Rutland Herald
Anthony Edwards / Staff File Photo
Killington Resort, above, and Pico Mountain are undergoing a total of $6.5 million in upgrades at the resorts this year.
KILLINGTON — The parent company of
Killington Resort and Pico Mountain is pumping $6.5 million into its two
Vermont resorts this year, including upgrades before the start of the
ski season.
Last season, skier visits at Killington were up 9 percent over the 2013-2014 season.
“We had a tremendous winter with snowmaking production to match, and remained open for skiing and riding through Memorial Day, once again owning the longest season in the East,” Mike Solimano, Killington and Pico president and general manager, said in a statement announcing the latest investments. “Building on that energy, we added the Snowshed Adventure Center with 10 attractions and a host of new mountain bike trails.”
Solimano said summer business at the resort has doubled compared to last year.
Powdr Corp. of Utah is spending $600,000 to upgrade Killington’s K-1 and Skyeship gondolas installing electronic lift drive systems. Upgrades at a number of lifts at Killington and Pico include new communication lines, haul ropes, and upgrades at lift loading and unloading terminals.
Another $600,000 is being spent on new ticket scanners, trail edging and widening, paving, and a new terrain park grooming machine.
Major snowmaking system pipelines are scheduled for replacement at both Killington and Pico. Other snowmaking upgrades include rebuilding hydrants, water pumps and new snowmaking hose.
To improve snowmaking along the Superstar trail, the snowmaking infrastructure has been redesigned and relocated to the lower part of the trail. Killington said the relocation would improve snowmaking coverage and snow depth especially toward the end of the ski season.
The resort, in collaboration with Killington Mountain School, is also investing $600,000 to improve race and training venues. Those improvements include a new mid-station unload at the Snowdon triple lift, and a permanent bag jump venue on lower Superstar.
Other improvements include:
— A $750,000 remodeling of Ovations restaurant at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel. The restaurant will undergo a facelift creating a new atmosphere and a new menu will be introduced.
— Signed a 20-year purchase agreement with Namaste Solar to receive 3 megawatts of power from six, 500-kilowatt solar arrays. The 4,700 megawatt-hours of new solar power will cover all of Killington and Pico’s snow gun energy needs.
Since acquiring Killington and Pico eight years ago, Powdr Corp. has invested more than $40 million in its two Vermont resorts.
Parker Riehle of the Vermont Ski Areas Association said the investments are a strong indication of how well Killington and Pico have performed.
“Knowing that companies with multiple resorts will reward and invest in those that perform well, Powdr’s major investments in Killington are a real tribute to Mike Solimano and his team’s very successful management of that resort,” Riehle, the VSAA president, said in an email. “Also, I think Powdr’s sale of Park City Mountain Resort, albeit under difficult circumstances, made Killington Resort the premier jewel in Powdr’s crown.”
Killington spokesman Michael Joseph said the reaction from visitors to the recent upgrades have been “overwhelmingly positive.”
Joseph said Solimano’s focus since he took over as Killington president has been to improve the guest experience and customer service.
“So I think when you have the physical investment that Powdr’s done with lift upgrades and snowmaking upgrades and the Peak Lodge,” Joseph said, “and you couple that with the leadership of Mike, who has made it such a focus to improve service and experience on mountain, that you end up with a really fantastic product that increases every single year.”
He also said competition is a motivating factor to keep pace with resorts in Vermont and around the country.
“We’re investing in summer and fall and four-season attractions,” Joseph said. “We’re really investing in mountain biking because that entire industry is growing at such a rapid pace.”
Killington’s $3.5 million Snowshed Adventure Center with its 10 attractions, including the Beast Mountain Coaster, opened this summer.
In partnership with Gravity Logic at Whistler Resort, Killington began a five-year mountain bike park expansion, investing more than $175,000 on trail building.
Based in British Columbia, Gravity Logic is assisting Killington in designing and building more beginner and intermediate-friendly mountain bike terrain while also continuing to add more expert trails.
Six new mountain bike trails are also being integrated under and over the Beast Mountain Coaster.
Powdr Corp. operates eight resorts across the country. In addition to Killington and Pico, the privately held company also owns Copper Mountain, Colo.; Mount Bachelor, Ore.; Boreal Mountain Resort, Nev.; Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort; Gorgoza Park, Utah; and Soda Springs, Calif.
Last season, skier visits at Killington were up 9 percent over the 2013-2014 season.
“We had a tremendous winter with snowmaking production to match, and remained open for skiing and riding through Memorial Day, once again owning the longest season in the East,” Mike Solimano, Killington and Pico president and general manager, said in a statement announcing the latest investments. “Building on that energy, we added the Snowshed Adventure Center with 10 attractions and a host of new mountain bike trails.”
Solimano said summer business at the resort has doubled compared to last year.
Powdr Corp. of Utah is spending $600,000 to upgrade Killington’s K-1 and Skyeship gondolas installing electronic lift drive systems. Upgrades at a number of lifts at Killington and Pico include new communication lines, haul ropes, and upgrades at lift loading and unloading terminals.
Another $600,000 is being spent on new ticket scanners, trail edging and widening, paving, and a new terrain park grooming machine.
Major snowmaking system pipelines are scheduled for replacement at both Killington and Pico. Other snowmaking upgrades include rebuilding hydrants, water pumps and new snowmaking hose.
To improve snowmaking along the Superstar trail, the snowmaking infrastructure has been redesigned and relocated to the lower part of the trail. Killington said the relocation would improve snowmaking coverage and snow depth especially toward the end of the ski season.
The resort, in collaboration with Killington Mountain School, is also investing $600,000 to improve race and training venues. Those improvements include a new mid-station unload at the Snowdon triple lift, and a permanent bag jump venue on lower Superstar.
Other improvements include:
— A $750,000 remodeling of Ovations restaurant at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel. The restaurant will undergo a facelift creating a new atmosphere and a new menu will be introduced.
— Signed a 20-year purchase agreement with Namaste Solar to receive 3 megawatts of power from six, 500-kilowatt solar arrays. The 4,700 megawatt-hours of new solar power will cover all of Killington and Pico’s snow gun energy needs.
Since acquiring Killington and Pico eight years ago, Powdr Corp. has invested more than $40 million in its two Vermont resorts.
Parker Riehle of the Vermont Ski Areas Association said the investments are a strong indication of how well Killington and Pico have performed.
“Knowing that companies with multiple resorts will reward and invest in those that perform well, Powdr’s major investments in Killington are a real tribute to Mike Solimano and his team’s very successful management of that resort,” Riehle, the VSAA president, said in an email. “Also, I think Powdr’s sale of Park City Mountain Resort, albeit under difficult circumstances, made Killington Resort the premier jewel in Powdr’s crown.”
Killington spokesman Michael Joseph said the reaction from visitors to the recent upgrades have been “overwhelmingly positive.”
Joseph said Solimano’s focus since he took over as Killington president has been to improve the guest experience and customer service.
“So I think when you have the physical investment that Powdr’s done with lift upgrades and snowmaking upgrades and the Peak Lodge,” Joseph said, “and you couple that with the leadership of Mike, who has made it such a focus to improve service and experience on mountain, that you end up with a really fantastic product that increases every single year.”
He also said competition is a motivating factor to keep pace with resorts in Vermont and around the country.
“We’re investing in summer and fall and four-season attractions,” Joseph said. “We’re really investing in mountain biking because that entire industry is growing at such a rapid pace.”
Killington’s $3.5 million Snowshed Adventure Center with its 10 attractions, including the Beast Mountain Coaster, opened this summer.
In partnership with Gravity Logic at Whistler Resort, Killington began a five-year mountain bike park expansion, investing more than $175,000 on trail building.
Based in British Columbia, Gravity Logic is assisting Killington in designing and building more beginner and intermediate-friendly mountain bike terrain while also continuing to add more expert trails.
Six new mountain bike trails are also being integrated under and over the Beast Mountain Coaster.
Powdr Corp. operates eight resorts across the country. In addition to Killington and Pico, the privately held company also owns Copper Mountain, Colo.; Mount Bachelor, Ore.; Boreal Mountain Resort, Nev.; Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort; Gorgoza Park, Utah; and Soda Springs, Calif.
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