The roller coaster, along with a high ropes course, zipline and interactive maze, will all be near the Snowshed Lodge.
“Basically, we are waiting for the snow to melt and the muddy ground to dry out before we begin the building process,” said Michael Joseph, media director of the resort.
The roller coaster will twist and turn through the nearby woods, complete with dips and 360-degree corkscrews.
Joseph said while the final details of the summer projects have not yet been finalized, the plan is to have them up and running before summer is over.
“We’d ideally like to see the coaster operating by mid-June,” he said, in time for a lot of other summer events, such as the Cooler in the Mountains concert series and the Spartan Race.
“But right now, winter refuses to move on, so we’re just waiting,” he said.
Mike Solimano, president of Killington resort, said the estimated cost for the coaster ranges between $2 and $3 million, and it will be open year round, offering an alternate activity for people who after skiing or riding still want more thrills.
Joseph said the Snowshed area was a good location for these additions because it’s not as far up the access road as the K1 Lodge.
“We don’t want people who are visiting the area to think there is no activity during the summer,” he said. “This lodge is more accessible and will be a hub of activity.”
The chair lift at the lodge is usually running on summer weekends so people can hike and bike, but Joseph said he would like to see them open more regularly as the attractions gain in popularity.
The ropes course will be above the movable maze, so people can look down on others racing each other through the checkpoints coming out on the other side, he said.
Tom Donahue, president of Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce, said the adventurous new additions to the resort will be very important when it comes to increasing the attention the resort gets during the summer.
“We have a lot of great natural attributes in this part of the state,” Donahue said. “This will just be adding to that.”
Donahue said it would be an additional draw to the area, giving families even more to do when the exploring the region.
“The new additions will be perfect for those who don’t necessarily want to ski during the winter or do other, more traditional activities in the summer,” he said. “It offers more options and would get people to come here and check out what else is offered, extending their stay.”
He said it has the potential to boost the economy through other businesses in the area and on the mountain, such as dozens of restaurants.
“There are a ton of great places to eat right there on the access road; this will bring people to those places,” he said.
While Donahue sees the economic factor of the additions, he also sees the fun factor.
“Oh, I’ll be the first one in line to ride that roller coaster, guarantee it,” Donahue said.
But the resort isn’t the only beneficiary of the thrilling new activities.
The town of Killington stands to gain from the expansion of the offerings as well.
“The full slate of events and amenities at the resort this summer will play a critical role in furthering the Select Board’s economic development goals,” said Amy Morrison, events and marketing coordinator for the town.
Morrison added that the resort’s focus on summer is a great example of how the town is striving to be branded as a four-season destination.
Donahue said, “This really complements every part of the town and resort.”
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