SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 17, 2014—Park City Mountain Resort and Talisker/Vail Resorts appear to be far apart on the value of the mountain underlying much of PCMR’s terrain. PCMR said that the appropriate rent for the 3,000 acre should be between $226,000 and $1 million a year, according to a report at Forbes.com. PCMR also said that Talisker, before it turned the lease administration over to VR, was seeking $7.7 million per year, according to Forbes.com. It is not known what rent VR, which has assumed responsibility for managing the leased land, is asking.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 15, 2014—Today, on the day their mediation effort was to end, Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and Talisker Land Holdings asked Third District Court judge Ryan Harris to extend the mediation deadline by nine days. The request to judge Harris was made in the form of a joint letter from the lead attorneys for both sides, Alan Sullivan for PCMR and John Lund for Talisker.

SAM Magazine—Banff, Alberta, Aug. 14, 2014—The Mountain Collective has added Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine to its roster for the 2014-15 winter season. The Canadian group joins Alta/Snowbird, Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows and Whistler Blackcomb.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Aug. 13, 2014—With an Aug. 15 mediation deadline fast approaching, and no sign of movement in negotiations, Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) has offered to pay rent equal to “greater than fair market value” for 2011-15, in return for a ceasefire in landlord Talisker’s efforts to evict PCMR until next spring. However, PCMR did not divulge what its proposed rent amount might be.

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., Aug. 13, 2014—Organizers of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM) and the Bring a Friend initiative (BAF) are introducing an updated toolkit for industry partners to use this fall and winter, and encouraging greater collaboration across the industry to bolster the recruitment effort. The program aims to increase participation over last year’s 100,000 newcomers.

SAM Magazine—Flagstaff, Ariz., Aug. 13, 2014—Arizona Snowbowl will have access to reclaimed wastewater for snowmaking for the next 20 years now that the city of Flagstaff has approved an extension of Snowbowl’s agreement with the city.

Snowbowl had requested the extension to ensure its water supply before the resort borrowed and invested in additional snowmaking and other improvements.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, July 30, 2014—The ongoing maneuvering by the two sides in the PCMR lease dispute has left the Park City community unsettled. The resort is the major economic engine for the town, and the status of the resort for the coming season remains uncertain. Legal proceedings currently underway may not conclude before the season arrives, prompting community leaders to urge the two sides to publicly guarantee the resort will operate.

SAM Magazine—Copper Mountain, Colo., July 29, 2014—In step with the trend toward multi-area pass privileges, Copper Mountain is sweetening its 2014-15 season pass deals, offering passholders three free days at Taos, N.M., and free skiing at Grand Targhee with a purchase of accommodations through Grand Targhee Lodging.

SAM Magazine—Hancock, Mass., July 22, 2014—A year ago, Killington and Elan surprised the resort industry by offering free skis to beginners who completed a multi-day learning program. Now, the Fairbank Group’s Bromley, Vt., and Cranmore, N.H., are following suit.

The two, along with Group mate Jiminy Peak, Mass., are also offering free terrain-based learning days on three dates this winter.

SAM Magazine--July 22, 2014--A British Columbia Supreme Court ruled in favor of a sale of Mount Baldy in a foreclosure case brought by a secured creditor. G-Force Real Estate Inc., is the marketing agent and has received a conduct of sale to sell substantially all of the assets of Mount Baldy Ski Corporation and related companies.

SAM Magazine—Los Angeles, July 17, 2014—U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) Olympic snowboard slopestyle gold medalists Jamie Anderson and Sage Kotsenburg won three 2014 ESPY Awards last night. Anderson was named Best Female Action Sports Athlete and Best Female U.S. Olympian, while Kotsenburg was chosen as Best Male U.S. Olympian.

SAM Magazine—Denver, July 16, 2014—Occupancy and revenue for the month of June rose compared to year-ago levels, up 9 and 14 percent, respectively, according to DestiMetrics. This marks the 13th year-over-year monthly increase in occupancy during the past 14 months; revenues have risen year-over-year for 14 months.

DestiMetrics data come from a sample of approximately 290 property management companies in 19 mountain destination communities across Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Oregon and Wyoming.

SAM Magazine—Concord, N.H., July 12, 2014 (updated July 16, 2014)—After a seven-year court battle, on Friday a state judge agreed with the operators of Mount Sunapee Resort that its leasehold boundary is the same as the state park’s north and west boundaries, as the resort has claimed. Sunapee can now consider terrain expansion options within this 175-acre portion of its leasehold and on 656 acres of adjacent land owned by the resort.

SAM Magazine--Los Alamos, N.M., July 11, 2014--The Los Alamos Ski Club announced that a 2/3 majority of voting members approved the transfer of Pajarito Mountain Ski Area to Los Alamos County and the management group that operates Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort. The partnership will ensure the future of skiing and year-round recreational activities at Pajarito, said outgoing Los Alamos Ski Club president Philip Rae. Sipapu is located 70 miles east of Pajarito.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, July 11, 2014—Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) took the first step on Thursday in appealing the district court’s ruling on PCMR’s eviction from land owned by Talisker, filing a notice of appeal that the resort wishes to take the case to the Utah Supreme Court.

In a prepared statement, PCMR attorney Alan Sullivan termed the notice of appeal a “precautionary measure taken to protect PCMR’s appellate rights” in case the upcoming mediation effort fails to resolve the land dispute.

SAM Magazine—Price Township, Pa., July 11, 2014—Alpine Mountain is offering a $10,000 reward after thieves hit the ski resort repeatedly over the past two weeks, taking nearly a mile’s worth of heavy-gauge copper wire. The thefts have slowed, but not deterred, new owners’ efforts to renovate the area ahead of the 2014-15 season.

SAM Magazine--Lakewood, Colo., July 11, 2014--The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced that beginning in September 2014, ski resorts, companies, and brands will have the ability to reserve unique domain names that end in .SKI. NSAA, along with FIS and USSA, have been working in conjunction with the .SKI registry operators on the unique Internet domain extension program that caters directly to the industry.

SAM Magazine--Albany, N.Y., July 10, 2014--The New York State comptroller's office released an audit this week of the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) that found some serious flaws and made some key recommendations. ORDA oversees the operation of Whiteface, Gore and, more recently, Belleayre. The audit spanned from April 2010 to September 26, 2013. Here were the key findings:

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, July 10, 2014—As the lawsuit between Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and Talisker Land Holdings heads toward two key August dates, the two sides have agreed to a series of steps aimed at resolving the case—or to deal with a failed effort at agreement.

Talisker attorneys have submitted a timeline for several of these steps, and PCMR agreed to them. Most of the timeline precedes the Aug. 15 mediation and a subsequent hearing scheduled for Aug. 27.

The steps outlined in the filing include:

SAM Magazine—Butler, Ohio, July 7, 2014—The main creditor for Clear Fork Resort here has begun foreclosure proceedings against the area. However, general operations manager Kelly Donaldson told SAM that the filing is only part of a broader effort to reorganize and consolidate the ownership group, Slater Run Land Development LLC, and that the resort continues to operate on a business-as-usual basis.

SAM Magazine--Tupper Lake, N.Y., July 5, 2014--After nearly 10 years, a ruling made by the appellate division of New York's Supreme Court on July 3 paves the way for the development of the Adirondack Club and Resort in Tupper Lake. Several environmental groups, including Protect the Adirondacks, the Sierra Club and some local landowners, filed a suit in early 2012 objecting to permits given to developers by the Adirondack Park Agency (APA).

SAM Magazine--June 30, 2014--Registration for SAM's 5th Annual Summer Ops Camp is officially open. The camp, which will take place at Vail Mountain, Colo., September 3-5, will explore the many benefits of the growing opportunities in summer recreation in the mountains.

SAM Magazine—Bessemer, Mich., June 23, 2014—The following news was just released on Blackjack's Facebook page: Blackjack LLC, owner of Blackjack Mountain Resort, Mich., has executed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of nearby Indianhead Mountain Resort, a combination that would combine two of the best and most well known ski resorts in the upper Midwest into a single ski and snowboard experience.

SAM Magazine--Park City, Utah, June 19, 2014--Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) will finally get their wish. Judge Ryan Harris today ordered both PCMR and Talisker Land Holdings (PCMR's landlord) to sit down with a formal, neutral, third-party mediator to try to resolve a land battle that threatens to leave Park City, Utah, without its anchor resort for 2014/15. For more on the battle, check out this story.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, June 17, 2014—Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) made several filings last week in advance of 3rd District Judge Ryan Harris’ decision on whether to sign an eviction order for the resort, as landlord Talisker Land Holdings has requested. PCMR has urged the judge to not sign the order, or to at least postpone its effective date if he does sign it.

SAM Magazine—Denver, June 17, 2014—Occupancy and revenues at mountain destinations across the Rocky Mountains and Far West are trending positively and looking strong throughout the summer for the third consecutive year, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics, which tracks forward-looking reservation data year-round at mountain resorts.

DestiMetrics’ data are drawn from 290 property management companies in 19 mountain communities across Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Wyoming.

SAM Magazine—Copper Mountain, Colo., June 12, 2014—Statewide skier visits in Colorado soared to an estimated 12.6 million for the 2013-14 ski season, the best season ever for the state, according to Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA). Visits rose more than 10 percent compared to last season, and more than 8 percent compared to the state’s five-year-average. CSCUSA released the figures today at the association’s 51st annual meeting.

SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, June 12, 2014—Utah ski and snowboard resorts tallied 4,161,585 million skier day visits in 2013-14, up 3.6 percent from the previous season’s 4,018,812. The 3.6 percent increase marks a great success for the industry, ending above four million for the seventh time in the last nine years, and ranks as the state’s third best season on record.

SAM Magazine—Terrebonne, Que., June 9, 2014—Total visitation at Quebec ski areas in the 2013-14 season increased a slight .6 percent to a total of 6,044,000 skier days in la belle province, according to the Quebec Ski Areas Association (ASSQ). Participation in the province's various first-timer programs increased significantly, though, and that bodes well for future visits.

SAM Magazine—Barcelona, Spain, June 6, 2014—Aspen has been chosen to host the 2017 FIS Alpine World Cup Finals, which include men’s and women’s competitions in downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom and nation’s team event. The Finals, set for Mar. 15-19, 2017, will be the first to be held outside Europe since 1997, and mark the return of the men’s World Cup tour to Aspen for first time since 2001.

SAM Magazine--Lincoln, N.H., June 6, 2014--At its annual meeting at Loon Mountain, Ski NH reported its sixth best season ever with 2,272,826 visits for the 2013-14 season, just 4,000 less than last season. In addition, there were 147,259 cross-country visits and 120,053 tubers. The skier visit number represented a slight decrease over last season of .2 percent, but was up 3.5 percent over the State's 10-year average.Cross-country was down 2.9 percent over the 2012-13 season, but tubers were up 6.2 percent.

SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., June 6, 2014—Vail Resorts’ (VR) has reported increased net revenues for the third quarter (February through April) due to both increased visits at its Colorado areas and the addition of Canyons, Afton Alps, and Mount Brighton to its resort portfolio. Net income hit $117.9 million, up 20.8 percent from $97.6 million a year earlier, on revenues of $543 million, up from $470 million.

The 2019 World Championships bid team, including (from left) Tiger Shaw, Calum Clark, Jenni Smith, Bob Wheaton and Mike Goar, poses after its successful presentation to win the event for Park City.

SAM Magazine--Killington, Vt., June 4, 2014--At the Vermont Ski Areas Association annual meeting, the final visit tally for the 2013-14 season was announced, which was 4,503,269. The number is nearly identical to the previous season's visits. The 2013-14 season numbers ranks Vermont number one in the east and third in the country, according to preliminary figures from NSAA. The record early start and strong finish added to increases in rooms and meals revenues: November saw a 13% increase and March posted an 8.5% gain, for an overall increase of 6% over the previous season.

SAM Magazine—Eden, Utah, June 2, 2014—The Summit Series, which purchased Powder Mountain ski resort here in 2013, has revealed its plan for a village and cultural/entrepreneurial paradise at the resort. If approved, Summit Powder Mountain will consist of 500 homesites and a village core.

SAM Magazine—Duluth, Minn., May 30, 2014—The Spirit Mountain recreation area has hired a new executive director, Brandy Ream, to replace Renee Mattson, who is stepping down from the post. Ream will assume her new role in June after she and her family relocate from Washington State to Duluth.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, May 21, 2014—Utah District Judge Ryan Harris has ruled that Park City Mountain Resort failed to properly renew its lease in 2011, and dismissed all but one of PCMR’s claims for relief. In addition, the judge ruled in favor of Vail Resorts and Talisker (current leaseholder of the disputed land and the landlord, respectively) on their several motions.

SAM Magazine—Denver, May 19, 2014—Resorts East and West saw destination visits increase in the 2013-14 season, and revenues for summer lodging are poised for double-digit growth, according to the latest data from DestiMetrics.

DestiMetrics draws its data from a sample of approximately 300 property management companies in 31 mountain destination communities across six Western and seven Eastern states/provinces (Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming, New York, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Massachusetts and Quebec).

SAM Magazine--Whistler, B.C., May 15, 2014--Despite a downtick in visits, revenue saw a slight uptick for the three and six months ended March 31, 2014. Total revenue was $138.8 million (all amounts in Canadian dollars) and $188.6 million for the three and six months, respectively, increases of $6.6 million or 5% and $6.2 million or 3%, respectively, over the same periods in the prior year.

SAM Magazine—Denver, May 14, 2014—Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc. results for the three months ended March 31 improved, largely due to reduced interest expense following its successful IPO offering in February. Net income for the January-March quarter was $108.9 million, compared to $62.1 million for the year-ago quarter.

Intrawest attributed the large gain to reduced interest expense and improved revenues from mountain operations.

SAM Magazine--West Dover, Vt., May 13, 2014--A jury found that there was a two-year contract in place between Mount Snow and Alli (whose parent company is NBC) with an option for a third year to host the Winter Dew Tour event.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, May 12, 2014—Snowbird Resort’s Dick Bass has partnered with Ian Cumming in a move that took many by surprise. The families have formed a partnership that makes billionaire Cumming majority owner of the resort. Bass remains as chairman.

Cumming has the deep financial pockets Snowbird needs for capital improvement projects, including a new restaurant and skier services building atop the aerial tram set to break ground this summer.

SAM Magazine--Cheyenne, Wyo., May 10, 2014--A Wyoming Federal Court jury took less than 30 minutes to decide that Snow King Ski Area and Mountain Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, was not liable for a minor’s fall from a chairlift in December of 2009. Texas residents Leya and Glenn Oswald, the child’s parents, sued Snow King Ski Area and Mountain Resort along with the Jackson Hole Ski Club in Federal Court after the accident, alleging that the fall from the lift was the fault of both Snow King and the Ski Club. The Ski Club resolved its claims with the Oswalds prior to trial.

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., May 9, 2014—In a sign of the underlying strength of the winter sports market, snowsports retail sales rose 7 percent this past season, to $3.6 billion, compared to the prior year, according to the RetailTRAK report from Leisure Trends and Snowsports Industries America (SIA).

SAM Magazine--North Woodstock, N.H., May 9, 2014--Jessyca Keeler has been selected by Ski New Hampshire's board of directors to serve as executive director of the state association, which represents 33 Alpine and cross-country resorts. Keeler is an avid skier and snowboarder and has been involved in the winter sports travel and tourism industry since 1995—at Whiteface/ORDA and American Skiing Company. She also owned a company called Align Partnerships, a marketing consulting firm. Keeler replaces Alice Pearce and will assume her new position on Monday, May 14.

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., May 5, 2014—Resorts nationwide tallied 56.2 million visits for the 2013-14 season, making a strong rebound in the latter stages after a weather-challenged start. The total represented a mere 1.3 percent drop from the previous season, according to preliminary results from the most recent Kottke National End of Season Survey.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, May 1, 2014—Powdr Corp and Vail Resorts have continued to address one another through the media and public forums, including a series of public letters between the two companies’ CEOs and the Mountain Travel Symposium, as they await a judge’s ruling on the status of Park City Mountain Resort’s lease for much of its terrain.

SAM Magazine--April 28, 2014--Several resorts announced record-breaking seasons today. First up, Stevens Pass, Wash., hosted more than 406,000 visits this winter making 2013/14 its largest season since visits have been electronically tracked. While much of the West Coast saw below average snowfall, Stevens Pass surpassed its 450-inch average with a seasonal total of 463 inches.

SAM Magazine--Broomfield, Colo., April 24, 2014--Vail Resorts, Inc. (VR) reported certain season metrics for the comparative periods from the beginning of the season through April 20, 2014 and were adjusted as if Canyons was owned in both periods (but they do not include Afton Alps and Mt. Brighton). In short, visits were up 2.3% and lift revenue was up 7.6% compared to last season. Dining revenue was up 3.1%, retail/rental up 5.1% and ski school up 7.5%. "Our spring results were stronger than we expected," said CEO Rob Katz.

SAM Magazine—Vail, Colo., April 22, 2014—SAM's fifth annual Summer Ops Camp, a hands-on educational and networking event, will head to Vail, Colo., Sept. 3-5. The Camp gathers resort managers and operators from around North America to explore the exciting opportunities in four-season attractions.

SAM Magazine—East Stroudsburg, Pa., April 23, 2014—A father and son team, Kevin Fabiano and Kevin Jr., has bought Alpine Mountain Ski Resort and launched a multi-million dollar renovation of the area, estimated to reach $3 million in improvements by December 2014.

The Fabianos purchased the area from Appletree Resource Group, which had owned the area for about five years. Previously, it had been owned by the Poalillo family for a quarter century. The area has operated for 58 years in all.

SAM Magazine—Houghton, Mich., April 17, 2014—Vern Barber, manager of Marquette Mountain, Mich., for the past 32 years, is joining Mount Bohemia as general manager. He starts his new job May 5.

Mount Bohemia president Lonie Glieberman said that Barber will be charged with managing the resort’s growing lodging facilities and year-round operations. Bohemia has room for 140, up from 48 five years ago. The area has also added summer adventure options, a restaurant and bar, and that this growth will continue. A permanent base lodge is part of the plan.

SAM Magazine—Washington, D.C., April 16, 2014—The U.S. Forest Service has finalized policy guidelines that will open opportunities for ski areas to develop and offer a variety of year-round recreation activities on the National Forests. The revised directives stem from the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011.

SAM Magazine—Breckenridge, Colo., April 16, 2014—Occupancy and revenue remained on an upward trend at destination resorts through March, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics. Results varied with the weather for the three major regions covered in the firm’s monthly report. But strong summer reservations across all three regions foretell another record summer for mountain resort destinations.

SAM Magazine--Queensbury, N.Y., April 3, 2014--April Fool's Day was no joke for West Mountain--the area has exited bankruptcy. According to the Post Star, the final decree was made public this past Tuesday. Apex Capital, which has been operating the area since last summer and who bought the first mortgage on the property in November of last year, is now the official owner.

SAM Magazine—Woodbury, Conn., April 3, 2014—SAM Magazine is proud to announce the 2014 SAMMY Leadership Award winners: Patricia Campbell, Kevin Stickelman, and Laura and Matt O’Brien. The awards, given annually to individuals who will shape the future of the mountain resort industry, are in their 17th year.

SAM Magazine--Orlando, Fla., March 31, 2014--CNL Lifestyle Properties, Inc., a real estate investment trust (or REIT), today announced its operating results for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2013. As of March 14, 2014, CNL owned a portfolio of 145 lifestyle properties, 73 of which are wholly-owned and run by operators under long-term, triple-net leases with a weighted average, straight-line lease rate of 8.6 percent, 63 of which are managed by independent operators, one of which is an unimproved land parcel and eight of which are owned through unconsolidated joint ventures.

SAM Magazine--Boise, Idaho, March 28, 2014--In an effort to reflect the changing landscape of the mountain resort, Idaho is the latest state to update its bill that oversees ski areas. The governor signed Bill 462 on March 26 and the new Bill goes into effect on July 1, 2014. The update expanded the skiing language to include snowboarding and other sliding devices. It also expanded uphill transportation to include wire ropes and conveyors. The bill also expands its definition of terrain to include freestyle terrain.

SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Mar. 26, 2014—As the Talisker-Vail-Park City Mountain Resorts’ (PCMR) lease lawsuits head toward two crucial court dates in April, action has been heating up. The latest move: Vail Resorts (VR) has said it is willing to buy PCMR’s base facilities.