduced in the state house and is expected to go to the governor’s desk once the bills pass their respective houses.

Copper Peak has already submitted a permit to International Ski Federation to get on the organization’s schedule for the summer of 2019. The permit was submitted on the expectation the funding bill will go through, Bob Jacquart told the Daily Globe after the event, and Copper Peak supporters will hopefully confirm the ability to host competitions at the organizations April meeting.

View the article on the Daily Globe website here.
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Copper Peak Bill Supported

LANSING – Copper Peak officials testified on behalf of getting ski flying to return to Copper Peak in a recent trip to Lansing.

On Sept. 20, Copper Peak’s fundraising co-chairs Billy Demong and Bob Jacquart, along with Copper Peak Executive Director John Heilig, testified in support of the future of Copper Peak. The Senate Commerce Committee was briefed about the man-made ski flying launch that was built in 1970, closed in 1994 and is being revived through a locally-led initiative.

Jacquart said ski jumping is watched by 175 million people in Europe, one of the most popular sports on the continent, but ski flying competition doesn’t take place in the U.S. because of a lack of a venue. Upgrading Copper Peak and the surrounding area would create that type of venue, he said.

“Our overall engineering project is currently at 30 percent. The activities that have been focused on are the geotechnical analysis of the landing hill and the landing hill design work. Over the next phase we will focus on civil, mechanical and environmental engineering which will include power, water systems and a wetland review, as well as a stormwater pollution prevention plan,” Jacquart said.

State Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, is sponsoring Senate Bill 0523 that that would steer money from the Convention Facility Development Fund to a new Northern Michigan Regional Tourism and Sports Fund, Jacquart said.

As of Sept. 26, SB 0523 had passed the Senate Commerce Committee and now goes to the Senate for full Senate approval.  If it passes the Senate, it goes through a similar process in the House and would then advance to Gov. Rick Snyder for final approval.

Jacquart said it is the farthest the Copper Peak revival project has progressed in more than 23 years. “The project is so big that I believe this thing has the power to help everybody,” Jacquart said. “I believe from the bottom of my heart that this is something that can help our whole state.”

View this article on The Daily Globe website here.

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Copper Peak passes Commerce Committee, heads to Senate

On September 20, 2017, Copper Peak’s Fundraising Co-Chairs, Billy Demong and Bob Jacquart, along with Copper Peak’s Executive Director, John Heilig, made a trip down to Lansing, MI to testify on behalf of the future of Copper Peak. The Senate Commerce Committee was briefed on Copper Peak, a man-made “ski flying” launch in the Western End of the Upper Peninsula, more specifically Ironwood, MI, that was built in 1970, closed in 1994 and is coming back through a locally-led initiative. Jacquart said ski jumping is watched by 175 million people in Europe, one of the most watched sports on the continent, but the highest level of ski jumping competition doesn’t take place in the United States due to a lack of good venues. Updating Copper Peak and the surrounding area would create that type of venue.

To help this get off the ground, Senator Tom Casperson is sponsoring SB 0523, legislation that would steer money from the Convention Facility Development Fund to a new Northern Michigan Regional Tourism and Sports Fund.

“The project is so big, that I believe this thing has the power to help everybody,” Jacquart said. “I believe from the bottom of my heart that this is something that can help our whole state.”

As of September 26, 2017, Bill SB 0523 has passed the Senate Commerce Committee and now will go off to the Senate for full Senate approval.  After passing the Senate, the bill will go through a similar process in the House and then off to the Governor for his final approval. Making this attempt at bringing ski jumping to Copper Peak the farthest this project has progressed in over 23 years.