Steamboat Resort is in the midst of a major capital improvement campaign. As part of Full Steam Ahead, Steamboat has added a new gondola, a learning center, The Range Food & Drink Hall, a new arrival area, an ice skating rink, and more.
This offseason, a second stage of the gondola is being built to the summit, a new advanced and experts terrain pod is being sculpted, which will be serviced by a new high-speed quad chairlift, and a snowmaking expansion will be coming to the Sundown and Sunshine terrain pods. The next major project could be a gondola that connects a key parking lot to the base area.
Steamboat Pilot & Today reports that talks have been ongoing between the Alterra Mountain Company, which owns Steamboat, and the Steamboat Springs City Council, to figure out the financing for a gondola that would help reduce congestion.
In order for this to happen, Alterra will need to create at least one metropolitan district on its land around the ski resort. This district helps create around $30 million in tax revenue, which would help pay for the gondola. In order for this to happen, Alterra’s metropolitan district would have to be approved by the voters of Steamboat Springs, which could happen this fall. They face a deadline this month to finalize this plan. If they pass through all these hurdles, construction could begin in May 2024.
Rob Pearlman, who is the President and COO of the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., described why they need this gondola:
“We have a world-class resort, we’ve made significant improvements, and now it’s time to address the underwhelming arrival experience, to address many of the factors associated with what is outlined in the Mountain Area Master Plan in terms of safety, in terms of pedestrian and vehicle interaction, in terms of looking to the future and building that capacity.”
If built, the gondola would be located nearby the existing Wildhorse Gondola. This lift is available to the public, but its primary function is to service the homeowners at Wildhorse Meadows. In addition, the gondola’s base terminal isn’t located directly in the Meadows parking lot. This new gondola would service those at the Meadows parking lot and would be more convenient than the existing pulse gondola.
To further prove their seriousness about this project, Alterra just hired Micheal Ann Marchand to be the director of development for Steamboat Resort. Steamboat Pilot & Today reported that this is a new position, which proves Alterra wants to continue to build up Steamboat past this Full Steam Ahead project. Micheal Ann was on the board of directors for the Yampa Valley Housing Authority and the Steamboat Springs Chamber, so she clearly cares about the success of the Steamboat Springs community.
We’ll keep you posted on Unofficial Networks about this and other projects at Steamboat.
Image Credits: Steamboat Resort
