Courtesy / MMG Insurance
Larry Shaw, president and CEO of MMG Insurance, retired after almost three decades at the helm.
Updated: December 27, 2021
MMG Insurance pledges $250K to BigRock Mountain, keeping 'a County tradition' alive
Courtesy / Terri Chandler
MMG Insurance Co. in Presque Isle has contributed the largest single donation to BigRock Mountain’s campaign. Here, MMG employee Terri Chandler skis at the mountain with family.
By Staff
BigRock Mountain, a nonprofit ski area in Mars Hill, recently announced a capital campaign to raise $2.9 million to upgrade its 50-year-old double chairlift with a new Doppelmayer quad chairlift.
The campaign got a major boost last week when MMG Insurance Co., headquartered in Presque Isle, committed a $250,000 donation toward the ski lift.
The new quad lift is expected to more than double capacity, reduce lift lines and shorten the ride to the top of the mountain to eight minutes, according to a news release. The lift may also give a lift to BigRock's draw as a family-friendly ski destination.
BigRock is run by a nonprofit and overseen by a local board of businesspeople and winter recreation enthusiasts from Aroostook County and New Brunswick, Can. MMG is a property and casualty insurance company dating back to 1897 with operations in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
“BigRock has been a pillar of recreation within our region for many years and MMG is pleased to support the installation of a new lift which will allow the ski area to continue serving families for generations to come,” Larry Shaw, MMG’s president and CEO, said in the release. “This investment supports economic development and tourism in our region and bolsters the health and well-being of families young and seasoned who frequently recreate here.”
Largest donation to date
MMG sees BigRock as a longtime benefit both for employees and area communities, Shaw added.
“As MMG Insurance gears up to celebrate our 125th anniversary in 2022, this capital donation marks MMG’s largest singular donation to-date and demonstrates our support and steadfast commitment to Aroostook County,” he said.
Courtesy / BigRock Mountain
BigRock Mountain, in Mars Hill, seeks to expand market share with installation of a new lift.
As the economic impact of skiing in Maine exceeds $1 billion annually and interest in outdoor recreation increases, larger ski areas are increasing lift ticket prices. BigRock anticipates the new lift to raise the mountain’s profile in Maine, Canada and beyond.
“Beyond the economic impact and tourism opportunities, this investment is also a commitment to retaining and educating our youth, making outdoor recreation more accessible, and keeping a County tradition and way of life alive,” said Mike Chasse, a member of BigRock’s board of directors.
The BigRock ski area is on 1,748-foot-tall Mars Hill Mountain, near the Canadian border with New Brunswick. BigRock is the largest ski area in northern Maine and western New Brunswick.
The mountain’s first full season of operation was the 1961-62 season. Over the years, BigRock has installed multiple lifts, built a three-story lodge, purchased snowmaking equipment, and most recently developed a beginner terrain area serviced by a Doppelmayr triple chairlift.
Growing market share
Skier visits average 20,000 people per year and the mountain has partnerships with over 13 schools, local and regional race programs, and weekly ski for life group programs.
The existing lift has serviced the ski area since 1993 and is over 50 years old. The new lift will be a modern quad chairlift built to the latest safety and dependability standards.
BigRock says the region’s longer winters and greater amounts of snowfall can give it a financial edge over southern competitors by naturally providing better conditions and opportunities for making snow more efficiently for less. The facility has seen local demand for skiing and snowboarding jump over the past year. The 2020-21 ski season saw a 30% increase in pass holders.
The campaign is on trend with recent data from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis, which show that Maine’s outdoor recreation industry ranks near the top in driving U.S. state economies.
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