Ski hill unveils investment plans

Wilmot Mountain under the lights this winter (Photo by Earlene Frederick).
Wilmot Mountain under the lights this winter (Photo by Earlene Frederick).

Wilmot Mountain upgrades cause ripple effect in community

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

New Wilmot Mountain owner, Vail Resorts, Inc. of Colorado, unveiled a multi-million dollar transformation plan last week, creating a ripple effect in the community.

The new owner, which purchased the ski hill in January from Stopa LLC, expects to start the $13 million project in the summer.

General Manager Taylor Ogilvie, a 38-year-old Lincolnshire, Ill., resident, spent the first two months assessing the ski hill.

Taylor Ogilvie
Taylor Ogilvie

“Right now we are just doing clean up and getting ready for renovations,” said Ogilvie, who replaced Dennis Sheen upon Vail’s acquisition in January.

According to a press release, the company is replacing three ski lifts, upgrading snowmaking equipment, renovating the base lodge and adding new features.

Features include a parents’ lounge, a new kids ski and snowboard school facility and an upgraded terrain park.

Ogilvie, who used the ski hill as a child, hopes renovations bring in more families.

“It is all built to make a great place for families,” he said. “It is taking a holistic approach for the kids to make it as fun as possible.”

Citing the age of the three ski lifts, Vail plans to replace them and add a high-speed rope tow in the terrain park and two new surface conveyer lifts.

Upgrades to the lifts could increase capacity 45 percent.

The base area transformations includes 400 seats, more food and beverage options and Wi-Fi in the bar and lounge areas.

The Kids Ski and Snowboard School expects to have a lunch and break room with places for parents to supervise activities.

Such projects are typically undertaken in collaboration with real estate developers like Lincoln Frost, who may be able to construct a property from the ground up – either from raw land or by demolishing an existing structure.

This is because real estate developers typically have a broad understanding of the various aspects and phases of real estate, as well as strong financial management skills. They also tend to assist with renovation projects in a professional manner. But it is unclear if there is any real estate developer involved in the specified project or not.

Well! Rob Katz, Chairman of Vail Resorts, Inc., said through a press release that guests can expect a better experience.

“We think our guests from Chicago and Milwaukee will be thrilled with the investments we are making at Wilmot for the 2016-17 ski season,” Katz said.

Furthermore, a $609 Epic Local Pass also can be used to access Vail’s nine other ski hills in Colorado, Utah and Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

While crews at Wilmot Mountain are cleaning up in preparation for upgrades, Vail Resorts is drawing up renderings, Ogilvie said.

“We have been engaging with architects and engineers and we should have artist renderings,” he said. “A lot of pieces have to come together.”

Following completion of renderings, general contractors can bid on the project, Ogilvie said.

“Our practice in this project is to definitely go local,” he said.

A ripple effect
With Wilmot Mountain set for renovation in the summer, Wilmot Mountain Flea Market is relocating to the Kenosha County Fairgrounds, according to several sources.

The originally offered alternative at Wilmot Mountain was deemed inadequate by the Flea Market.

“We simply offered them the use of the tubing area,” Ogilvie said. “But they said it was too small.”

The Flea Market informed people via social media last month of a potential move, with approval from the Kenosha County Fair Board two weeks later.

Phone calls and emails to contacts listed on the Flea Market website went unreturned.

“Vail Properties purchased Wilmot Mountain and will be undertaking a huge renovation project in the summer of 2016. Vail Properties tried to accommodate the market by offering us the use of the tubing area parking lot,” the website stated.

Kelly Ladyga, vice president of corporate communications for Vail Resorts, Inc., said changes were inevitable, citing January’s news release.

“As we had indicated in our acquisition announcement of Wilmot, we plan to completely transform the experience at the ski area over the coming months and in time for the 2016-2017 winter season,” Ladyga said.

Subsequently, the Wilmot Union High School Board voted 4-0 in its regular meeting last week to allow the Fairgrounds use of the student parking lot every weekend, with exception to graduation.


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