Vail Resorts Announces North American Summer Operating Plans and Commitment to Employee and Guest Safety
BROOMFIELD, Colo. — June 18, 2020 — Vail Resorts announced today summer opening dates and operating plans at its North American resorts as well as the Company’s commitment to safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The first set of resorts will open June 26, including Keystone, Crested Butte, Okemo and Mount Snow. Additional resorts are scheduled to open shortly thereafter, including Whistler Blackcomb (June 29, subject to provincial alignment), Vail and Beaver Creek (July 1), Park City (July 2); Heavenly (July 3); and Breckenridge (July 4). A full list of opening dates is below. The resorts will open with a limited summer footprint focusing on mountain access and scenic lift rides. Lodging, restaurants, retail, biking and other activities will vary by location.
As a part of Vail Resorts’ commitment to safety, the Company is establishing certain guidelines across all of its resorts and properties in North America, which include physical distancing protocols, face covering requirements, enhanced cleaning measures, employee health screenings and safety training, cashless transactions, and revisions to regularly offered programs and services. Each resort and property have enacted a unique operating plan that aligns with these guidelines and was developed in consultation with state, provincial and local health officials. Similar to the Skier Responsibility Code, Vail Resorts asks guests and employees to take on a new level of personal accountability to ensure the safety of its mountain communities.
“Summer is a special time in the mountains and we are excited to welcome guests back to the outdoors to have fun, refresh and recharge,” said Pat Campbell, president of Vail Resorts’ mountain division. “While we are offering limited summer activities, we are lucky that our beautiful outdoor settings provide a landscape to experience nature and to easily practice physical distancing so we all can safely return to the mountains we love. It is our expectation that guests help us ensure the experience is safe for them and for our employees by following our new guidelines. As summer progresses, we look forward to opening more activities and adventures at our resorts.”
SCHEDULED OPENING DATES AND ACTIVITIES BY RESORT
Weekly operating days vary by resort; Additional activities may open as summer progresses and restrictions ease.
Vail Resorts has reimagined the resort experience to further prioritize the health and safety of its employees and guests in response to COVID-19. In addition to complying with local orders, the Company is enforcing its own safety measures to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the mountains this summer. Safety has always been one of the Company’s core values and the new procedures and protocols being implemented have the safety of employees, guests and communities in mind. Protocols include:
Physical Distancing:
As a part of Vail Resorts’ commitment to safety, the Company is establishing certain guidelines across all of its resorts and properties in North America, which include physical distancing protocols, face covering requirements, enhanced cleaning measures, employee health screenings and safety training, cashless transactions, and revisions to regularly offered programs and services. Each resort and property have enacted a unique operating plan that aligns with these guidelines and was developed in consultation with state, provincial and local health officials. Similar to the Skier Responsibility Code, Vail Resorts asks guests and employees to take on a new level of personal accountability to ensure the safety of its mountain communities.
“Summer is a special time in the mountains and we are excited to welcome guests back to the outdoors to have fun, refresh and recharge,” said Pat Campbell, president of Vail Resorts’ mountain division. “While we are offering limited summer activities, we are lucky that our beautiful outdoor settings provide a landscape to experience nature and to easily practice physical distancing so we all can safely return to the mountains we love. It is our expectation that guests help us ensure the experience is safe for them and for our employees by following our new guidelines. As summer progresses, we look forward to opening more activities and adventures at our resorts.”
SCHEDULED OPENING DATES AND ACTIVITIES BY RESORT
Weekly operating days vary by resort; Additional activities may open as summer progresses and restrictions ease.
- Attitash (July 18): Scenic chairlift rides; hiking; alpine slide; grab ‘n go food.
- Beaver Creek (July 1): Scenic chairlift and gondola rides; hiking; bike haul; Spruce Saddle to offer grab ‘n go food.
- Breckenridge (July 4): BreckConnect Gondola; scenic chairlift rides; hiking; alpine slide and alpine coaster; Ski Hill Grill to offer grab ‘n go food.
- Crested Butte (June 26): Scenic chairlift rides; hiking; Butte 66 to offer grab ‘n go food.
- Heavenly (July 3): Scenic gondola rides; hiking; Tamarack Lodge and Café Blue to offer grab ‘n go food. Mountain coaster opening date to be determined.
- Hunter (July 4): Scenic chairlift rides and hiking.
- Keystone (June 26): River Run Gondola; hiking; Summit House to offer grab ‘n go food. Golf opened June 5 at the River Course.
- Liberty (June 17): Golf
- Mount Snow (June 26): Scenic chairlift rides; hiking; Bullwheel to offer grab ‘n go food. Golf and Fairways (grab ‘n go) opened June 17.
- Northstar (July 15): Golf to open July 15. Additional activities to be announced by early July.
- Okemo (June 26): Scenic chairlift rides; hiking; mountain coaster; golf and disc golf.
- Park City (July 2): Scenic chairlift rides; hiking; bike haul; alpine slide and mountain coaster; Jupiter Java to offer grab ‘n go food. Canyons Golf is scheduled to open June 26.
- Stowe (June 27): Auto Toll Road opens June 27. Scenic gondola rides and Waffle to offer grab ‘n go food on July 18.
- Vail (July 1): Gondola One scenic rides; hiking; grab ‘n go food at Mid-Vail. Mid-July, Gondola 19 is scheduled to open with hiking, Epic Discovery interpretive trails, mountain coaster and grab ‘n go food at Eagle’s Nest.
- Wildcat (August 1): Wildcat Express scenic chairlift rides; hiking; cafeteria to offer grab ‘n go food.
- Whistler Blackcomb (June 29, subject to provincial alignment): Whistler Village Gondola, PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola and Blackcomb Gondola scenic rides; hiking; bike park (Fitz Zone and Garbanzo chair). Rendezvous, Garbanzo Bike and Bean, and Roundhouse to offer grab ‘n go food.
- Whitetail (June 17): Golf
Vail Resorts has reimagined the resort experience to further prioritize the health and safety of its employees and guests in response to COVID-19. In addition to complying with local orders, the Company is enforcing its own safety measures to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the mountains this summer. Safety has always been one of the Company’s core values and the new procedures and protocols being implemented have the safety of employees, guests and communities in mind. Protocols include:
Physical Distancing:
- On mountain, the resorts’ vast outdoor settings make physical distancing easy. But in the base areas and other locations where it is more difficult to do so, we will have signage and decals to ensure guests remain six feet (two meters) apart.
- Guests will be required to wear face coverings in certain areas. This includes in lines, when loading and unloading chairlifts, when loading and riding in gondolas or bubble chairs, on activities such as an alpine slide or mountain coaster, and in indoor resort facilities. Guests are strongly encouraged to bring their own face coverings, but resorts will have them available upon request, subject to availability. Employees will be required to wear face coverings at all times.
- Plexiglass barriers have been installed in areas where physical distancing measures are not possible, including at points of purchase.
- Capacity of lifts and gondolas will be reduced to allow for physical distancing. Guests will only be allowed on lifts and gondolas with travelers in their party.
- Employees may limit the number of guests in any area of the resort to ensure proper physical distancing (e.g. indoor spaces, parking lots, common spaces, etc.).
- All employees are required to wear a face covering and follow the Company’s safety protocols and procedures at all times, including regular hand washing and use of PPG.
- Employees will undergo daily health screenings and receive appropriate training to ensure safety.
- Employees are required to stay home if sick.
- Guests are asked to stay home if they are sick or experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
- Guests are required to wear face coverings in certain areas, including in lines, when loading and unloading chairlifts, when loading and riding in gondolas and bubble chairs, on activities such as an alpine slide or mountain coaster; in indoor resort facilities, and whenever it is not possible to maintain a six feet distance from unknown parties. Guests are strongly encouraged to bring their own face coverings, but resorts will have them available upon request, subject to availability. Guests who are unwilling to comply with this safety requirement will not be permitted to participate in the experience.
- All guests are expected to comply with physical distancing guidelines outlined by public health as well as resort signage or as directed by resort employees.
- High-touch surfaces will be frequently cleaned and disinfected with EPA-approved products that kill the COVID-19 virus.
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting will take place daily in our gondola cabins, frequently throughout the day in our public restrooms and after each use on our alpine slide and mountain coaster carts.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be provided throughout the resort. Frequent handwashing is required of employees.
- All transactions will be cashless for lift and gondola rides, mountain activities, on-mountain dining as well as at the Company’s lodging, retail and rental locations.
- Guests will be asked to maintain physical distancing guidelines and use face coverings when in common areas.
- One guest per family will be allowed to enter the lobby for check-in/out.
- Transactions will be cashless.
- Room keys will be cleaned and disinfected before they are placed into guest packets.
- To ensure physical distancing, dining facilities will run at reduced capacity with updated floor plans in common areas. Outdoor seating will be available.
- On-mountain dining will only offer grab ‘n go food and all transactions will be cashless.
Vail Resorts will continue to review and update our policies to adhere to the most up-to-date practices to keep employees and guests safe. More information can be found here.
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate 37 destination mountain resorts and regional ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham in Australia; Stowe, Mount Snow, Okemo in Vermont; Hunter Mountain in New York; Mount Sunapee, Attitash, Wildcat and Crotched in New Hampshire; Stevens Pass in Washington; Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail, Jack Frost and Big Boulder in Pennsylvania; Alpine Valley, Boston Mills, Brandywine and Mad River in Ohio; Hidden Valley and Snow Creek in Missouri; Wilmot in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and Paoli Peaks in Indiana. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development 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.
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Contact: news@vailresorts.com