Vail Resorts has closed its $265 million acquisition of Missouri-based Peak Resorts. The transaction adds 17 US ski areas to Vail’s network of resorts, bringing the total number of owned and operated resorts to 37 worldwide. Most Peak locations have historically been staffed with volunteer ski patrols affiliated with the NSP. Vail does not anticipate making significant changes to the way the patrols operate this season.
The former Peak ski areas are: Mount Snow in Vermont; Hunter in New York; Attitash, Wildcat and Crotched Mountain in New Hampshire; Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail, Jack Frost and Big Boulder in Pennsylvania; Alpine Valley, Boston Mills, Brandywine and Mad River in Ohio; Hidden Valley and Snow Creek in Missouri; and Paoli Peaks in Indiana.
The new Peak properties join Vail’s existing resorts, including: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in California and Nevada; Stowe in Vermont; Stevens Pass in Washington; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; and Perisher in Australia.
Unlimited unrestricted access to the former Peak areas will now be included in Vail Resorts’ 2019-20 Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Epic Australia Pass, Epic Day Pass and Military Epic Pass. For the 2019-20 season, Vail will also honor all previously purchased Peak passes, which will continue to be sold through the fall. Peak pass holders will be required to pay an upgrade fee to receive the full benefits of the Epic and Epic Local passes.
Vail Resorts says it will invest around $15 million over the next two years in capital spending at the acquired resorts to improve the guest experience. The company also expects future annual capital expenditures to increase by around $10 million to support the ongoing operations of the new ski areas.
