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SAM Taps Whistler Blackcomb to Host 2025 Summer Ops Camp
SAM Magazine—Whistler, British Columbia, March 18, 2025—SAM’s Summer Ops Camp will be held at Whistler Blackcomb, Sept. 2-4, 2025, offering three days of education, networking, and hands-on learning focused on the future of summer operations at mountain resorts. This year’s camp will also feature a partnership with the Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA), bringing together a dynamic mix of resort professionals from across North America. Whistler Blackcomb has been at the forefront of year-round recreation development, balancing business innovation with environmental sustainability. With a robust lineup of summer attractions—including the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Peak...
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SAM Magazine—Sept. 9, 2020—A cold snap earlier this week marked the end of summer in Colorado, as a storm dropped more than a foot of snow in parts of the region. With eyes turning toward winter, resorts have begun rolling out opening dates and operating plans for the 2020-21 season. Loveland's webcam caught the first snow on Chet's Dream ...
SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Sept. 9, 2020—During a Sept. 8 webinar, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) presented a series of sign templates that convey messages about physical distancing, face covering requirements, hand sanitization, and other COVID safety measures. The templates are available for ski areas to use for on-site signage,...
The Insights Collective presents its take on Vail's access reservation system, Labor Day coronavirus mitigation, thermal scanning and facial recognition cameras to monitor the health of air travelers, and how hotels and resorts can offer alternative formats for meeting planners. Read the full report. ...
SAM Magazine—Denver, Sept. 1, 2020—Red Mountain in British Columbia, Canada, is now a partner resort on the Ikon Pass. Ikon Passholders now have access to a total of 44 destinations for the 2020-21 season. Independently-owned Red Mountain is among the 10 largest ski areas in North America with 3,850 acres of skiable terrain. Since 2013, ...
SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Sept. 1, 2020—For its second season, the Indy Pass has added 11 resorts and dozens of independent lodging properties for the 2020-21 season. The adult pass provides two days at 55 resorts for $199. The Indy Pass has also added discounts at lodging properties and an assurance program in case Indy Passholders use thei...
SAM Magazine—Montpelier, Vt., Aug. 31, 2020—Vermont's Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has proposed that federal aid funds be given to the state's ski areas for COVID-related mitigations. The money is part of a proposed $133 million targeted to businesses that were shut out of earlier COVID relief efforts. ACCD said the fund...
By Charles Gfeller and Mellicent B. Thompson,Partners, Gfeller Laurie LLP COVID-19 has led to a variety of measures aimed at mitigating its impact. While some of these have been straightforward, like sending $1,200 checks to individuals, others have been more complicated, and even contentious. Business interruption insurance, workers' compensation...
The Insights Collective reports that as reported COVID cases are decreasing, resorts from Florida to Colorado are expanding their reopenings—even as staff cases turn up. Resort-town hotels are pursuing "mixed-use" options, such as work-from-hotel packages for those who don't care to work from home, to fill rooms and raise revenue. States and town...
SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Aug. 27, 2020—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), with the help of industry leaders and associations, has developed “Ski Well, Be Well”—a foundational set of best practices for winter operations that is designed to help advocate to local officials for reopening, and to set the foundation for ski area o...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 27, 2020—Vail Resorts has released answers to the biggest question looming over the mountain resort industry as of late: “What’s the plan for this winter?” A letter from Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz details universal plans for all 34 of the company’s North American resorts. Katz said the goal is to des...
SAM Magazine—East Rutherford, N.J., Aug. 26, 2020—Big SNOW American Dream, North America’s first indoor, real-snow ski and snowboard center, will resume operations on Sept. 1 in accordance with current state guidelines under today’s Executive Order. As an indoor recreational facility, Big SNOW will be implementing several updated COVID-19 s...
SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., Aug. 25, 2020—Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has committed to removing “squaw” from its resort name. “Having our name be associated with pain and dehumanization is contrary to our goal of making the outdoors a welcoming space for all people,” said resort president and COO Ron Cohen in an email to patron...
SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Aug. 25, 2020—Fourteen nonprofit youth organizations will receive grants ranging from $15,000 to $200,000 from the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust—founded by Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz and his wife Elana Amsterdam—and Vail Resorts. The total donation is $1.5 million. According to Vail Resorts, “Each o...
SAM Magazine—Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 21, 2020—The latest briefing from Insights Collective shares a new study that found political polarization has heightened as we head into November. Most resorts and destinations have been politically agnostic—however, visitors are not. The briefing also points to economic indicators showing mixed signals ...
SAM Magazine—Eden, Utah, Aug. 21, 2020—Nordic Valley Ski Resort has unveiled a major capital improvement project that includes the area's first high-speed chairlift and the largest terrain expansion project in resort history. Both are slated to open during the upcoming winter. High speed six pack top terminal construction Earlier this sum...
