Vail Resorts Is Buying 17 More U.S. Ski Resorts
In a merger with Peak Resorts, Vail Resorts will now operate more mountain resorts than ever—including four more in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Mount Snow, Photo via Flickr/Creative Commons/Rudi Riet
While you may not be dusting off the skis and pulling out the winter garb just yet, you might want to start considering what to do with your winter ski pass.
In a merger, announced Monday, Vail Resorts is buying Peak Resorts for an estimated $264 million and will acquire 17 more U.S. ski resorts. On top of the 11 ski areas Vail currently operates, across eight states and three countries, the merger with Peak Resorts will add mountains in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The three ski areas in New Hampshire include Attitash Mountain Resort, Wildcat Mountain, and Crotched Mountain; and the Vermont mountain Vail will acquire is Mount Snow.
“We are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to add such a powerful network of ski areas to our company,” Rob Katz, chairman and CEO of Vail Resorts, said in a release. “Peak Reosrts’ ski areas in the Northeast are a perfect complement to our existing resorts and together will provide a very compelling offering to our guests in New York and Boston.”
What does this mean for East coast shredders? It means that the Epic Pass, Vail Resorts seasonal pass, will be even more valuable, providing snow bunnies the opportunity to receive unlimited access to more than 30 different ski areas across the country and the globe. Right now, the Epic Pass is $939 for adults and $489 for children.
Vail Resorts bought its first East Coast mountain, Stowe, back in 2017 for $50 million and recently purchased Okemo and Mount Sunapee in Vermont. With this most recent transaction, it seems the ski conglomerate shows no signs of slowing down its gradual takeover of the industry.
“The acquisition fully embodies our philosophy of Epic for Everyone,” Katz continues. “Making skiing and riding more accessible to guests across the U.S. and around the world.”
The transaction is expected to close this fall. For more information and to purchase a 2019-2020 Epic Pass: vailresorts.com.
