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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Security for the annual Pine Mountain ski jumping tournament will get a close look as Dickinson County prepares a new lease agreement with the Kiwanis Ski Club.
At a county board meeting Thursday, Sheriff Scott Rutter said his concern is "just to continue to provide a safe event." The three-day spectacle is outgrowing the means of his department, he told ski club officials Nick Blagec and Susie Fox -- a warning he's shared previously with the county board.
This year's Continental Cup tournament took place March 3-5 under spring-like conditions, drawing crowds estimated at upwards of 13,000. Blagec, the ski club president, described it at the time as an "unbelievable" tournament, the "best by far" in his 35 years with the club.
But Thursday he didn't dispute Rutter's worries that some attendees regard it as a "free-for-all weekend" where "we'll do what we want."
The sheriff noted Saturday's competition ended about 2 p.m. and spectators could stay on site until 7 p.m., leaving his department to look after "five hours of partying." This past year, people began gathering and drinking on the premises as early as Wednesday, some staying overnight, he said.
Parking lot guidelines and responsibilities, which aren't addressed in the current lease, will be a focus going forward, County Controller Brian Bousley said.
The ski club advertises spectator rules for the event, though Rutter said it's a balancing act for just a handful of officers to keep it friendly for everyone.
Fox, the Kiwanis correspondence secretary, said the club is open to suggestions on private security firms that could be called upon to help out. Blagec, meanwhile, said the Michigan Army National Guard provided valuable aid decades ago but hasn't been available since.
The Dickinson County Road Commission will be consulted on strategies to keep lanes open for ambulances. Some of the shacks in the parking lot create "choke points" that hinder emergency responses, Rutter said.
A shuttle service debuted for this year's tournament, but crowds were so large many vehicles were parked on the sides of neighboring roadways, creating another safety concern.
Pine Mountain has been the site of world-class ski jumping since 1939. The facility is on county property and the non-profit ski club leases the grounds for a nominal fee.
A $3 million renovation was completed two years ago to meet International Ski and Snowboard Federation standards, but an elevator at the scaffold is needed for full compliance. On Thursday, the county board agreed to apply again for a $1 million Michigan Spark Grant for that purpose, but the program is highly competitive. Fundraising continues by the ski club to pay off its debt from the initial renovation.
Pine Mountain last hosted World Cup events in 1996 and 2000 and the club intends to bring that highest level of competition back to Pine Mountain in the future. No date has yet been set for a 2024 Continental Cup event at Giant Pine.