Newly Formed Resort Company Completes Acquisition of Deer Valley Resort
New Company’s portfolio now includes 13 four-season mountain resorts
The newly formed entity (the “Company”) controlled by affiliates of KSL Capital Partners, LLC and Henry Crown and Company today announced the completion of their previously announced acquisition of Deer Valley Resort. The Company, with Deer Valley Resort, also announced that Bob Wheaton will remain at Deer Valley Resort as president and chief operating officer.
Through this transaction, Deer Valley Resort is now part of an impressive portfolio of 13 resorts with more than seven million skier visits, 22,000 skier acres, and significant land available for real estate development. The Company also includes Canadian Mountain Holidays, the world’s leading heli-ski operator, and comprehensive aviation and real estate businesses. Its mountain resorts are geographically diversified across most of North America’s major ski regions: Squaw Valley|Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Snow Summit, Bear Mountain and June Mountain in California; Deer Valley Resort in Utah; Steamboat Ski & Resort and Winter Park Resort in Colorado; Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Ontario; Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec; Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont; and Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia.
“We could not be more pleased that Deer Valley Resort is now a part of our new Company,” said David Perry, president and chief operating officer of the Company. “We believe that this transaction not only adds tremendous value to our Company but also enhances the opportunities we are able to provide to our guests, our employees, and our communities. We are committed to maintaining the first-class experience and level of guest service for which the resort is known, and we look forward to what should be a fantastic 2017-18 ski season across our portfolio.”
“Joining this impressive portfolio of resorts is a big step forward in the future of Deer Valley Resort. It will enable the resort to build upon its time-honored traditions while further enhancing the overall experience,” said Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley Resort president and chief operating officer. “We are thrilled to be a part of the new Company and are excited to begin welcoming guests to Utah this winter.”
Season Passes
For the full 2017-18 winter season, Deer Valley Resort will continue to honor the existing pass products that are currently on sale.
About the New Company (expect a new brand launch prior to the upcoming ski season)
The Company, which joined Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc., Mammoth Resorts, Squaw Valley Ski Holdings, and, most recently, Deer Valley Resort, is a North American mountain resort and adventure company delivering distinctive vacation and travel experiences to its guests. The Company owns and/or operates 13 four-season mountain resorts with approximately 22,000 skiable acres and significant land available for real estate development. The mountain resorts are geographically diversified across most of North America’s major ski regions: Squaw Valley|Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Snow Summit, Bear Mountain and June Mountain in California; Deer Valley Resort in Utah; Steamboat Ski & Resort and Winter Park Resort in Colorado; Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Ontario; Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec; Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont; and Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia. The Company’s mountain resorts are geographically diversified across most of North America’s major ski regions, including California, the Eastern United States, the Rocky Mountains, and Canada. The Company also operates an adventure travel business, the cornerstone of which is Canadian Mountain Holidays, the world’s leading heli-skiing adventure company, and a comprehensive real estate business through which it manages condominium hotel properties and sells and markets residential real estate.
The Official Blog of Deer Valley Resort
Ugh California. Please don’t let the clueless California mindset influence what OSSO great about Deer Valley.
DO NOT ALLOW SNOWBOARDS OR RAISE THE CAP ON DAILY VISITS PLEASE!! Thank you!
Please don’t allow snowboards or raise the cap on daily visits.
Love Deer Valley and hope everything works out well!
Boooo.
So what does this mean? The limited ski passes, no snow boarders, high quality resort with excellent ski school/staff? How will this change???
Will snowboarding be allowed?
In the future do you anticipate the possibility of season passes being interchangeable between resorts.
Can only hope the new DV will replace those antiquated lifts, still keep the boarders out, and keep everything else that makes DV great.
Hi Tony, There will be no changes in passes for the 2017/18 season. Regarding future new passes, this will be shared at the appropriate time. We hope to see you on the slopes this winter.
Hi Jim,
For the coming season 2017/18 there will be no changes to current operations. Any alterations to Deer Valley’s operations in the future will be reviewed and discussed with Deer Valley leadership, while respecting at all times the guest experience, the brand and reputation of Deer Valley and at the same time evaluating improvements to operations that are consistent with these values.
Hi Ani,
For the coming season 2017/18 there will be no changes to current operations. Any alterations to Deer Valley’s operations in the future will be reviewed and discussed with Deer Valley leadership, while respecting at all times the guest experience, the brand and reputation of Deer Valley and at the same time evaluating improvements to operations that are consistent with these values. We hope to see you at Deer Valley Resort this winter.
Great Ski Mt. & Resort . Let’s keep it Board Free ( Ski Only )
Or Designated Runs Only for Both
Why is the name of the Company never revealed? Very strange
Please do not change what makes DV so special: Limited tickets, no snowboarding and incredible service! Vail Corp’s acquisitions have ruined many mountains and commoditized skiing, please don’t follow the same model.
If DV ever allows boarders it would cause many of us LOYAL DV skiers to buy the Epic pass and just deal with the boarders there. PC Resort has more and better advance terrain but I remain LOYAL to DV because of the No-boarders rule. PLEASE remain BOARDER FREE!
So sad. Hope it works out in the skiers favor. God bye mom and pop organizations, hello big money. Please don’t allow snow boarders and please don’t buy Alta.
Hi
I wish you well in your in your new venture.
For the lat decade we have made the trek all the way from Australia to enjoy the warm hospitality,fabulous skiing, limited numbers and particularly the fact there are no boarders!
If these basics where to change we would go elsewhere.
Loved the simplicity of the “Ugh California” comment. I envy such people’s ability to live a blissful existence like that, minds unencumbered by useless facts, data and experiences. Unfortunately for me, I have been skiing at least 1 week per year at Deer Valley for the better part of 15 years and have been a season pass holder at Mammoth Mountain for almost 20 years and manage somewhere between 35 and 50 days per year between the two. So I get the point; living with all of that information and experience has been almost too much for me to bear. For those of you who can manage the CA experience without losing your minds, maybe you’re up to the risk of trying both?
UGH – Please do not allow snow boarders. And please keep the caps on daily visits. I honestly primarily go to DV because of these unique aspects. Otherwise its just another nice ski mountain but with too many groomers…..basically Keystone. Its great you are not changing this seasons, but I hope you don’t change for future seasons.
As my most recommended ski destination please remain ski only, no offense to boarders most do not fit DV profile, having once been run over by old boarder learning I enjoy not worrying if I am in a blind spot. A ski vacation is quality service, food and beverage, grooming, hoping what took years to become does not become just another ski resort!
I sure hope Deer Valley remains skiers-only. If pass sharing comes about, I can’t see how that could happen.
He DV
Thank you for having the foresight to make this deal. Both Squaw Valley and Deer Valley are two of the most amazing ski resorts in the US and will only get better w this strategically thinking ownership group.
Well done
Jeff
Please no snowboarders
This was not a well written press release to Deer Valley skiers. It was all about the value to the company and had nothing about the value to the customers. I really don’t care much about KSL partners or their investment philosophy or their company building prowess. Consider sending out a press release to the customers about why this will be valuable for them.
David
Hi Merl,
You can expect a new brand launch prior to the upcoming ski season.
I do hope the new owners of Deer Valley are “really” listening to the voices of DV skiers and those that come here for it’s amazing downhill skiing. No disrespect to snowboarders, but DV is the pristine downhill skiing resort. DO NOT CHANGE!
have been skiing at Deer Valley for 25 plus years and still consider it the premier
skiing place period. Please do not allow snowboarders to ski here other than Alta
they have every other ski venue that i know of.
The value of DV to the vast majority of it’s visitors is it’s uniqueness and exclusivity that has made it the best ski resort of it’s kind in North America. Retain that and the value remains. Change that (I.e. Allowing snow boarding) and the value is lost! I’ve been a proud DV property owner since 1988 and hope the value that’s made us famous worldwide remains!
This acquisition may be just right as long as the personality of DV remains the same. i.e. no boarders, high level of personal caring by staff, limit on daily passes, good grooming and retaining same level of customer service. Am close to buying a local place and decision may hinge on DV decisions.
Can’t wait till you guys open it up to snowboarders. It’s just a matter of time now!!
We’ve been loyal DV skiers for over 20 years and the number 1 reason is the no snowboard policy. If the new management allow snowboards on the mountain we are gone. Seems like from the many comments we are not alone. Proceed with smarts and caution. The core of any business is its loyal customers.
DV is clearly the finest winter resort in North America and perhaps the world. The role played by Bob Wheaton, humbly, quietly, behind the scenes, is not to be underestimated. He is loved by his staff and he is the glue that holds the place together. You need to retain Bob as long as possible and learn from him about customer service. your other resorts can learn a lot from Bob. You also need to begin to groom a replacement who is cut from the same mold. Please don’t lose the magic that makes DV so special.
Hi Natalie,
For the coming season 2017/18 there will be no changes to current operations. Any alterations to Deer Valley’s operations in the future will be reviewed and discussed with Deer Valley leadership, while respecting at all times the guest experience, the brand and reputation of Deer Valley and at the same time evaluating improvements to operations that are consistent with these values. We hope to see you at Deer Valley Resort this winter.
We understand the nothing will change in the upcoming season but the question is what will change in the long term. I’m sure the buyer had some ideas about either changing some things or not and it would be great to hear why they bought DV and how they plan on incorporating it into their other ski resorts. I’m sure they have a plan and didn’t just buy the resort and said we’ll figure it out later, like you would have us believe. Come on.
We live/ski and have passes for both PC and DV. Agree with previous comments… If you change DV to maximize your profits by adding crowds and skimping on hospitality, we’ll simply keep the Epic Pass and only ski PC. We can find the crowds there and it’s got the much more varied and challenging terrain. We’d save a lot money in the process by voting with our wallet and spending on just one pass.
D.V. will not be winning many awards after this merger.
There is no reason why DV cannot keep true to its mission, skiers only. Please execute. It is a special place. Please don’t take it from us.
As a three year Epic pass holder, I’ve missed my annual trips to DV. But for my family of five the pass was too good a deal to pass up.
I am glad we now have an alternative pass option for other mountains. Buy the pass then travel to the place with the best snow. I’m thinking alternate years….
I agree with many of the previous comments. If Deer Valley allows snowboarders, changes its grooming policy, does away with locals passes, and lifts the daily cap, how are they better than the other Utah ski resorts. I’ve been willing to pay a premium for “the Deer Valley Rxperience,” but if there’s nothing to differentiate DV from Park City/Canyons, Epic Pass here I come!
DV has been my favorite resort for many years. I see no good coming from a large corporate ownership of this resort. Profit at the expense of the guest will be the number one goal. How much value is there in a season pass that can be used in resorts in different states when for the most part the average skier goes to one destination resort per year. I am sure snow boards will eventually be allowed and I will not be a part of that. The press release was terrible in the eyes of the loyal skiers.
If the resort ever decides to allow snowboarders they will completely erode their visitor base. Many people ski Deer Valley because it is a skier-only resort, and changing that will spell disaster I believe. Hopefully the new owners will listen to what the loyal, committed, long-time Deer Valley skiers are saying.
If Deer Valley allows snowboarders, changes its grooming policy, does away with locals passes, and lifts the daily cap, how are they better than the other Utah ski resorts? I’ve been willing to pay a premium for “the Deer Valley Experience” but if there’s nothing to differentiate DV from Park City/Canyons, Epic Pass here I come!
Can you hear the tears coming. Lol. No more discrimination on the mountain. Bad skiers/snowboarders ruin mountain experiences. Not riders. Deer Valley Snowboard Team. About to be official.
Hmmm. Private equity chasing returns vs family owned long-term vision. I hope I’m wrong but I am skeptical that the Deer Valley experience is compatible in the long term with shareholder always wins. But I’m a skier and an optimist (most are!). I’m looking forward to a great 2017-18. Deer Valley is the best mountain in the US for my family and me (for now) and hoping I don’t get any evidence to change my mind.
Attended the D.V. opening 36 years ago. Still a participant as a “Super Senior.” Hope what has come about will not follow the former “Park City Ski Resort” footsteps under Vail! Fortunately, D.V. will remain in good hands for now. Hope it lasts!
Snowbaorders are not any different, I am a well off parent with a wife who skis. The real problem is skiers with negative attitudes. Hopefully it changes so all you snobs realize it won’t change a thing.
I have been skiing exclusively at DV since my first experience there in 1989. PLEASE, do not change anything about it, specifically no Boarders. The DV experience is unparalleled in North America. The services, ambiance, staff, food and of course the on mountain experience with the best grooming and terrain make DV the best place to ski. It even led me to purchase a place in Park City in 1995 and it is my plan to retire there. Change is inevitable in life, but in the case of DV, nothing is broke and it’s as near to perfect as it gets. No need to fix it.
Hi,
The reason we have been traveling to Deer Valley from Australia for many years is SAFETY, i.e.,No snow boarders,
as have had many friends and colleagues smashed by a snow boarder, who take entirely different lines, are commonly in a skiers blind spot, and are predominately young strong males….no one wants to be hit by one of them.
Friends have suffered horrendous fractures and other injuries from being ‘collected’ by a snow board.
We have also bought property in Deer Valley due to the experience and superior safety.
Haven’t skied in Europe ,Australia or other parts of USA for years due to above reasons.
This is a common view .
There is no reason to continue at DV if the new Co., disrespects the very reason most people go to DV.
There is the rest of the skiing world for snow boarders, who have huge choice. Skier only people have only DV and a few smaller reports only.
We like to be SAFE.
Deer Valley has been #1 in multiple ski area surveys for a reason. Please don’t do anything rash…for a LONG time! Thank you.
It is what it is. I’ve skied there from 85 but it is a good snowboarding venue .
Night Riding sense 85