ST. LOUIS and BROOMFIELD, Colo. (Oct.24, 2008) – Anheuser-Busch today announced a three-year agreement with Vail Resorts, Inc. to become the new exclusive beer sponsor of its four premier Colorado mountain resorts – Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone – as well as its affiliated Colorado lodging properties.
“We are pleased to align our brands with one of the premier luxury mountain resort operators,” said Tony Ponturo, vice president of Global Media and Sports Marketing for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “Mountain resorts have always been a popular destination for consumers, so our sponsorship of Vail Resorts provides us with yet another exciting way to connect with a cross-section of adult beer drinkers – those who are loyal consumers of our core bands and those who are interested in trying new styles and flavors.”
As part of the sponsorship, Anheuser-Busch will receive exclusive marketing and advertising rights to four of the most iconic Colorado mountain resorts and lodging properties. In particular, Bud Light, the world’s best-selling beer, will be central to several unique promotions and some of the most popular ski industry events, such as the Vail Snow Daze, Spring Back to Vail, Breckenridge’s Spring Massive, Keystone’s Friday Night Lights and Beaver Creek’s Talons Challenge.
“We are extremely excited to begin a new relationship with Anheuser-Busch’s world-class portfolio of products – which is the perfect match to the exceptional experiences we deliver to our guests at Vail Resorts,” said Derek Koenig, chief marketing officer for Vail Resorts.
The sponsorship will run through the 2010-2011 ski season.
About Anheuser-Busch
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser?Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 48.5 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser?Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer, and a 27 percent share in China brewer Tsingtao, whose namesake beer brand is the country’s best-selling premium beer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine’s Most Admired U.S. and Global Companies lists in 2008. Anheuser?Busch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world’s largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc. is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties at the Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, the Heavenly Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and the Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.