All the big news is coming out of Utah lately, especially since this week Vail Resorts announced huge plans to spend $50 million to connect Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort. Now, more details have emerged about Deer Valley Resort's goal to build a gondola linking the ski slopes with Park City's Main Street. The gondola is part of the resort's $60 million master plan to add 1,000 acres of ski terrain and five or six new lifts over the next few years. The Park Record has info on two possible plans for the town gondola, so let's take a look.
Bob Wheaton, president and general manager of Deer Valley, has said that two alignments are being seriously considered for the Deer Valley-Main Street connection.
The first option uses two gondolas, one to replace the four-person Silver Lake Express chairlift, and another that would run from Park City's Old Town transit center to a location at the top of the Lucky Bill ski run.
A second option would only use one gondola, and would run a direct route between the Old Town transit center and Silver Lake Village.
And one of Park City's most expensive listings, the Huntsman estate, could be a factor in building the gondola. The massive 22,000-square-foot home (which at one time was asking $50 million) is located on acreage that occupy an important location on the gondola route. Can you say development potential? Wheaton also told the Park Record that either gondola alignments could be redesigned to include the Huntsman estate.
Wheaton will address Mayor Jack Thomas and the Park City Council tonight to discuss Deer Valley's plans. If approved, construction could start as early as the summer of 2016 and the ski area is already in talks with Doppelmayr Group about manufacturing.
· Deer Valley to Main Street: one gondola or two gondolas? [Park Record]
· $60M Deer Valley Plan Will Add 1,000 Acres & Gondola [Curbed Ski]
· Deer Valley Buys Solitude Mountain Resort [Curbed Ski]
·How Big is Utah's Plan for a Euro-Style Ski Resort? [Curbed Ski]
· 68% Want to Combine 7 of Utah's Ski Areas [Curbed Ski]
· Vail Will Spend $50 Million to Create Biggest Ski Area in USA [Curbed Ski]