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Vail Does It Again

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
More acquisitions in the East. This brings Vail's total to 40 ski areas and 8 out of 26 in PA.

Here's the press release:

BROOMFIELD, Colo. – December 8, 2021 – Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania from Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc. As a part of the acquisition, Vail Resorts will also acquire Hidden Valley Resort and the operations of Laurel Mountain Ski Area. The purchase price for the ski areas, plus a hotel, conference center and other related operations, is approximately $125 million, subject to certain adjustments.

“We are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to add Seven Springs to our family of resorts along with Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts. “As a company, we have been focused on acquiring resorts near major metropolitan areas as we know many skiers and riders build their passion for the sport close to home. These great ski areas in Pennsylvania are a perfect complement to our existing resorts, creating a much stronger connection and compelling offering to our current and future guests in Pittsburgh as well as those in other critical markets such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Cleveland.”

Seven Springs is Pennsylvania’s premier four-season family resort. It is located one hour southeast of Pittsburgh and is among the largest ski resorts in Pennsylvania with 285 skiable acres and 750 vertical feet. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Seven Springs offers significant resort amenities, including a 418-room hotel, conference center, a full-service spa and tubing. Hidden Valley offers 110 skiable acres and 470 vertical feet, with 26 slopes and trails and two terrain parks. Laurel Mountain offers 70 skiable acres and 761 vertical feet.

“The resorts truly are a part of the fabric of this region and a critical community asset. I am extremely proud of our stewardship of Seven Springs and its sister resorts, and even more so of all the people who we have worked with side-by-side to transform them into what they are today,” said Robert Nutting, president and chief executive officer of Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc. “It has been an honor to be a part of their incredible growth for more than a decade and leave each resort a much stronger community asset than we found it.”

“Vail Resorts is a perfect successor with a proven track record of honoring the unique character of each of its resorts,” added Nutting. “They are the industry leader in investing in the guest experience, employee development and environmental stewardship. We are thrilled that the resorts will now become part of Vail Resorts’ network and are confident that Vail Resorts will continue to invest in what makes these resorts so special.”

Vail Resorts is acquiring all of the assets related to the mountain operations of the resorts and related base area lodging, conference center and amenities. Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc. is retaining select neighboring operations, including Highlands Market, Sporting Clays at Seven Springs, Seven Springs Golf Course and Hidden Valley Golf Club, Highlands Resort Realty and certain real estate owned and held for potential future development.

The transaction is expected to close this winter, however, operations at the three resorts for the 2021-22 winter season will continue in the ordinary course of business. Vail Resorts plans to add access to the three resorts to select Epic Pass products for the 2022-23 North American ski and ride season.

Additional Transaction Details

The acquisition is expected to generate incremental annual EBITDA in excess of $15 million in Vail Resorts’ fiscal year ending July 31, 2023. This expected impact includes an estimated incremental annual EBITDA of approximately $5 million associated with the 418-room Slopeside Hotel and associated conference facilities and lodging operations at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. After closing the transaction, annual ongoing capital expenditures are expected to increase by approximately $3 million to support the addition of these resorts.

Vail Resorts will, subject to receipt of consent from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, assume the state land lease for Laurel Mountain. Upon closing, Vail Resorts plans to retain the vast majority of each resort’s employees and will be working with the local leadership teams in the coming months to determine the right long-term management structure for the resorts.
 
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marzNC

Angel Diva
Given the issues that the owners of Seven Springs and Hidden Valley have had keeping up, not necessarily bad in the long run. While Laurel Mountain is old school, the other two are not. Very different situation than the former Showtime locations (Liberty, Whitetail, Roundtrip) that were originally bought by Peak Resorts.

The mid-Atlantic is very different from the northeast.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
For folks unfamiliar with skiing in western PA, the primary urban market is Pittsburgh. Locals have been skiing 7Springs and Hidden Valley for decades. Some people haven't been happy with the way the Nutting family have run operations. The Nuttings also own the Pittsburgh Pirates pro football team, which probably more people have heard of outside PA than 7Springs. Laurel Mountain has a very different history since it's a ski area, not a ski resort with lodging and other amenities unrelated to snowmaking.

People who live in Pittsburgh also make the drive to WV to ski at Snowshoe (owned by Alterra, on Ikon), Canaan Valley (on Indy), and Timberline. With the new owners doing such a great job at Timberline, that is once again major competition for 7Springs/HV.

From what I've read, my impression is that 7Springs has elements in common with Camelback in eastern PA. That includes the crowds on weekends and holidays. Both are full 4-season resorts with very good snowmaking infrastructure.
 

artistinsuburbia

Angel Diva
these are my home mountains. The Nutting ownership has barely maintained status quo here. He's stripped any activity at Hidden Valley in favor of running all events through seven springs. Maintenance. That's all they do. just kept it alive enough to be attractive to sell. AND Nutting got all of Vail's newspaper businesses in the transaction. 125 million deal was sweet in both directions, don't you worry. Marketing team is all worried they're about to lose their jobs, etc. It's a state of panic, intrigue and hope here in western pa. How have other small resorts faired after the acquistion?
 

artistinsuburbia

Angel Diva
For folks unfamiliar with skiing in western PA, the primary urban market is Pittsburgh. Locals have been skiing 7Springs and Hidden Valley for decades. Some people haven't been happy with the way the Nutting family have run operations. The Nuttings also own the Pittsburgh Pirates pro football team, which probably more people have heard of outside PA than 7Springs. Laurel Mountain has a very different history since it's a ski area, not a ski resort with lodging and other amenities unrelated to snowmaking.

People who live in Pittsburgh also make the drive to WV to ski at Snowshoe (owned by Alterra, on Ikon), Canaan Valley (on Indy), and Timberline. With the new owners doing such a great job at Timberline, that is once again major competition for 7Springs/HV.

From what I've read, my impression is that 7Springs has elements in common with Camelback in eastern PA. That includes the crowds on weekends and holidays. Both are full 4-season resorts with very good snowmaking infrastructure.
they're going after cleveland, columbus, baltimore, and DC markets in addition to Pittsburgh as to servicing these resorts in their marketing plan. And the Pirates are major league baseball BTW :smile:
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
they're going after cleveland, columbus, baltimore, and DC markets in addition to Pittsburgh as to servicing these resorts in their marketing plan. And the Pirates are major league baseball BTW :smile:
Oops, I don't follow pro sports much.

The DC/Baltimore/NoVA market is a factor for the Epic pass more for Liberty, Whitetail, and Roundtop than 7Springs/HV/LM. The only people I know who live in DC and make the drive to 7Springs/HV have family in Pittsburgh. Laurel Mountain is a bit different since it's "old school." LM and Blue Knob attract people who are less likely to buy any sort of Epic pass.

Ohio folks might be interested in 7Springs/HV. Of course, VR picked up several ski areas in Ohio when they bought Peak Resorts a few years ago.

Folks in DC/NoVA and Ohio make the drive to Snowshoe, Canaan Valley, and Timberline in WV. Snowshoe is owned by Alterra and on Ikon, although it's also possible to get a Snowshoe-only season pass. CV is on Indy Pass. Timberline is independent with new ownership that is doing great stuff.

Pittsburgh folks are likely to be making the drive to Timberline a lot more often with all the new snowmaking infrastructure and the high-speed detachable 6-pack. There is lots of slopeside lodging. The terrain at Timberline can't be beat for advanced skiers who like trees.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Marketing and other administrative departments were the first to be decimated at Okemo, IIRC. Not easy to find a similar job in a rural area.
 

artistinsuburbia

Angel Diva
Marketing and other administrative departments were the first to be decimated at Okemo, IIRC. Not easy to find a similar job in a rural area.
that's what they are all afraid of. My daughter works in the marketing department...they all think that they are gone at the end of this season.
 

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