Ski resorts across the state are gearing up for the winter ski and riding season. But many resorts have seen a pleasant uptick in summer and fall business thanks to recent multi-million dollar investments in lodging and non-skiing activities.
Killington resident Jim Grimm and his stepdaughter KarenMeierdierckswalk their mountain bikes to the chair lift at the base of Snow Shed Lodge at.
Longtime skiers, they say new trails and a larger fleet of rental bikes have made the resort much more inviting to beginner and intermediate cyclists like themselves. 鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome,鈥� says Grimm. "They鈥檙e bringing in a lot more people. I know this summer, before the kids went back to school, this place was jamming every day, right?鈥� he asked his step-daughter.
鈥淵up,鈥� she answered. 鈥淓ven during the week.鈥�
Killington spent more than $3.5 million this year on non-ski attractions like the expanded, lower level mountain bike trails, a new $2 million roller coaster, a multi-level ropes course and a high-speed zip line.
Mendon resident Ted Manning loves it and says he can now mountain bike at the resort with his 6-year-old son. 鈥淥h, it鈥檚 been phenomenal. The difference between five years ago and now is night and day," he says. "There's much more of an attraction now for a huge variety of riders.And for the resort, I can only image that it evens out their visitor base throughout the summer.鈥�
Killington spokesperson Michael Joseph says it鈥檚 starting to. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been tremendous,鈥� he says. 鈥淪ummer operations, which is the mountain biking, the coaster and other activities, is up over 130 percent over levels last year. And that was growth we were expecting, from the size of the investment.鈥�
Joseph says even after additional wages and other costs are factored in, revenues are up over 30 percent from last summer.
And it鈥檚 not justKillington. ParkerRiehle, President of , the state鈥檚 largest ski industry trade association, says resorts across the state have been investing big in recent years in off-season attractions.
鈥淲e鈥檙e finding, and Killington has found, as has Stowe and Jay [Peak] and others, that those new amenities 鈥� the new mountain coaster at Okemo for example 鈥� those are real draws for the market to come on up to Vermont and take a vacation in the summer time,鈥� says Riehle. 鈥淲hich is a great use of the mountain infrastructure when it鈥檚 not snowing out.鈥�
鈥淛ay Peak is a great example,鈥� saysRiehle. 鈥淭hey are booking three to five weddings a weekend through Columbus Day weekend. I think they鈥檒l top nearly 100 weddings for the summer time season. It鈥檚 just incredible and other resorts around the state are really ramping into the wedding business as well.鈥�
Riehle says the ripple effects of that benefit the entire state. He points out that the revenue from Vermont鈥檚 sales tax this summer was up 4 percent over last year and revenue from the state鈥檚 rooms and meals tax for June, July and August was up 6 percent.
Back in Killington, Christine Torrey, President of , stands between a rack of ski jackets and a row of mountain bikes.
Torrey says local restaurants have already seen an off-season boost in business thanks to the new traffic at the mountain. For stores like hers she thinks it may take a bit longer for the trickle down. But she鈥檚 optimistic. 鈥淚 think the next three to five years our business is going to see a significant growth,鈥� says Torrey. 鈥淲e鈥檙e extremely happy.鈥�
So are second homeowners, she says, who now have more reasons to drive up to Killington year round.
Copyright 2015
