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Vail buys Nutting's 7 Springs/Hidden Valley/Laurel Mountain

abe

By abe
in Other Mountains

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abe Making Turns

abe

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I would like to share with you some very exciting news regarding the future of our resorts. This morning we have announced that we have reached an agreement with Vail Resorts to sell the core ski and resort operations of Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Hidden Valley Resort and Laurel Mountain.
 
It was critically important for us that a world class operator like Vail Resorts, led by great people who will care about you and our community, was chosen to be our successor. By joining into a family of 37 destination resorts and ski areas, Vail Resorts is uniquely qualified to enhance our resort experiences.
 
Winter operations at each resort, which began with a successful opening day this past Saturday at Seven Springs, will continue in ordinary course of business throughout the 2021-22 season.  Current passholders, hotel guests, as well as group and event leaders will not be affected through the transition of ownership.  Vail Resorts intends to add our three resorts to select Epic Pass products for the 2022-23 season.
 
Vail Resorts is acquiring all of the mountain operations of the resorts and related base area lodging, conference center and amenities.  This includes all ski and snowboard operations, lodging, as well as food and beverage.
 
We will remain actively committed to the Laurel Highlands community by retaining several neighboring operations, including Sporting Clays at Seven Springs, Seven Springs Golf Course and Hidden Valley Golf Club, Highlands Market, Jumpin Jakes Ski and Snowboard Rental, Highlands Resort Realty, and retain certain real estate for potential future development.
 
We are so incredibly grateful for all of you who have chosen to make memories with us at our resorts over the past 15 years.  During this time, we have been committed to offering you legendary experiences and to driving extraordinary growth at our resorts.
 
The upgraded winter operations, renovated hotel and events spaces, new luxury spa and world class sporting clays facility, enhanced dining experiences, and expanded offerings and event programming helped drive more annual guests and employment opportunities to our resort than at any time in its history.  It has been an honor to help lead this transformation and leave each resort a much stronger community asset than we found it.
 
I am further grateful and appreciative for our team of professionals. Their commitment to you was unwavering and undoubtedly, they delivered a legendary experience here for you and your family.
 
We thank you so much for your incredible loyalty throughout the years. The fact a world class operator like Vail Resorts is interested in Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain is a testament to you, our passionate and proud base of guests. Enjoy your winter this year and many years to come.
 
Sincerely,
 
Bob Nutting
President, Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc.
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abe Making Turns

abe

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I for one am not happy to see Vail's main competitor in Southern PA taken over by them, and am concerned about the future of Laurel Mountain especially

abe Making Turns

abe

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Laurel is owned by the state but is operated through contract with Nutting/now Vail.  The state is also still trying to find a contractor to operate Denton Hill.

I went there last year right after they got absolutely dumped, best day of my season.  Really cool place but definitely doesn't fit the Vail mold.

RidgeRacer Gold Medalist

RidgeRacer

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On the vail Monopoly board (because it what they practically are now) what would boardwalk and what would be park place...thinking Vail Resort would be boardwalk. Park City would be park place. I feel like the PA resorts would fall in the St. Charles Place section of the board (the purple properties).

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momskeeztoo Downhill Racer

momskeeztoo

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4 hours ago, abe said:

The state is also still trying to find a contractor to operate Denton Hill.

I don’t think they had 1 bid on that. There’s really nothing around it, not sure how anyone could make a go of it. There is some nice hiking in the area. 

abe Making Turns

abe

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4 hours ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Have you skied at Laurel mountain?

yeah, it's pretty grate if they get dumped by snow (snowiest area of the state).  Good trees, Wildcat is super steep, the lodge is very old school and neat, lots of natural snow trails, decent vert

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rgrwilco Super-G Racer

rgrwilco

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1 hour ago, RidgeRacer said:

On the vail Monopoly board (because it what they practically are now) what would boardwalk and what would be park place...thinking Vail Resort would be boardwalk. Park City would be park place. I feel like the PA resorts would fall in the St. Charles Place section of the board (the purple properties).

The story of how they acquired park city is one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard, and somehow I heard it for the first time today.

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Old Geezer Making Turns

Old Geezer

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Blue Knob, Tussey Mt, Elk and Montage seem like the man men standing.  

The other players -- Sawmill, Spring Mt, Eagle Rock, Shawnee, Nemacolin/Mystic* -- seem too small to matter.  *If I missed any it was not intentional.

Edited by Old Geezer
PSUFrankenstein Super-G Racer

PSUFrankenstein

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22 hours ago, abe said:

yeah, it's pretty grate if they get dumped by snow (snowiest area of the state).  Good trees, Wildcat is super steep, the lodge is very old school and neat, lots of natural snow trails, decent vert

Yeah I've heard with a good amount of natural snow, Laurel is awesome.   Never been there but thought about checking it out whenever I get back to Blue Knob

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abe Making Turns

abe

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Tussey is pretty small.  Similar in layout to Sawmill.  Definitely a lot smaller operation than Shawnee.  Shawnee is decently large it's just that there are only like 3 trails that are  black steepness and they are short.   Otherwise similar vert to Camelback and Jack Frost, with q big lodge, powerful snowmaking, a lot of uphill capacity, and a detach.

 

Laurel Mountain is still owned by the state who could theoretically terminate the operating contract with Vail for someone else when it expires.  The state also owns currently inactive Denton Hill which is similar in size and steepness to Laurel but is even more in the middle or nowhere.

None or the areas close to the PA border in the surrounding states like Mountain Creek, Greek Peak, Wisp etc. are mega Corp owner yet

Also if someone with deep pockets really wanted in on the PA skiing game they could try to reopen Snow Peak https://www.dcski.com/lostareas/viewlostprofile.php?id=18

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