A group of Resort Industry Veterans are to get together to acquire Idaho’s Tamarack Resort. Tamarack Resort Holdings to invest immediately to complete Village Plaza.
Tamarack Resort Holdings (“TRH”), a partnership of investors and managers with decades of development and operations experience at premier resort properties across North America, has entered into an agreement to purchase all of the Tamarack Resort operations and key assets in Donnelly, Idaho.
The announcement follows the State Board of Land Commissioners’ approval this morning to transfer the state lands lease to TRH for continued mountain operations. TRH is purchasing all key assets necessary to operate the resort now and accommodate future expansion plans, including property on mountain, ski lifts and operations equipment, lodge amenities, lodging operations, the telecommunications utility, declarant rights, lake front equipment, sewer and water bonds, a portion of the golf course and the unfinished Village Plaza.
TRH is also purchasing other private real estate assets and parcels and is taking over the lease to operate The Arling Center event venue. The transactions will close Nov. 30, 2018. “We have been evaluating and working on this agreement for nearly two years to truly understand the history and complexities of the resort. The partnership strongly believes Tamarack has a tremendous opportunity to thrive as a four-season destination of choice for Idahoans and visitors from across North America,” said TRH President Jon Reveal. “Our team looks forward to proving our commitment to Tamarack, Valley County residents, Idahoans and all our guests through investment, completion of unfinished projects and improved resort amenities and offerings.”
After the closing, efforts will focus on preparing for a full-mountain opening for the 2018-2019 winter season — projected for December 14 or earlier, if conditions permit. The TRH operations team is assessing all aspects of the resort to determine where investment is needed most to improve the guest experience immediately.
The development team is currently seeking bids from contractors to complete construction of the Village Plaza, with a goal to begin in early 2019 and be ready for the 2019-2020 winter season. The completed Village Plaza will include retail, restaurant, lodging and resort operations.
The TRH investor Imperium Blue is a family office with previous and current holdings in commercial real estate and operations at Whistler Blackcomb, Mammoth, Snowshoe, Copper Mountain and Stratton, among other destination resort locations.
The family office is comprised of the Imperium Companies, MMG Equity Partners, and Blue River Family Office Partners. Resort and ski industry veteran Jon Reveal will oversee long-term development and operations as TRH President. Reveal began his career skiing for the iconic Warren Miller before moving into ski area management at resorts including Keystone and Arapahoe Basin, and as vice president of Operations for Aspen Skiing Company. He then designed, built and operated Yellowstone Club, a world-class, private resort. Most recently, Reveal served as general manager of Sleeping Giant, a non-profit ski area.
All current staff will remain employed by the resort, including General Manager Brad Larsen and Tamarack Municipal Association Community Manager Levi Johnson.
Visitors to Tamarack Resort this winter will not experience any noticeable changes. The temporary base village will remain intact throughout this season; season passes, and Express Cards purchased for the 2018-19 season will be honoured; day ticket prices will remain the same; and all previously scheduled events, weddings, conferences and competitions will be honoured and will proceed as scheduled.
For more information, including updates on Opening Day, visit www.tamarackidaho.com
The-Ski-GURU TRAVEL can plan your holidays including booking your Eurotunnel trip, lodging, lift tickets, rentals, ski school, and all you need for an excellent vacation. Go to https://www.the-ski-guru.com/traveland upload your information – this page will be updated soon with more travel ideas.
You can start thinking about your trip, by reading the articles on the Planning your Ski Trip tab. Or how to pack for your family ski trip. Take advantage now of having one kids ski pass for free, courtesy of MySwitzerland. If taking your furry friend abroad to the continent, read about the new Pet Travel Scheme update from DEFRA. Or our last news on equipment as seen at the London Ski Show. Also, the new range of skis of Black Crows, one of our favourite brands. Lots of snow makes you wonder how the resorts deal with the avalanche danger. Here you can read the interview to Coco Torres, former Head of Operations of Las Leñas, in Argentina, as how they dealt with avalanches at the resort.
Or perhaps you may choose to read the Ski Resort News, Ski Passes News, and the Must-Read Guides to Zermatt, Courmayeur, Val di Fiemme and Crans-Montana. Coming soon will be the guides to Lech and St Anton. Or see an amazing heli flight over the Mont Blanc Massif. Also see tips on how not to be scammed when booking a ski chalet.
You can also read what’s new at Les Trois Vallées and the last article on what is new at the Tirol ski areas, in 3 Zinnen Dolomites , in Adelboden, Lenk and Kandertal, in Gstaad, in Chamonix, in Georgia’s Gudauri Resort and in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. And how the US Ski Team has chosen Alpe Cimbra to train for the following four ski seasons as their European home. And Saalbach is getting ready for the Ski World Cup.
Or check how Cairngorm Mountain might not run its funicular this coming season and how that can affect the region. And the terrible storms and gails that provoked havoc to Trentino Alto-Adige and Belluno provinces in Northern Italy.
Thankfully Val di Fassa is ready for opening December 6 as stated here. And the roof of the Rifugio Comici has been fixed in no time and is ready for the start of the ski season in Val Gardena on 6th December. Sudtirol ski areas are ready to start soon and their famous Christmas markets will kick off too. And Cortina D’Ampezzo is getting ready for this winter and the 2021 World Ski Championships.
Also, you can read how Grandvalira will be staying together as one lift ticket company and how they are adding Ordino Arcalis to this offer. And also read how someone tried to sabotage some lifts in Vallnord’s Pal Arinsal. Or read about the latest investments in Whistler Blackcomb. Or see how Taos is going against the industry trend, and instead of merging with the two biggest oligopolies in skiing at the moment, it goes and buys an airline to get more bums in resort. Or how Jackson Hole is appealing to families and beginners – it is not only a resort for expert skiers anymore. Another great area for families is Stubaital in the Tirol.
If you want to salivate and think of snow, see our snow report from last weekend here. Or see how Aspen Snowmass has started its snowmaking operation. Aspen Mountain has already opened, as well as Snowmass Mountain is opening on Thanksgiving day.
You can keep up to date on how are the sales for the EPIC and IKON passes are doing here. Read how Emma, the first Digital Mountain Assistant, is launched in Keystone now and will be rolled to eight other resorts this season. And even read about the new incorporation to the IKON Pass: Valle Nevado. Here is also a post on the South American resorts.
Or check out how now with the EPIC Pass you can ski in Europe, specifically in Les Trois Vallées and the resorts of Skirama Dolomiti in Trentino’s Italy. Or see our review of L’Héliopic Hotel Sweet & Spa if thinking in staying in Chamonix this winter.
And see how the big players in the business, Vail Resorts and Aspen, part of Alterra Mountain Company, are seeing how to defend climate change with a bit of social responsibility.
Featured Image: Tamarack Resort. Resort Industry Veterans get together to acquire Idaho’s Tamarack Resort.
