SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Feb. 5, 2016—Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc. reported a 26.9 percent decrease in skier visits across its mountain properties during the second quarter ending Dec. 31. Revenue across all divisions decreased by $16.9 million, to $104 million, over the same period, with the challenging start to winter at its Eastern properties clearly the reason for the shortfall.

Compared to last year, Intrawest CEO Tom Marano said skier visits to Intrawest's Colorado resorts, Winter Park and Steamboat, were up a combined 6.4 percent. “While our Colorado resorts and CMH [Canadian Mountain Holidays] saw a strong start to the ski season, our Eastern resorts experienced unprecedented warmth in November and December,” he added.

The results aren't stopping the company from moving forward with a plan to invest between $43 million and $48 million in capital expenditures during the 2016 fiscal year. Approximately $32 million to $34 million of that total is for maintenance, with $11 million to $14 million termed discretionary.

Planned projects include the installation of additional summer amenities and a new high speed chairlift at Steamboat, Colo., a decision made based on the success the company has had with similar attractions at Blue Mountain, Ontario.

Steamboat will get a mountain coaster and mini golf course to capitalize on the 30,000 to 40,000 visitors that make their way to the area during peak summer weekends. The mini golf course would only be operational during the warmer months, but the mountain coaster could be operated year-round.

Intrawest also plans to build a new high-speed quad at Steamboat, called the Elkhead lift. According to Marano, "Elkhead services a high-volume area of the mountain and facilitates lunchtime and end-of-day egress from the popular beginner and intermediate terrain pods on the south side of the mountain," he said.

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