SAM Magazine—Windham, N.Y., April 27, 2023—Windham Mountain ownership has secured new investment from two hospitality and resort development families that will provide growth capital for a multi-year development and renovation plan at the resort. The Beall family and Kemmons Wilson family through its investment arm Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners (KWHP) are now majority owners of Windham, providing strategic direction for the resort. The current management team will continue to run day-to-day operations.

Windham Mountain president Chip Seamans told SAM that the resort will continue to invest in the on-mountain product, which has been a focus in recent years with the installation of new detachable lifts and snowmaking upgrades, but a big emphasis moving forward will be on investing in hospitality and amenities to solidify Windham’s position as a year-round, family destination.

“[The new investors] are hospitality focused in all of their other businesses, so this is a unique partnership,” said Seamans. “They saw something special at Windham that they thought could be developed into something really special.”

Among the planned improvements are upgrades to food and beverage programs with the redevelopment of all current outlets and the addition of an Italian Alps-style sit-down restaurant concept in the mid-mountain lodge, debuting in fall 2023. “I think it's fair to say it'll be a dramatic difference in our food and beverage,” said Seamans. “We're really excited about that. I think people will notice those changes immediately this coming season.” 

The plans also include the creation of more townhomes and lots for land development, made possible, in part, by the recent acquisition of 435 acres of land to the east of the mountain; enhanced membership offerings for the existing Members Club; expanding and reinvigorating the existing golf course; and new amenities, including swimming, racket sports, family activities, and expansive outdoor all-season adventure activities. 

“Windham Mountain has remained an independent, multi-generational destination for over six decades, and the natural beauty of the town of Windham and surrounding mountains provides a fitting platform to offer great hospitality and memorable experiences, which is our passion,” said Sandy Beall, founder of Beall Investment Partners. Beall also founded the Ruby Tuesdays restaurant chain and is co-founder of luxury destinations Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts in Tennessee.

“The Wilson family and the Beall family are deeply committed to working with the same great team of current owners and senior leaders to make Windham Mountain a category-leader in the East over the next five years,” says Webb Wilson, CEO of Kemmons Wilson Companies, a single-family office known primarily as the founding enterprise behind the Holiday Inn hotel chain and Holiday Inn Club Vacations.

Over the past 15 years, Windham's board and investor group—including private equity firm North Castle Partners (which acquired Windham more than four years ago and sold its majority stake to Beal and KWHP), Cloverhill Group, and the McGuffog and Starker families—have partnered with management to drive substantial investments in the mountain experience. Those investors will remain partners in the ownership group. 

“Since partnering with Chip Seamans and the management team five years ago, Windham has 

differentiated itself on many levels, including market-leading investment in snowmaking, lifts, and the overall mountain experience,” said Chip Baird, founder and co-managing partner of North Castle Partners. “We are proud of those achievements and grateful to our investor partners, employee team and the broader Windham community for their partnership, and we look forward to the future and delivering on a truly exciting vision under the Beall and Wilson families’ leadership.” 

According to the resort, the enhancements to Windham will also introduce hundreds of local jobs as the mountain upgrades its offerings and evolves into a four-season resort destination.