Where to Ski And Snowboard - Plans for largest US ski resort approved

Plans for largest US ski resort approved

27th March 2015, by Abi Butcher

Vail Resorts will spend $50m linking Park City (pictured) with Canyons this summer

Work will next month begin on the largest ski resort in the US, following unanimous approval of ambitious plans to link two Utah resorts.

Last September, Vail Resorts bought Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and nearby Canyons for $182.5 million and promptly announced plans to link the two with a gondola that would create a combined skiable terrain of more than 7,300 acres.

Yesterday the Park City Planning Commission gave the green light to “one of the most ambitious and impactful capital plans in the history of the U.S. ski industry”, paving the way for work to start immediately as the ski season ends.

According to a local newspaper, excavations for the terminals and towers of the “Interconnect Gondola” will take place in May and June, with installation of the terminals and towers scheduled for July and August, with the cables and gondola cabins in place in September.

“This plan for Park City and Canyons will completely transform the experience at both resorts and throughout this world-class community,” said Bill Rock, Park City Mountain Resorts chief operating officer. “We want to thank the Planning Commissions and staff at both Park City and Summit County, and all the community members who provided ideas and support throughout the approval process.”

At a cost of $50m (£33.5m), the project is the largest ever single-season investment in a ski area, and Vail Resorts plans to have everything ready when PCMR opens sometime in November.