Industry News
Vail Resorts, Inc. announced that the Company has closed on its acquisition of Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Hidden Valley Resort, and Laurel Mountain Ski Area in Pennsylvania. The Company purchased the resorts, including the ski areas, a hotel, conference center, and other related operations, from Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc. and its affiliates for a final purchase price of approximately $118 million, including customary closing purchase price adjustments. Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, and Laurel Mountain join Vail Resorts’ network of now 40 resorts worldwide.
Operations at the three resorts for the 2021-22 winter season will continue in the ordinary course of business. Vail Resorts plans to add access to the three resorts to select Epic Pass products for the 2022-23 North American ski and ride season. This will provide a regional destination for Epic Pass Holders in Pittsburgh as well as those in other critical markets such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Cleveland, who will be able to ski more resorts close to home – and visit world-class mountains out west – all with one pass.
Seven Springs is Pennsylvania’s premier four-season family resort. It is located one hour southeast of Pittsburgh and is among the largest ski resorts in Pennsylvania with 285 skiable acres and 750 vertical feet. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Seven Springs offers significant resort amenities, including a 418-room hotel, conference center, a full-service spa, and tubing. Hidden Valley offers 110 skiable acres and 470 vertical feet, with 26 slopes and trails and two terrain parks. Laurel Mountain offers 70 skiable acres and 761 vertical feet.
Vail Resorts acquired all of the assets related to the mountain operations of the resorts and related base area lodging, conference center, and amenities. Vail Resorts will, subject to consent from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, assume the state land lease for Laurel Mountain.
Vail has destroyed Stevens Pass one of our best local resorts in Washington state. Less than half the mountain operating this year, and major problems keeping the mountain open the two previous years. Expect to see very poor operations at these new acquisitions. Not surprising they have 1.8B in cash they are in it for short term gain with no respect for the sport or their customers
Total respect to you, mate. But the mountains, snow conditions, storm intensities, and work performed in PA is not even close to what they do west of the Great Plains. Hucking explosives, ski cutting 45 degree windslab slopes, hauling yahoos down double black, 10ft wide chutes, etc, puts their lives on the line just about everyday.
My point was not only the above, but also that Vail Corp is such a sold-out money machine that they are succeeding in ruining what was once a great, adventure sport.
The majority of patrol is volunteer at resorts who just do it for family passes or a retirement hobby. How do justify high wages for a job that is maybe 3 months out of the year on the east coat and most time is spent sitting around waiting for a basic concussion call. I was a paid patroller at 7springs for 3 years. Easiest job of my life, only reason I did it was because all the down time allowed me to study in college to get a real job.
How about they stop buying crap and start paying their employees, and especially patrol, more $$!!!!
Corporate overlords buying up resorts so they can build their “Vail Village” developments.
The private developable land associated with ski resorts is what they want.
If we had community owned non-profit ski resorts this wouldn’t happen.
We need new ski resorts to kill the Vail Village model.