Turns out offseason improvements can be a great way to get tax breaks. The Buffalo News reports that Holiday Valley Resort in New York is requesting a tax break from Cattaraugus County. The resort will be spending $2.94 million on new equipment and minor building/infrastructure improvements at the resort. Most of the money (around 90%) will be spent on new equipment(i.e. a new ticket system, snowmaking upgrades, groomer, and a splash pad for their pool area), with $225,000 will be going towards infrastructure and $100,000 on renovations. They are seeking $235,000 in sales tax breaks for the purchases of new equipment in order to “maximize its investment, providing a better guest experience and attracting additional customers to the resort.”
This news brings up some interesting questions about the ski industry and tax breaks: Do all capital improvements get tax breaks? Do new lifts give tax breaks to ski resorts? Did Holiday Valleys Yodeler lift replacement for the 2021-22 season become a tax break? Will they seek a tax break for their six-pack chairlift that’s coming in 2023? Based on some initial research, it does look like something that Holiday Valley has done in the past. It’s an interesting concept that isn’t discussed much in the ski industry, and I’ll be researching it further in the future. 
Image Credits: Holiday Valley Resort
