Vail Resorts scores $50m upgrade approval

Vail Resorts has announced that the 2016-16 season will be one of the most ambitious in US ski history.

Vail Resorts received unanimous approval from the Park City Planning Commission to implement major capital plans for the 2015-16 season, that would establish the connection between Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort.

This in turn would be creating the largest single ski area in the country with more than 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, and complete a number of necessary upgrades to the infrastructure of both resorts.

“This plan for Park City and Canyons will completely transform the experience at both resorts and throughout this world-class community,” Park City Mountain Resorts chief operating officer Bill Rock said.

“We want to thank the Planning Commissions and staffs at both Park City and Summit County, and all the community members who provided ideas and support throughout the approval process.”

Components of the $50-million capital plan include:

The Interconnect Gondola

This high-speed two-way gondola will hold eight passengers and run from the base of the existing Silverlode Lift at Park City to the Flatiron Lift at Canyons.

The gondola will also have an unload at the top of Pine Cone Ridge to allow skiers and riders the opportunity to ski into Thaynes Canyons at Park City via gated ski access or to the Iron Mountain area at Canyons through new trails that will be created from Pine Cone Ridge.

This will mark the first gondola at Park City Mountain Resort since “The Gondola” was dismantled in 1997.

Upgrade of King Con and Motherlode Lifts at Park City

The King Con Lift will be upgraded from a four-person to a six-person, high-speed detachable chairlift and will increase lift capacity to this very popular ski pod.

The Motherlode Lift will be upgraded from a fixed-grip triple to a four-person, high-speed detachable chairlift, also increasing lift capacity.

New Snow Hut Restaurant / Upgrades to Summit House Restaurant at Park City / Expansion of Red Pine Lodge Restaurant at Canyons

The plan calls for building a completely new Snow Hut restaurant at the base of the Silverlode Lift and next to the Park City terminal for the Interconnect Gondola, with 500 indoor seats and a top-of-the-line kitchen and culinary experience.

The plan also includes an upgrade to the “scramble” area inside the Summit House restaurant to improve the flow of diners and increase seats.

At Canyons, the Red Pine Restaurant will be renovated to accommodate an additional 250 indoor seats.

Snowmaking and other improvements

The plan features additional snowmaking on two trails in the Iron Mountain area of Canyons which will become increasingly central ski terrain given its proximity to the Interconnect Gondola.

The plan also includes almost $5 million of “catch up” maintenance and upgrades at Park City, given the lack of spending at the resort over the past few years, in addition to the normal annual maintenance capital for the two resorts of $5 million, which will be undertaken this year as well.

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