Vail Resorts announced Wednesday it has agreed to purchase Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania from Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc.

Vail Resorts will also acquire Hidden Valley Resort and the operations of Laurel Mountain Ski Area as part of the deal. The approximated $125 million purchase price includes the three ski areas, a hotel, conference center and other related operations.

Moving closer to cities

The acquisition follows Vail Resorts’ ongoing strategy to bring skiers from major cities into nearby mountains. In 2019, the company made a $264 million purchase of 17 resorts in the East and Midwest, many of which are situated by major metropolitan areas.

“As a company, we have been focused on acquiring resorts near major metropolitan areas as we know many skiers and riders build their passion for the sport close to home,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts, in a news release. “These great ski areas in Pennsylvania are a perfect complement to our existing resorts, creating a much stronger connection and compelling offering to our current and future guests in Pittsburgh as well as those in other critical markets such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Cleveland.”

Seven Springs is 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh and is among the largest ski resorts in Pennsylvania with 285 skiable acres and 750 vertical feet. Hidden Valley offers 110 skiable acres and 470 vertical feet, with 26 slopes and trails and two terrain parks. Laurel Mountain offers 70 skiable acres and 761 vertical feet.

“The resorts truly are a part of the fabric of this region and a critical community asset. I am extremely proud of our stewardship of Seven Springs and its sister resorts, and even more so of all the people who we have worked with side-by-side to transform them into what they are today,” said Robert Nutting, president and chief executive officer of Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc. “It has been an honor to be a part of their incredible growth for more than a decade and leave each resort a much stronger community asset than we found it.”

“Vail Resorts is a perfect successor with a proven track record of honoring the unique character of each of its resorts,” added Nutting. “…We are thrilled that the resorts will now become part of Vail Resorts’ network and are confident that Vail Resorts will continue to invest in what makes these resorts so special.”

Vail Resorts is acquiring all of the assets related to the mountain operations of the resorts and related base area lodging, conference center and amenities. Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Inc. will retain select neighboring operations, including Highlands Market, Sporting Clays at Seven Springs, Seven Springs Golf Course and Hidden Valley Golf Club, Highlands Resort Realty and more.

Vail Resorts will, subject to receipt of consent from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, assume the state land lease for Laurel Mountain.

The transaction is expected to close this winter, however, operations at the three resorts for the 2021-22 winter season will continue as originally planned. Vail Resorts aims to add the three resorts to select Epic Pass products for the 2022-23 ski season.

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Vail’s Lindsey Vonn, in an interview with CNN’s Christina Macfarlane in St. Moritz, Switzerland, didn’t shy away from questions about what it means to represent the U.S. on the Olympics stage and whether she would accept an invitation to the White House from President Trump.

“Well, I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president,” Vonn told Macfarlane in response to a question about how she’ll feel competing in an Olympic Games with President Trump in office.

“I take the Olympics very seriously and what they mean and what they represent, what walking under our flag means in the opening ceremony,” Vonn continued. “I want to represent our country well. I don’t think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.”

“Would you accept an invitation to the White House if you were to win Olympic gold in Pyeongchang?” Macfarlane then asked her.

“Absolutely not,” Vonn replied. “No. But I have to win to be invited. No, actually I think every U.S. team member is invited, so no, I won’t go.”

Watch the interview here

The post In CNN interview, Lindsey Vonn talks about representing US, and not Donald Trump, at Olympics appeared first on Park Record.

Each year, CPW receives scores of calls from people concerned about wildlife that they believe have been abandoned by adults. Many are tempted to “help” a young animal by picking it up or trying to feed it. However, it is critical that people understand there is no substitute for the animal’s natural parents, and handling them can ruin that critical relationship.

“Baby mammals are scentless in order to prevent predators from finding them,” Janet George, a terrestrial biologist for CPW, said through a news release. “When humans touch these animals, they are imparting them with a scent their adults will not recognize or even fear. This can result in true abandonment of healthy offspring.”

Birds are a different story in some regards because they do not have a highly developed sense of smell. In turn, they may be picked up and moved out of harm’s way or placed back in the nest if they are songbirds. Do not try this with raptors. Great-horned owls and other raptors are territorial and have been known to fly at humans seen as a threat to their young.

 CPW says that if it’s observed that young mammals have been left alone for 24 hours without the parent returning, or if the animal appears sick or weak, it is possible the newborn was abandoned. At that point, citizens are encouraged to give the nearest Parks and Wildlife organization a call, and the organization will work with its volunteer transport teams to get animals to a wildlife rehabilitation center for aid. For Summit County, the nearest regional office is in Hot Sulphur Springs, at 970-725-6200. Do not move the animal yourself.

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