Vail Resorts Acquires Wilmot Mountain

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19 January 2016

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SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Jan. 19, 2016—Vail Resorts' most recent acquisition in the Midwest has the Windy City's estimated 800,000 skiers and riders within close proximity. Wilmot Mountain, Wisc., located 65 miles north of Chicago, is the third Midwest resort in VR's portfolio. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“We are thrilled to welcome Wilmot Mountain to the Vail Resorts family,” said Rob Katz, chairman and CEO of Vail Resorts. “Wilmot is steeped in skiing tradition and enjoys tremendous brand recognition among Chicago and Milwaukee skiers and snowboarders, thanks to the passion and dedication of the Stopa family over the last 75 years. We plan to bring the same state-of-the-art lifts, snowmaking, lodges, racing, terrain parks, coaching, and technology to the guest experience at Wilmot Mountain, much like we have done at Mt. Brighton and Afton Alps.”

In addition, VR plans to expand dining and entertainment options at the base area, and offer integrated technology and social media programs like EpicMix. Vail officials will share additional details on the ski area's transformation plan during its March earnings call. Wilmot will be included in the Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass for the 2016-17 ski season.

Taylor Ogilvie will be appointed as general manager of Wilmot Mountain, effective immediately upon closing of the acquisition. Since June 2013, Ogilvie has served as general manager of Mt. Brighton in Michigan

Wilmot Mountain was founded in 1938 by Walter Stopa, who opened the ski area with a single rope tow. By the 1950s, it became the first in the region to develop and implement snowmaking with rubber hoses, aluminum pipes and sprinkler heads. Today, Wilmot offers 25 trails, four terrain parks, a ski and snowboard school, a ski racing program and a tubing hill with 23 lanes.