Vail Ceases RockResorts Expansion Beyond Ski Resorts

Vail Resorts has announced that it will no longer seek to add new RockResorts managed properties which are located outside of the Company’s six mountain resorts.

Travel Agent reached out to Susan Darch, spokesperson for RockResorts and Vail Resorts Hospitality, to find out what this might mean for their existing RockResorts properties.

Darch told us that the company "will continue to provide our full support and management" to the existing RockResorts properties outside the mountain region. These resorts include Snake River Lodge and Spa, a RockResort in Jackson Hole, Wyo.; La Posada de Santa Fe Resort and Spa, a RockResort in Santa Fe; Balcones del Atlantico, a RockResort in the Dominican Republic; Half Moon, a Rock Resort, in Jamaica; and The Landings St. Lucia, a RockResort, in St. Lucia

"We expect that some of these properties will be with us for the longer-term, while others may transition to new managers," Darch added. "We’ll continue to operate our owned RockResorts properties located at our mountain resorts under the RockResorts brand. They include: The Arrabelle at Vail Square and The Lodge at Vail in Vail; The Pines Lodge and The Osprey in Beaver Creek; and One Ski Hill Place in Breckenridge, Colorado."

Jamaica's Half Moon had just joined the RockResorts collection in December of last year. The brand also used to include the Tempo Miami, but earlier this year the company and the Tempo's ownership mutually agreed to part ways.

Vail reports that it will continue to seek new properties at the base of its mountain resorts and will continue to operate its owned RockResorts properties at its mountain resorts under the RockResorts brand. Additionally, Vail will continue to look to add new concessions in the U.S. National Park system to complement its operations in the Grand Tetons.

"The current economic and real estate environments make it difficult to realize the benefits of growing our Lodging Division outside of our mountain resorts and the National Parks," said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts in a written release. "We believe that by narrowing the focus of our Lodging segment, we will provide an enhanced experience for our guests and better long-term profitability."

What does this mean for agents? Vail is just coming off of a major acquisition of Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, as well as a $30 million capital improvement project to bring the resort up to speed for the upcoming season, so the company doesn’t seem shy about expanding. Vail also reports that it will continue to fully support and operate all of its existing managed properties outside of its mountain resorts, with some staff reductions.

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