Park City Councilor Bill Ciraco holds stock in Park City Mountain owner Vail Resorts through an IRA account, a brokerage statement he included as part of the required annual disclosure of potential conflicts of interest shows.

The holding was included in a broader submittal by the first-term city councilor, who was elected in November 2023. Ciraco included the December statement for the IRA account at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. in the disclosure. It is highly unusual for a Park City elected official to include a full brokerage account statement in a disclosure.

The IRA account had 250 shares of Vail Resorts as of Dec. 31. They were acquired in two transactions — a purchase of 100 shares on May 1, 2024, and a purchase of 150 shares on Sept. 9, 2025. The average share price between the two transactions was $165.44, with a combined acquisition total of $41,360.05. The value at the time the report was generated was $33,200. The value early in the week was approximately $37,000. The shares represented 4.35% of the portfolio and generated an estimated $2,220 in annual income at the end of 2025.

He described the holding as immaterial to his net worth and said the investment does not influence his decision-making as a city councilor.

Colorado-based Vail Resorts has a large footprint in the ski industry, with properties across North America and international destinations. It acquired Park City Mountain in 2014 and linked it with what was then the standalone Canyons Resort, creating the mountain resort of today.

Vail Resorts has had a strained relationship with segments of the Park City community in the decade-plus since the company arrived. There have been concerns about the management of the mountain resort, worries about the impact of lift upgrades, a high-profile strike by ski patrollers and a dispute about a since-abandoned bid by the company to secure a trademark for the name “Park City” as it applies to a mountain resort. Vail Resorts has also received praise for its philanthropy and sustainability efforts.

Ciraco said he has followed Vail Resorts since at least 2009. He worked on Wall Street at the time and recalled acquiring shares in Vail Resorts in the range of $33 per share as part of a fund he managed on behalf of clients. That tranche was sold years ago in the range of the mid-$40s per share, he said. The stock price has trended down since reaching highs in 2021.

Ciraco said Vail Resorts owns “a lot of really good assets.” He said, though, he hopes the firm operates in a better fashion than it has in recent years, contending a falling stock price is evidence of the need for that. Ciraco added he would like the guest experience at Park City Mountain to improve for the good of the community.

He noted his support for the ski patrol union during the strike, which unfolded over nearly two weeks in late 2024 and early 2025. He visited the picket line, bringing the striking ski patrollers hot chocolate and cookies. Ciraco delivered comments at a City Council meeting as the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association returned to the slopes.

His comments at that meeting included: “The patrollers union, the resort have reached an agreement. And (what I’ve) asked the people here in Park City is, like, let’s look towards resetting the narrative and starting fresh. And trying to work with both of those partners, both our workforce and the resorts, to see if we can, you know, we can turn things around and bring Park City back to where it should be and have it known for what it should be known and not for labor actions and strikes and poor corporate behavior, whether that is the case or not.”

Mayor Ryan Dickey and the other four members of the City Council said they do not hold shares of Vail Resorts.

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Vail Resorts has added a Las Vegas hotel and casino CEO to its board of directors. 

In a simultaneous press release and filing with the Security Exchange Committee, the company announced the addition of Bill Hornbuckle as the 10th member of the board. The statement came at the close of the stock market Thursday evening.

Hornbuckle has been CEO of MGM Resorts since 2020. He has lived in Las Vegas and worked at various resorts there since 1981.

According to the statement from Vail Resorts, Hornbuckle was brought on specifically to help with the Epic Experience developments. The Epic Experience, announced earlier in July, is Vail Resorts’ plan to direct company focus to guest experiences. The plan is largely aimed at changing the hospitality aspects of the resorts. 

In Thursday’s statement, Hornbuckle said he is “passionate about leveraging technology and digital innovation to elevate the guest experience.” 

Changes to digital services at Vail Resorts were referenced in the original announcement of the Epic Experience. Little detail has been given on what those updates will be or how Hornbuckle is expected to be involved in their development. 

Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz said Hornbuckle will “immediately make a substantial contribution to our efforts.” The statement referenced Hornbuckle’s expansive career in “hospitality, resort operations, marketing, strategy and large-scale integrated resort management.” 

Hornbuckle has owned a second home in Park City since at least 2013. 

When asked for details about the search for a new board member and the choice to appoint Hornbuckle, a Vail Resorts spokesperson said, “The board regularly evaluates its composition to maintain the right mix of skills, experiences and perspectives to oversee the company’s strategy and long-term value creation.” 

Hornbuckle is working with MGM Resorts to expand its brand, including betting and online gaming, into Japan. He also played a large role in bringing professional sports to Las Vegas and expanding their stadiums.

He has involvement with various nonprofits including Intermountain Health and education scholarships. He is also the chair of the U.S. Travel Association. 

Hornbuckle’s appointment to the board is effective Aug. 3.

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Vail Resorts has announced it will transform guest experiences with the Epic Experience, marking a new chapter after years building the Epic Pass model.

The publicly traded company outlined five “experience pillars” defining the new company image: gear rentals, lessons, guest engagement, food and “investments in top talent.” 

The changes will eventually roll out to all resorts, including Park City Mountain, but the exact timeline and just how this plan will be implemented are unclear. 

Vail Resorts said it recently invested $175 million in improving its frontline team. The fund contributes to staying fully staffed, selective hiring, seasonal employee retention, increasing employee hours and reducing hiring and housing pressure.

Park City Mountain Communications Manager Bailey Quinn said the initiative rests on these staffing improvements. 

“Frontline staff are very much a part of the transformation and growth of the Epic Experience,” Quinn said.

Plans for AI integration, concierge services and slopeside valet are all mentioned as part of the Epic Experience, along with investment in frontline employees.

Vail Resorts didn’t detail how it will allocate these funds across its 42 resorts and how each of these goals will be measured. 

While many aspects of the Epic Experience timeline remain vague, some changes will be readily observed at Park City Mountain this winter. 

Quinn said the most immediate changes at Park City Mountain will be to the existing My Epic app and the resort’s dining options. 

The My Epic app will connect to the ski and ride school, allowing parents to receive live updates and photos from their children’s lessons and track their progress. The app will also offer digital check-in for ski and ride school lessons. 

Other significant updates will include options to purchase and share lift tickets in the app and use mobile pay across the resort, though the resort will still be accessible through traditional physical lift tickets for those who prefer to ride analog. 

In addition to the My Epic updates, the changes to dining at Park City Mountain this winter will be easy to spot. 

Vail Resorts is planning to improve its food across all resorts with “higher quality ingredients and refined presentations,” according to Quinn, starting with the most popular menu items like burgers, pizza, fries and hot dogs.

Another key element of the Epic Experience described in the press release is a change in the gear rental system. 

Park City Mountain Senior Communications Manager John Kanaly said those changes are based on the program piloted here, so not much will be different in Park City. 

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Discussions about a package of lift upgrades Park City Mountain wants to pursue are scheduled to continue this week with an important step in the long-running process.

An appeal of a Park City Planning Commission approval of the upgrades, which was filed in late May, is slated to be heard at 10 a.m. on Thursday. The appeal will be held online.

Tim Pack, a civil trial lawyer selected through a competitive process, has been tapped as the administrative hearing officer.

Park City Mountain is seeking to replace the existing Eagle and Eaglet lifts with a six-passenger lift and install an eight-passenger lift to replace the current six-passenger Silverlode Express lift.

The Planning Commission cast a unanimous vote and received testimony from the public in broad support of the upgrades before the decision.

Six individuals — Frode Jensen, Catherine Jensen, Alan Theis, Marvin Kabatznick, Andrea Griffis and Allan Inglis — subsequently filed the appeal. They want the hearing officer to reverse the Planning Commission approvals and send the issue back to that panel with instructions to “consider and mitigate all reasonably anticipated detrimental effects and to consider all mandatory requirements.”

There have been concerns that the upgrades could lead to safety issues, as more skiers and snowboarders are attracted to the slopes. Park City Mountain disputes the contention that the upgrades could lead to safety issues.

The appeal, though, wants the Planning Commission to address the comfortable carrying capacity at the mountain resort, an industry metric measuring the size of crowds that a resort can accommodate. It wants the Planning Commission to address the “consideration of safety, downhill capacity and other detrimental effects.”

Jensen, one of the people who filed the appeal, said on Monday that he and the others challenging the approval support the lift upgrades even as they want the comfortable carrying capacity addressed.

“I think Vail Resorts and the city would be far better served if they addressed, up front and transparently, the capacity issues we have raised,” he said, referring to the Colorado-based owner of Park City Mountain.

Park City Mountain did not immediately respond to a Park Record request for availability by Deirdra Walsh, the vice president and chief operating officer of the resort.

Walsh has previously expressed confidence. In a June prepared statement, she said: “The Park City Planning Commission’s unanimous approval of the Eagle and Silverlode lift upgrades followed a rigorous and transparent public process that clearly demonstrated that these projects comply with all permit requirements. More than 80 community members — including Olympic athletes and industry leaders — spoke or submitted comments in support, underscoring the broad recognition that these projects will meaningfully improve the experience for skiers and riders, residents and guests. We believe that the city’s process for land use appeals will confirm that the Planning Commission reached the correct decision. We remain committed to the Park City community and to continuing to invest in improving the experience for all Park City Mountain guests.”

A link to the online hearing is available on the municipal website: parkcity.gov/government/city_council/public_meeting_listen_live.php. The direct link: us02web.zoom.us/j/87256823928.

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Vail Resorts is seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit that threatens to close two Park City Mountain ski lifts, with the company describing a Provo-based nonprofit’s claims as “unsupportable” and “without any reasonable reason.”

The ski resort filed its motion to dismiss against UI Charitable Advisors last week. The nonprofit, which describes itself online as a “philanthropic advisory firm,” sued Vail Resorts in February. The complaint centered on one parcel of land in The Colony at White Pine Canyon, a 4,600-acre residential community with direct ski-in access, near the Canyons Village side of the ski resort.

The nonprofit said it purchased the parcel, which houses portions of the Timberline and Iron Mountain Express ski lifts, in December 2024. UI Charitable Advisors in its lawsuit alleged Vail Resorts does not have permission to operate the two lifts on its property because easement rights were never legally transferred to the ski resort when it acquired Park City Mountain.

However, Vail Resorts said UI Charitable Advisors made an “unsupportable claim that a ski resort that has been operating … for nearly two decades, and for many years before Parcel B even existed as a legal parcel, suddenly has no right to do so.”

The company also said the two ski lifts and their nearby ski runs were “critical to the functioning of a ski area that benefits the entire surrounding community.”

Vail Resorts pointed to an easement agreement filed with the Summit County Recorder in June 2003, which gave the resort the right to operate lifts and runs on the property. The easement covered most of the parcel in question, according to court documents.

The motion to dismiss said the transfer of property to UI Charitable Advisors in 2024 did not rid the parcel of the 2003 easement agreement and that the nonprofit had been aware of the ski resort’s operations when it accepted the title.

Vail Resorts said UI Charitable Advisors’ claims to the parcel were “predicated upon an erroneous legal argument” that the easement had been modified by a new map in 2010. But the motion to dismiss said the easement is “repeatedly” depicted on the map and that an easement still cannot be modified without a written agreement.

“The harm that (Vail Resorts) would suffer far outweighs the alleged harm to (UI Charitable Advisors),” the motion said. “The harm suffered by (Vail Resorts) would be severe, affecting not only the resort, but its employees, its guests and the surrounding community. When properly weighed, the harm far outweighs (UI Charitable Advisors’) unsupported allegations of injury.”

The motion additionally said the damage to Vail Resorts would be “immediate” without the possibility of “later remediation” because of how dramatically closing the two lifts would affect its operations.

“The resort employs a substantial seasonal workforce, including lift operators, ski patrollers, instructors, hospitality staff and maintenance personnel,” the motion said. “The Colony HOA and its members would be directly impacted as their ability to use the ski runs within the HOA would be curtailed if not terminated, and the loss of an operating ski resort within the HOA community would directly impact the owners’ property values.”

The document also mentioned the effect on local businesses, including restaurants, hotels and transportation providers.

“The potential disruption to the regional economy and the public’s reliance on winter recreation weighs strongly against the issuance of an injunction,” the motion said.

Vail Resorts concluded by requesting Summit County Third District Judge Richard Mrazik dismiss UI Charitable Advisors’ lawsuit in addition to awarding attorney’s fees and costs.

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The Prospector resident tapped for a seat on the Park City Planning Commission is an attorney who has long represented Park City Mountain in personal-injury cases.

Adam Strachan is the owner of a law firm based in Prospector that has for decades defended Park City Mountain and other clients in the ski industry. He is a former member of the Planning Commission, serving for nearly a decade before retiring from the panel in early 2018. Mayor Ryan Dickey appointed Strachan this week after a midterm vacancy was created with the resignation of Bill Johnson. The term ends in July of 2028.

The Planning Commission in late March started its discussions about a package of lift improvements sought by Park City Mountain. It was essentially an introductory meeting, with more detailed talks about the improvements slated to occur at future meetings. Strachan will have taken the seat on the Planning Commission by then.

Strachan in an interview said he does not represent Park City Mountain or resort owner Vail Resorts in capacities other than personal-injury cases.

He said he will receive standard training in legal matters from the municipal government’s attorneys as he returns to the Planning Commission. Strachan said he will decide whether to recuse himself from certain Planning Commission matters on a case-by-case basis and in consultation with municipal attorneys. He said it is unclear whether a recusal will be necessary regarding the Park City Mountain lift improvements, explaining he must first research conflict-of-interest rules, review the submittal for the lift improvements and speak to the municipal legal team.

Park City Mountain wants to replace three lifts. It is seeking to build a six-passenger lift as a replacement for two existing ones — Eagle and Eaglet. The resort also wants to put in an eight-passenger lift as an upgrade to the Silverlode Express, which currently carries six passengers.

Park City Mountain sees the upgrades as a measure that would assist with better managing the crowds on the slopes. The resort has argued that access to the Park City side of the terrain would be improved.

Strachan in 2022, as a private citizen, testified in support of the Park City Mountain lift upgrades during a previous process that was ultimately unsuccessful for the resort. His comments that summer were made to the Planning Commission and included praise for Park City Mountain for what he said was “over-mitigating” key topics like parking.

The mayor’s appointment of Strachan followed a different process than is typical for members of the Planning Commission. Dickey was able to make the appointment without a recruitment since the person selected would join the Planning Commission in the middle of a term. The municipal government in other cases holds a recruitment to choose planning commissioners, and a recruitment is currently underway for two other seats on the Planning Commission.

Strachan said the mayor contacted him several weeks before the appointment inquiring about his interest in serving again. Strachan said he is friends with the recently resigned Johnson and that their relationship influenced his decision to return. He said the commitment to a partial term rather than a full, four-year term was also a factor.

“It’s just not something I would say ‘no’ to,” he said about his talks with the mayor. “It’s a pretty big request.”

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A property rights dispute between Vail Resorts and a nonprofit organization in Provo could lead to the closure of two Park City Mountain ski lifts.

UI Charitable Advisors, which describes itself online as a “philanthropic advisory firm,” filed a lawsuit in Summit County’s Third District Court in early February. The complaint centers on one parcel of land in The Colony at White Pine Canyon, a 4,600-acre residential community with direct ski-in access, near the Canyons Village side of the ski resort.

The nonprofit said it purchased the parcel, which houses portions of the Timberline and Iron Mountain Express ski lifts, in December 2024. The resort was initially granted easement rights on the parcel in 2003, but a later agreement reportedly “redefined and limited those rights to exclude ski lift operations.”

The lawsuit said UI Charitable Advisors attempted to resolve the issue with Vail Resorts privately, but the company claimed it had the right to operate on the land.

“We are confident in our longstanding and long-term easement rights underlying our ski operations throughout The Colony, including on the parcel in question in this recent filing,” said Deirdre Walsh, vice president and chief operating officer of Park City Mountain.

The complaint also stated that a previous agreement allowed ski runs to be installed on the property, but those easement rights were never legally transferred to Vail Resorts when it acquired Park City Mountain. As a result, the company has allegedly been operating both ski runs and ski lifts on UI Charitable Advisors’ land without permission.

“Despite having no right to do so, (Park City Mountain) continues to operate the Timberline and Iron Mountain Express ski lifts, maintain infrastructure, facilitate public use for skiing and assert unauthorized control over ski runs, trails and roads,” the lawsuit said. “Defendants’ conduct exceeds the scope of any easement, constitutes ongoing trespass and unjustly enriches them by enhancing resort connectivity, increasing revenues and reaping operational benefits — all at UI’s expense and without compensation.”

UI Charitable Advisors in the lawsuit said Vail Resorts’ actions are comparable to trespassing violations.

Specifically, Vail Resorts operates the Cascade ski run on the outskirts of the parcel in question, and employees often use a road on the property that runs alongside the ski run “without any legal authorization to do so,” the complaint said.

“Each such unauthorized entry is a separate act of trespass, causing ongoing harm to UI, including but not limited to diminished property value, interference with potential development or conservation efforts and the imposition of unwanted liability and maintenance burdens,” the lawsuit said.

The complaint additionally decried the “substantial economic benefits” Vail Resorts has enjoyed through its use of UI Charitable Advisors’ property, “including enhanced connectivity and appeal of the Park City resort, increased ticket sales, higher real estate values in adjacent areas and overall operational efficiencies.”

The lawsuit claimed those economic benefits have come at the expense of UI Charitable Advisors, which has not received any compensation for the use of its property. It further alleged it would be “inequitable” for Vail Resorts to continue benefitting from the land, “as such retention constitutes unjust enrichment.”

“UI has received no value or consideration for these benefits, and Defendants’ actions have directly impoverished UI by depriving it of control over its own property and the potential economic opportunities therein,” the court document said.

UI Charitable Advisors requested Summit County Third District Judge Richard Mrazik declare Vail Resorts is limited to skiing and snowboarding easements on the land, but that “no right, title or interest” exists regarding the company’s ability to build or operate ski lifts.

The nonprofit also asked for a ruling regarding the location of the Cascade ski run and whether it infringes on the property because Vail Resorts did not obtain the required easement rights.

The lawsuit concluded by demanding a permanent injunction to prevent Vail Resorts and its customers from recreating on the parcel, which would effectively shut down operations of the Timberline and Iron Mountain Express lifts, as well as compensatory damages to be determined during a future jury trial.

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Park City has reached the end of a year that was notable across the community, from the two mountain resorts to land on the outskirts of the city. And from the Sundance Film Festival to Election Day.

Decisions made in 2025 will have implications for decades to come.

The Park Record’s Top 5 news items in Park City in 2025:

1. A Sundance set change

Park City for more than 40 years was at the forefront of independent filmmaking.

Filmmakers, studio executives and film lovers would trek to the city each January for the Sundance Film Festival, bringing Hollywood to the mountains.

But festival organizers in the late spring opted for a set change that will reverberate through Park City for years.

The agreement between City Hall and Sundance expires after the 2026 festival, and Sundance saw an opportunity to consider the long-term future of the festival. Sundance chose to consider proposals from across the country from places interested in becoming the host of the top marketplace of independent films in the U.S. and one of the elite festivals on the international circuit.

Park City leaders, realizing the community may have become too limiting for such a large festival, teamed with Salt Lake City to craft a bid that envisioned a buzzing opening weekend in Park City followed by a move of much of the rest of the event to the capital city.

The combined bid advanced to a final round before Sundance in March selected Boulder, Colorado, as the future host, starting with the 2027 festival. The decision will impact the tourism industry with Sundance being the most lucrative event on Park City’s calendar as well as the community’s loyal film fans, who long enjoyed being among the first to see the best independent work.

“For over 40 years, we weren’t just the host of the Sundance Film Festival — Park City was part of the beating heart of the independent spirit that made it such a success. While I am deeply disappointed, I’m grateful for the legacy we built together,” Park City Mayor Nann Worel said after the Sundance announcement.

Months afterward, in September, Sundance founder Robert Redford died, making the upcoming festival in January the first without him and the last in Park City.

2. Patroller picket line

The skiing and snowboarding experience involves picking a line.

Not, typically, a picket line.

Long-running contract talks between Park City Mountain owner Vail Resorts and the union that represents the resort’s ski patrollers were unable to prevent a strike lasting 13 days that started in late 2024 and extended into the early days of 2025.

The labor action disrupted operations during what is typically a busy stretch during the holidays. The resort struggled to open terrain with the crowds arriving and with the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association picketing at locations close to the slopes.

Frustration mounted across the community. Many Park City skiers and snowboarders, and those visiting for the holidays, were livid with the situation at the resort. News and images were widely broadcast, leading to concern about damage to the wider brand of Park City as a top-tier mountain destination. City Hall was worried, too, with Park City leaders, behind the scenes, crafting a statement that Mayor Nann Worel would issue in the first week of January regarding the strike.

The talks ultimately yielded a new contract for the union, ratified in early January, that included much of what had been sought by the ski patrollers. The points included a pay increase and a better benefit package.

“The union is also thankful for the ongoing support from the community, both in Park City and nationwide, which has played an integral role in achieving this resolution and supporting our membership on the picket line over the past 13 days,” the leadership of the union said after the agreement was reached.

3. Every vote counts

The Park City election season started long before any candidate could formalize a campaign.

And it did not end until nearly three weeks after Election Day.

The City Hall election in 2025 was tense from the start. Mayor Nann Worel in the spring announced she would not seek reelection, a political bombshell delivered during the State of the City address. There was then an early dust up even about the mechanics of the election, as the Park City Council agreed to a balloting method known as ranked-choice voting only to rescind the decision shortly afterward and return to the traditional voting.

The mayoral campaign overshadowed the contest for two seats on the City Council. Ryan Dickey, a member of the City Council, and Marsac Building outsider Jack Rubin competed for Park City’s top political office. Dickey was seen as the establishment candidate and campaigned on a platform influenced by the current City Hall agenda. Rubin countered with questions about the work of the municipal government.

The contest was not settled on Election Day. The results were razor thin between the two, with Dickey holding a lead of just a few votes when the ballots were tallied. The margin was close enough to allow a recount. The results of the recount favored Dickey by just seven votes.

“I’m honored by the trust Park City has placed in me and am ready to get to work with our new council, bringing positive leadership to move Park City forward,” Dickey said after the results were finalized. 

The two City Council seats on the ballot went to incumbent Tana Toly, who earned a record number of votes for her position, and nonprofit executive Diego Zegarra. Voters declined to send incumbent City Councilor Jeremy Rubell back to the Marsac Building for a second term.

The three winners will be sworn into office in early January for four-year terms ending in early 2030.

4. Ranch land

Ranch land could someday become a housing project involving City Hall.

At least some of it.

A development dispute unfolded through 2025 that pitted the municipal government against critics of a concept to develop 10 to 15 acres of Clark Ranch, a 344-acre tract mostly earmarked for open space that straddles U.S. 40 just south of the S.R. 248 entryway. It became even more intriguing with City Hall itself, along with a development partner, pursuing an affordable housing development as leaders attempt to create options for those otherwise priced out of Park City’s resort-driven real estate and rental markets.

The designs have involved 200 units of housing, including a large bloc of rental apartments for those who qualify via their incomes.

Critics, particularly those living in the nearby Park City Heights neighborhood, rallied against the concept as they expressed concerns about topics like the cost of construction, traffic increases and the impact on open space even with most of the Clark Ranch land not included in any development concept. A group called Keep Clark Ranch Wild formed during the fall election season to press the issues.

The Park City Planning Commission in October addressed the Clark Ranch concept, signaling unease as panelists touched on whether a project would be compatible with the surroundings and the amount of development that is contemplated.

The concept eventually became a notable issue in the City Hall election. Park City leaders late in the year approved the permanent protection of most of the Clark Ranch acreage as open space. About 10 acres, though, remain a possible development site, and Clark Ranch talks could continue in 2026.

“The project would add an estimated 2,000 daily car trips to S.R. 248 and Richardson Flat, both of which already back up during non-peak days and times,” Keep Clark Ranch Wild has argued.

5. Snow Park step

There are development rights attached to the land underlying the Snow Park parking lots at Deer Valley Resort dating to the 1970s.

Deer Valley, decades later, is pursuing those rights and took important steps through the course of 2025 in the direction of a major development that would reshape the Snow Park base. Although the details of a project remain to be decided, the resort won a key approval in February from the Park City Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission unanimously supported the first phase of the work — essentially the infrastructure that the overall project will require. The approval included a large garage, an underground transit center and various improvements to roads and utilities. The garage will eventually provide the parking for Snow Park as the existing lots are developed.

The elements covered in the approval will lay the groundwork for residential and commercial development that will be considered later. It was nonetheless among the most notable votes cast by the Planning Commission in recent years.

“I think it’s part of the original vision of what Deer Valley wanted to be, which was to have the world-class base area at Snow Park. And so this is something that was contemplated back in 1979 when the resort was formed. … We’re making progress to start to realize that vision,” Todd Bennett, the president and chief operating officer at Deer Valley, said after the vote.

In November, the Park City Council approved a public-private partnership between the municipal government and Deer Valley detailing the desire to cooperate on transportation infrastructure.

The post Top 5 stories in 2025 in Park City: Sundance departure, patroller picket line and close election appeared first on Park Record.

Matthew Prince, the Old Town resident who recently acquired the holdings at the base of the Town Lift, has publicly signaled his interest in acquiring Park City Mountain from Vail Resorts.

The publicly traded Colorado-based owner, though, has said it is not interested in a transaction.

“We are proud to be a part of this community and are committed to supporting the people, businesses and spirit that make it so special,” said John Kanaly, senior manager of communications for Park City Mountain. “With that said, (CEO) Rob Katz made it very clear that Park City Mountain is not for sale in his remarks during our fiscal 2025 third quarter results in June. That remains true today and will continue to be the case.” 

Prince, the multibillionaire co-founder and CEO of tech firm Cloudflare, in an interview described the publicly traded Vail Resorts as having “some real, just fundamental problems.” Prince sees one being “their model of owning the underlying assets … and then selling passes against it” as compared to another major player in the ski industry with a presence in Park City, Alterra Mountain Company.

He elaborated later: “There are two models in the ski industry, the Alterra/Ikon Pass model and the Vail/Epic Pass model. Alterra allows local ownership of the underlying resorts where the Ikon Pass works, like Snowbasin, Alta and Snowbird. Vail almost exclusively owns the underlying resorts and manages them remotely. The Alterra model is better than the Vail model both in terms of the experience at resorts and as a business.”

Prince’s statements were made in the context of his public comments about his interest in acquiring Park City Mountain.

“Vail is about a between $5 (billion) and $6 billion company. The underlying assets that Vail has, if they just turned around and sold them, would be worth way more than what Vail’s market cap is. And so that inherently means that something in terms of asset allocation has gone way off the rails,” Prince said.

That sort of scenario, he said, has attracted interest from investors who may have different ideas about how the firm could be managed. Prince holds zero shares of Vail Resorts.

“I think that when you have a public company … where their underlying assets are worth more than the (market capitalization of the company), that creates a lot of incentive for activist investors to come in and say, we’ll take a position to do that. Now, I’m not … in that business, but I’ve certainly talked to a lot of activist investors who are circling around Vail,” he said.

Should an opportunity arise via a move by an activist investor regarding Vail Resorts, Prince said, he is prepared to acquire Park City Mountain. He said he is confident he could finance an acquisition of Park City Mountain in a short time.

“I’ve said, here’s the deal: If (an activist investor) were to take a position in Vail, I can, we can, very quickly find a way (for them) to get cash out of that by I’ll buy the mountain,” he said.

He likened the situation at Vail Resorts to a firm with holdings in gold.

“If you had a company and it had, you know, a safe full of gold bars that were worth $20 billion, but the company was being back valued at $5 billion, at some point, someone comes in and says, ‘Well, we’re going to shut down everything else, and we’re just going to sell the gold bars,’ … and it’s a better business,” he said.

Prince added in regard to Vail Resorts: “The underlying assets are worth more than … it’s trading for. And so again, you can, you just … imagine a world in which they said, OK, we’re going to go out and we’re going to sell Park City to me, or whoever the highest bidder is. You could sell Whistler/Blackcomb. You could sell Vail itself. You could sell, you know, all of their different pieces. They would have more than $5 billion in assets from that, and they could still have an Epic Pass.”

If Prince were to someday acquire Park City Mountain, he would “operate the mountain in a way that, again, is very much focused on how do we serve the local community and make this the world-class mountain that it should be, as opposed to, you know, what we have now, where you got a lift like Silverlode. It was installed the same year that I was a ski instructor here, which was a long time ago. It is way past its useful life. If Silverlode breaks down, the entire mountain breaks down. … The mountain needs investment. It’s really tough to do that if you’re a big public company.”

Park City Mountain in 2022 sought to upgrade the Silverlode Express lift, and had acquired the equipment, before the approval process was overturned by the Park City Planning Commission, sending the case to court. The lift has not been upgraded to date.

Vail Resorts acquired Park City Mountain in 2014 from Powdr Corp. in a $182.5 million deal that ended a bitterly contested lawsuit centered on a lease of the terrain underlying much of the Park City side of the resort. Vail Resorts shortly afterward linked Park City Mountain with what was at the time a separate property called Canyons Resort, creating the sprawling resort that now exists. The relationship between Vail Resorts and the Park City community has been strained at times in the 11 years since the acquisition, with issues including a trademark controversy, crowd management on the slopes, parking and a strike last holiday season by the resort’s ski patrol.

In the quarterly earnings call in June, CEO Rob Katz said the company didn’t believe selling Park City Mountain was in the long-term interests of Vail Resorts.

“We think … especially a resort like Park City, of course, is critical to our overall company and our network,” he said. “And yes, we think it’s incumbent upon us to continue to listen to the feedback from our guests, from our community partners, and continue to drive improvement, both in the way that we deliver an experience for our guests, the way that we deliver for our employees and the way that we deliver for our community members.”

Prince co-owns The Park Record with his wife, Tatiana Prince.

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Winter is coming to Park City. 

Park City Mountain announced Wednesday it’s targeting a Nov. 21 opening day, kicking off the ski season almost a week before Thanksgiving.

“The Friday before Thanksgiving is historically our target. For as long as most of us can remember, that has been our goal,” said Vice President of Mountain Operations Mike Lewis. “Our experience tells us that by that time, snowmaking and natural snowfall typically allow us to deliver a reliable, high-quality early season experience for our guests.”

Opening day is the product of year-round planning. It’s a careful balance of snowmaking, lift readiness, staffing and weather, said Lewis.

“Mother Nature always plays a role, and when she cooperates, we take full advantage by getting our snowmaking going as early as possible,” Lewis said. “Snowmaking is critical not only for opening day but also for building a strong base all the way through to closing day. From the very beginning, we are already thinking about how to deliver a long and memorable season.”

From the first blast of the snow guns, the Park City Mountains operations team is already thinking months ahead, laying down a base built to last through the spring and planning terrain rollouts that will keep the mountain expanding steadily through the holidays. Priority goes to beginner terrain, like First Time Lift area, as well as critical mountain-wide connector trails, such as Homerun, along with key lifts like Saddleback and Tombstone that anchor early-season skiing.

“Our snowmaking team is strategic about where to start. We think about the mountain from top to bottom, side to side and across terrain types to make sure the right pieces come together,” Lewis said. 

Another early-season goal is to connect the resort’s Canyons Village and Mountain Village terrain by Christmas, a process that relies heavily on targeted snowmaking to ensure consistent coverage across critical terrain. Sometimes, that strategy means being patient. Lewis said the team will occasionally hold off opening a lift by a day if conditions are lining up to add an extra run and create a better overall experience.

“It’s a balance, especially at the largest resort in the country, and our team is incredible at managing the changing dynamics and putting out a strong product,” he said.

Park City Mountain operates the largest snowmaking system in Utah, according to Lewis. That technology has allowed for a consistent opening window regardless of natural snowfall, making it a critical component to a successful start to the ski season each year.

“Snowmaking plays a huge role in making sure we are ready to deliver an amazing opening day,” said Lewis. “That means when temperatures and conditions line up, we can create high-quality snow surfaces even if natural snowfall has been light.”

The resort replaced almost 1,400 feet and added 700 new feet of snowmaking pipe this summer. Crews also did substantial work in the 3 Kings Terrain Park by building in the base for certain features with dirt, reducing the need for snowmaking there and freeing up resources for other parts of the mountain.

“The reality is that the puzzle pieces that get us ready for opening day start being assembled almost as soon as the lifts stop turning from the previous season,” said Lewis.

This year’s work included cable splices on four lifts, a full haul rope replacement on the Quicksilver Gondola, bullwheel bearing replacements and safety testing across the resort’s 41 lift fleet. 

Park City Mountain will debut the Sunrise Gondola, offering another point of access to the upper mountain from Canyons Village this year. 

“It may still feel like summer in Park City right now, but our team is dialed in and focused on creating a fun, exciting and memorable winter,” Lewis said. “Every detail we take care of in the summer and fall, and the critical days once snowmaking becomes feasible, means that when the first chair leaves the base, our guests are stepping into a season that is set up for success from day one.”

Only two other Utah resorts have announced opening dates so far, with the early-season rivalry for Utah’s longest ski season once again coming down to Brian Head and Solitude. Brian Head is targeting Nov. 7 this year, while Solitude plans to open on Nov. 14.

That competition has become something of a tradition. Last season, both resorts opened on November 8, though Solitude squeaked ahead into the record books by spinning its lifts at 9 a.m., an hour ahead of Brian Head, technically claiming the title of Utah’s first resort to open for the 2024-25 ski season.

Deer Valley Resort has not yet announced its official opening date for this winter. 

“We’ve historically always opened the first Saturday in December. However, the last two seasons, we pushed the date up by a week or so and announced the change in early/mid November based on early-season conditions, natural snowfall and snowmaking progress. At this time, our opening date is not set for the 25-26 season,” said Emily Summers, director of communications at Deer Valley. 

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center is currently forecasting neutral ENSO conditions this fall, with a weak La Niña possibly forming in early winter before fading back to neutral in the spring. Neutral or weak La Niña winters in Utah have brought mixed outcomes in years past, with some seeing abundant snowfall, while others rolled in with lean starts.

“We are always analyzing weather trends, including snowmaking windows, so we can be out front in knowing when each piece needs to be put into place,” said Lewis. “Our goal for opening is to ignite excitement for a new season full of boundless skiing and riding opportunities and to ensure that everyone who comes to Park City Mountain has an experience where they feel like they belong.”

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