Just saw this. Curious about what kind of updates you might be thinking of.
Perhaps some local knowledge, like
@epic, and
@Josh Matta , would be helpful.
All I know is that the deal closed in June. Final price was about $41Mil, based on how the 2016-2017 season worked out. Original reported price was $50Mil.
They have their two top guys in place. The GM is very much a "ski guy" who has done all sorts of things related to hands on area operations. Ski school, lifts, grooming, snowmaking. My hunch is that he will be really visible and hands on. He has a sidekick from VR for the first year, I presume to integrate in into the Vail family. I've heard pretty optimistic things. Like they are not trying to turn the area in Vail NE.
Keep in mind all they bought was the ski area, and the area operations. No hotels, no real estate development. I have heard them stressing that this is ski area and skiing experience, as that is all they are doing.
And some point, we'll likely hear of a longer term vision and a lift plan. I think they need to get their feet wet, and it's not like the place had a lot of on mountain issues. I have heard it stated repeatedly that it's in significantly better shape than any of their other acquisitions, which is intetesting given that one was W-B.
The big challenges that they seem to have front and center, and top of mind, are crowds and traffic/parking. I grew up skiing there in the sixties, and on into the 90's, when we shifted gears. Even in early nineties, parking was not bad. Of course the parking lot at Spruce was huge then. Seemed to accommodate 50+ bus trips and everybody else.
I've been back. Last winter was real busy, relatively speaking. The mountain is tremendous, and it can suck up a lot of people. Sure, there can be liftlines.
I think the parking and traffic on weekends is going to be a problem. And it sounds like that's getting attention and thought. Parking needs to expand; maybe more local buses.
Now, with the New Epic Pass selling for roughly half of what the former Stowe season pass sold for, depending on what and when you bought/buy, I guess we'll have to see what unfolds.
Last winter was a good ski year. The year before was not, so obviously last year's skier visits were up. It was busy when we were there.
I think the big question is what the new pricing {passes and day tickets} will do. Presume Vail has a handle on that.
It terms of anything else: ski school, how they will interact with MMSC, I am clueless. Would like to know.
Stowe is an absolute icon. Can't see VR screwing this up, FWIW.
Any local info. would be much appreciated.