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SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Oct. 30, 2014—A Durango businessman, James Coleman, is buying Durango Mountain Resort (DMR) and Arizona Snowbowl. Further, he is teaming them with two New Mexico areas, Sipapu and Pajarito, to form a four-resort group that collectively tally 3,088 acres, 26 lifts, more than 200 trails and 13 terrain parks. Sipapu is scheduled to open Nov. 15.

SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., Oct. 30, 2014—A Durango businessman, James Coleman, is buying Durango Mountain Resort (DMR) and Arizona Snowbowl. Further, he is teaming them with two New Mexico areas, Sipapu and Pajarito, to form a four-resort group that collectively tally 3,088 acres, 26 lifts, more than 200 trails and 13 terrain parks. Sipapu is scheduled to open Nov. 15.

Coleman is the managing partner of Sipapu and owns the management contract for Pajarito. Coleman has committed to retaining the current management teams at both ski areas, including J.R. Murray, general manager at Snowbowl and Gary Derck, CEO and general manager of Purgatory. According to various reports, Coleman plans to unite the four resorts under a new, as yet unnamed company.

Both purchase agreements are expected to close in November. Terms were not disclosed. Management teams at both DMR and Snowbowl are expected to remain in place.

This summer, Sipapu and Pajarito unveiled the New Mexico Power Pass, New Mexico's only season pass with unrestricted access to two ski areas plus free skiing at more than 25 partner mountains in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and throughout the country. Coleman said that Purgatory and Snowbowl will maintain their existing pass partnerships, which offer free or discounted lift tickets to select season passholders.

“I have spent most of my life skiing, working and living in this region, and I couldn't be more thrilled to continue the visionary leadership of Arizona Snowbowl's General Partner, Eric Borowsky, Purgatory's Chairman Chuck Cobb and the Duncan family to bring these mountains together and usher in a new era while delivering the best skiing and snowboarding in the Southwest,” Coleman said.

J.R. Murray, GM at Arizona Snowbowl, told SAM that the areas' other reciprocal agreements and partnerships, such as Snowbowl's membership in the Powder Alliance, will remain in effect as well.

“The premise here is to create the best ski experience for families in the Southwest,” DMR president Gary Derck told the Durango Herald.

Coleman also plans improvements at the two resorts. In a statement regarding DMR, he said, “My top priorities will be to find ways to extend the ski season as much as possible, increase terrain, expedite improvements in the approved mountain master plan, increase summer activities and generally create an exceptional experience for skiers, snowboarders and mountain lovers.” It's likely he plans the same for Snowbowl, which recently received approval of its master plan.

Coleman has substantial experience in resort ownership. He has been involved at Sipapu for 15 years. As a Durango resident, he has been an avid skier at DMR and had been seeking to obtain a financial interest there for some time. Coleman grew up in Texas, and skied often at DMR, then known as Purgatory. He earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and owns an investment group with offices in Durango, Austin and Phoenix.