LiveKillington Ski Village | Killington Vermont

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Ski Resort Owners Pursue Huge Mixed-Use Projects As Demand Grows​

“Killington Ski Resort, the largest ski area in New England, is being eyed for one of the largest commercial developments in the region.

The Vermont resort sold in September to a group including Great Gulf, a Canadian developer that is planning a $3B project that would include 2,300 residential units.

The idea to build a ski village — a place for skiers and snowboarders to live, stay, eat, drink and shop — has been discussed at Killington for decades. But it ran into a series of roadblocks involving the U.S. Forest Service's ownership of the land and pushback from environmentalists.

The latest plan still faces some state-level hurdles, but Great Gulf President of Resort Residential Michael Sneyd told Bisnow he is confident it will move forward.

"People have been waiting for this for a long time," Sneyd said.

Some of the most popular ski resorts across the country — from New England to Colorado to California — have come under new corporate ownership in recent years, and investors are looking to expand and grow operations as demand for skiing and snowboarding continues to increase.

This could mean billions of dollars of investment in mixed-use projects that could change the face of many of America's favorite winter destinations. But many of these projects have faced similar challenges around land constraints, lengthy permitting processes and environmentalist opposition that make it difficult to add new housing, amenities and commercial development……”

https://www.bisnow.com/national/new...llion-dollar-expansions-growing-demand-127903

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There's a lot at stake as $3 billion ski village at Killington takes shape​

“Killington, the state's largest ski resort, has seen a lot of recent changes. In September, the ski resort was sold for an undisclosed sum to a group of private investors, many with local ties.

In 2023, Great Gulf, a Canadian developer paid $43 million to purchase 1,095 acres of land, including land and development rights at the base of the Killington mountain with hopes to do something many other developers have tried and failed to do — build a ski village in Killington, with new condos, homes, shops, restaurants and what Great Gulf is calling the largest “ski beach” in the East.

The idea of a ski village at Killington, the state’s largest ski resort, has been around for decades.

Even Preston Smith, who opened Killington in the late 1950s, had some village designs made in the 1960s. But over the years, all the various plans fell through.

But local officials today, despite some hiccups and delays, feel a lot more confident that it’s finally going to happen. They point to a combination of town investment and Great Gulf’s plans and corporate portfolio.

The town has invested some $80 million into improving local infrastructure. They’re putting in a new municipal water supply system and improving the roads, all to lay the foundation for the high-density development that would be part of a new ski village…..”

“The first phase will include approximately 720 residential units — a mix of ski-in ski-out condos, duplexes and single family homes — and a large new base lodge and 110,000 square feet of retail and dining space, said Michael Sneyd, President, Resort Residential Division at Great Gulf. Great Gulf also plans to develop walking and biking trails, fitness centers, spas and a wooded amphitheater.”

https://www.vermontpublic.org/local...billion-ski-village-at-killington-takes-shape

https://www.livekillington.com/

 

[Lrfox]

Nice. Looks like they took a lot of the layout's cues from Mont Tremblant (where I'll be this weekend) which is a fantastic faux village. While not a stand-in for the real ski villages in the Alps, I would love to see more of this in the U.S. (Stratton probably has the best example in New England, and it's just OK).

 

[stick n move]

Nice. Looks like they took a lot of the layout's cues from Mont Tremblant (where I'll be this weekend) which is a fantastic faux village. While not a stand-in for the real ski villages in the Alps, I would love to see more of this in the U.S. (Stratton probably has the best example in New England, and it's just OK).

Yea its pretty exciting. There are great ski villages in colorado, utah…etc but until this point there hasnt been one built in new england. Itll be pretty cool to finally have one in the area and hopefully it brings new england skiing to the next level.

A lot of people these days want everything in one place, where you just pay and and everything you need is right there. Your hotel/condo is right at the ski lifts, theres restaurants and recreational activities, bars, entertainment…etc. After lots of trial and error over the years theyve really gotten it down to a science. They build all inclusive walkable areas so there are things to do and see and explore, they make buildings that have the ski lodge aesthetic, it really makes a cozy, fun, enjoyable atmosphere. It is a bit disneyfied compared to places with real ski towns right at the mountain, but thats ok. There are other mountains in new england that have nice towns near by and its a bit more work to get back and forth but those arent going anywhere either. Its nice to have different options.

 

[BronsonShore]

I've always wished that Cranmore would expand and become a more significant mountain, because it's just about the only ski mountain in New England that sits directly on an actual village (and a really nice and walkable one at that). If we're ever going to have something that resembles an actual ski town like they have out west and in the Alps, North Conway's our best shot.

 

[Stlin]

I've always wished that Cranmore would expand and become a more significant mountain, because it's just about the only ski mountain in New England that sits directly on an actual village (and a really nice and walkable one at that). If we're ever going to have something that resembles an actual ski town like they have out west and in the Alps, North Conway's our best shot.

Err the village center of N. Conway is like a mile from the lodge. I'm inclined to point at Loon for that one - I don't know if you've been to Loon the past couple of years (since 2023) but the new Timbertown Quad is a gamechanger. It takes a little doing to get across to the "main" area, but you have full access to the terrain. On the map below, it's on the far right, which is right across the bridge from the center of Lincoln - its literally ¼ mile (as the crow flies) from the town hall to the lift - and they're building a gondola from their Riverwalk Resort to connect to it, which should open next winter. Dependent on if its open to anyone with a lift ticket, this should become the most "town to ski" accsssible mountain in New England. Theres not much there nor is it very walkable, but if it heralds future development? Natural ski village incoming.

 

[kmp1284]

I've always wished that Cranmore would expand and become a more significant mountain, because it's just about the only ski mountain in New England that sits directly on an actual village (and a really nice and walkable one at that). If we're ever going to have something that resembles an actual ski town like they have out west and in the Alps, North Conway's our best shot.

Cranmore’s a pretty weak mountain even by New England standards and the topography doesn’t exist to expand it into the kind of destination that would support something like that.

 

[BronsonShore]

Cranmore’s a pretty weak mountain even by New England standards and the topography doesn’t exist to expand it into the kind of destination that would support something like that.

Agree on the former part of your statement, not sure about on the later. Cranmore owns the rights to develop trails up to the peak that sits just behind and above the current summit:

This would give it one of the bigger vertical drops in New Hampshire. Combine a mountain expansion with the fact that North Conway already is a destination town and you'd really have something.

 

[BronsonShore]

Err the village center of N. Conway is like a mile from the lodge. I'm inclined to point at Loon for that one - I don't know if you've been to Loon the past couple of years (since 2023) but the new Timbertown Quad is a gamechanger. It takes a little doing to get across to the "main" area, but you have full access to the terrain. On the map below, it's on the far right, which is right across the bridge from the center of Lincoln - its literally ¼ mile (as the crow flies) from the town hall to the lift - and they're building a gondola from their Riverwalk Resort to connect to it, which should open next winter. Dependent on if its open to anyone with a lift ticket, this should become the most "town to ski" accsssible mountain in New England. Theres not much there nor is it very walkable, but if it heralds future development? Natural ski village incoming. View attachment 60250

Well that certainly does look like a game-changer. Excited to see how the town progresses.

 

[kmp1284]

Agree on the former part of your statement, not sure about on the later. Cranmore owns the rights to develop trails up to the peak that sits just behind and above the current summit:

This would give it one of the bigger vertical drops in New Hampshire. Combine a mountain expansion with the fact that North Conway already is a destination town and you'd really have something.

I assumed that was the case but “one of the bigger vertical drops in New Hampshire” still doesn’t mean much. I don’t think a few hundred feet more would go that far in radically changing the character and quality of the mountain, overcome the reputational hurdles and bring in the clientele that would demand a significantly different experience in North Conway.

 

[Lrfox]

Well that certainly does look like a game-changer. Excited to see how the town progresses.

It could be, but I'm a cynic and worry that they'll miss the mark even though it's New England's best opportunity for a "real" ski village. Lincoln has some hints of a downtown/village center, but it's a long way from having the bones of a North Conway. Main St. isn't particularly welcoming to pedestrians and the Riverwalk area is suburban style hotels/resorts with giant parking lots and features that isolate people from the surroundings rather than encourage them to engage. It would take some ingenuity to make it into something that would truly generate a "ski village" type feel, and I don't know that Lincoln's up to the task of doing something like that.