Story Ideas
Vail Mountain 2007-2008 Story Ideas
NEW QUAD CHAIRLIFTS AND CHILDREN’S SKI SCHOOL FACILITY UPGRADE
Vail’s 45th season gets underway November 21st and skiers and snowboarders will benefit from two new high speed quad chairlifts as well as a number of other community enhancements. The resort is replacing the Highline Lift (Chair 10) and Sourdough Lift (Chair 14) with new high speed quad chairlifts. Both lifts will expedite the trip to Two Elk Restaurant, China Bowl and Blue Sky Basin. The new Highline Lift, with a new ride time of seven minutes, will still deliver skiers and riders to the top of signature bump run, Highline, and adjacent expert trails. The new Sourdough Lift will provide enhanced access to one of the resort’s popular beginner areas at the top of the mountain with three green runs. The new lifts increase Vail’s uphill lift capacity to 57,802 while also cutting in half the ride times in those areas. The Little Eagle Lift (Chair 15), in the dedicated beginner area at Eagle’s Nest at the top of the gondola in LionsHead, will be replaced with a faster triple chairlift. In the village, the bustling Golden Peak Children’s Center and Small World Nursery has being completely remodeled to increase space for the ever-popular 3-6 year-old program. With its comprehensive children’s learning area and the popularity in children’s private lessons, the upgraded space will also allow for easier andfaster registration for parents. Décor will be kid-contemporary.
VAIL SNOWSPORTS SCHOOL
Vail’s internationally renowned ski and snowboard school has been renamed the Vail Snowsports School to reflect the more contemporary and internationally recognized reference that encompasses instruction among the disciplines of alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic sports, adaptive, telemark and other snow-sliding winter sports. Vail Snowsports School will remain a subsidiary of the Vail/ Beaver Creek Ski & Snowboard School and guests can expect the same exceptional experiences they’ve always had. The only change noticeable to guests will be the bold new logo which will be displayed prominently at the resort. Two existing Snowsports School locations in Vail Village and LionsHead also have been renamed Mountain Plaza in the Village and Vail Square in LionsHead to reflect the areas brand new developments. The Arrabelle at Vail Square is the new home for the Vail Children & Teens Snowsports School and parents will find its all-in-one facility and proximity to the Eagle Bahn Gondola a benefit. Mountain Plaza is the name of the new skier services building which also is home to not only adult ski school but also lift tickets, rentals, ski storage and coffee shop just steps from the Vista Bahn Chairlift in Vail Village.
ULTIMATE LUXURY PROPERTY, ARRABELLE, DEBUTS JANUARY 2008
The Arrabelle at Vail Square, a RockResort, is set to open in January 2008 at the foot of the gondola at Vail Mountain. This new premier property will offer a luxurious hotel experience that combines Old World charm and the timeless elegance of Europe’s grand resorts with the romance and world-class style of Vail’s alpine heritage. The Arrabelle will feature 36 luxury hotel rooms and up to 50 additional condominiums that are based on the Biedermeier design style, an early 19th century German architecture movement that evokes simplicity, elegance and functionality. Additionally, the resort will boast a traditional Germanic Glockenspiel that will feature a celebration of snow. On site amenities include a 10,000 square foot full-service RockResorts Spa and signature dining at Centre V, a French-brasserie inspired mountainside restaurant. New skier service facilities including children’s ski school, ski rentals, ski storage and the resort information center will be located in the Arrabelle. Visit www.arrabelle.com.
VAIL’S NEW DAWN IS HERE
Guests to Vail will immediately see the rewards of two years of community improvements. The Front Door project in Vail Village includes a new RockResorts Spa at the Lodge at Vail, the Vail Mountain Club, 13 new Lodge at Vail Chalets currently in the works, load and delivery system for the town, and the new Mountain Plaza skier services building. Vail Mountain renamed this area in the Village to Mountain Plaza in recognition of skier and snowboarder-specific amenities. In LionsHead the new Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail broke ground and the Arrabelle at Vail Square opens in January. Vail Square is the newly renamed area that includes the four Arrabelle buildings which are home to the hotel and condos, a variety of high end retail, ski storage, Vail Snowsports School Children and Teens location, Resort Information Center, public outdoor skating rink and movie screen and a host of brand new amenities. The Vail community expects 138 units to open at the Vail Plaza Club & Hotel and 22 units including two-three and four-bedroom wholly owned and fractional units at One Willow Bridge. Plus streetscape improvements worth more than $10 million have been completed. The community is looking forward to showcasing its new projects this winter.
PALATE PLEASERS
Dining in Vail is known to pack a punch and now there are several new reasons to visit. In the Arrabelle at Vail Square, Centre V Bistro is the signature restaurant on site, launched by Thomas Salamunovich, the visionary and executive chef behind Larkspur Restaurant at Golden Peak. Centre V, which was inspired by the classic French brasseries found in Paris and Lyon, will provide hearty fare and comfortable surroundings for locals and travelers alike. Beaver Creek restaurateur Brian Nolan brings his award-winning menus to Vail with the opening of the Vail Chophouse, sister to the original in Beaver Creek as well as his family-friendly Blue Moose Pizza. The Vail Plaza Club & Hotel will be home to two new options in the Village. In keeping with the hotel’s Italian alpine heritage, Da Vinci Restaurant will serve American gourmet cuisine with northern Italian flair. Galileo will be a casual yet vibrant restaurant and après spot featuring American cuisine. No matter where you stay in Vail, these new options shall complement the wide variety of dining that already makes Vail a culinary destination.
FLY IN SKI FREE
Fly non-stop to Vail/ Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) Nov. 21, 2007 through April 13, 2008 and ski for free day of arrival at Vail or Beaver Creek with a valid boarding pass and lodging confirmation. Passengers on direct flights from Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas/ Ft. Worth and Denver will be able to take advantage of this program. Original or online printed boarding passes must be presented at lift ticket windows along with a valid Vail Valley lodging confirmation receipt and/or photocopy. Only one lift ticket per person, per boarding pass and lodging confirmation permitted. Valid photo ID required. Additional restrictions may apply. For details call 800-503-8748.
KIDS FLY FREE TO VAIL THIS WINTER
United and American Airlines reward parents who book a vacation into the Vail/ Eagle Valley Regional Airport with their Kids Fly Free programs. For each paid adult fare (age 18 and above), both airlines are offering one free child’s ticket for ages 2-12. United’s offer is valid for travel between Jan. 4-Feb. 14, 2008 with blackout dates Jan. 20-22, 2008. American Kids Fly Free program is offered Jan. 6- Feb. 15, 2008. Additional restrictions may apply. For details visitvail.com or call 800-404-3535.
VAIL SNOW DAZE
Kick off Vail’s 45th ski season at Vail Snow Daze, Dec. 3-9, 2007, a week-long festival including headliner concerts. On Dec. 6 Ziggy Marley will perform at the Dobson Arena, followed by Social Distortion on Dec. 7. Ludacris and The Roots take center stage Dec. 8 for an outdoor concert at Ford Park. Also don't miss the Dummy Gelunde Championships on Dec. 8, snowball eating contests, a fashion show, and 1,000 Snowflakes of Vail throughout the week.Check out the schedule at vailsnowdaze.com. Take advantage of lodging packages during Snow Daze and buy three nights of lodging and three days of skiing and get the fourth lodging night and day of skiing for free. Offer features quad occupancy in a two-bedroom condo for as low as $374 per person (a 25 percent savings) and is valid Nov. 24- Dec. 12, 2007. Additional restrictions may apply. Visit vail.com to book or call 800-404-3535.
SKIER AND RIDER SAFETY
Vail Mountain sets the industry standard when it comes to skier and snowboarder safety. In May 2007 the National Ski Areas Association awarded the resort its eighth Best Overall Skier Safety Award, recognizing Vail’s commitment to educating employees, locals and guests about the “rules of the road” and raising awareness about personal responsibility on the slopes. Vail Ski Patrol and their safety mascot, Pork Chop the Safety Pig, proactively visit with area school kids to teach them about how to lead by example on the mountain and respect safety. The Vail Yellow Jacket program serves as a guest service safety squad that monitors daily runs and implements a Sting Day safety awareness program that reaches destination skiers as well as locals. Sting Days are designed to grab attention and educate skiers and snowboarders about the concept of “space and speed” and enforce safety measures. Violators consequently lose skiing or snowboarding privileges equivalent to their offense. This past season Vail revoked 1,019 days of skiing and riding privileges and seven individuals lost lift privileges for the season.
ENVIRONMENT & ECO-FRIENDLY DEVELOPMENT
In its ongoing commitment to the environment Vail Mountain continually implements programs or incorporates practices that support our environment. The resort is planning a new pilot solar panel project at one of the on-mountain restaurants, which likely will be installed over the next year. With more than 300 days of sunshine, it’s anticipated the solar panels will provide the majority of energy required to operate some of the buildings on hill. During the summer, the power that is generated will be sent back to the community energy grid. On the horizon Ever Vail, the largest green resort village in North America, is being planned for the western-most base of Vail Mountain. The $1 billion proposed project will transform the 9.5-acre site, currently known as West LionsHead, into a truly “green” multi-use resort village consisting of residences, a hotel, offices, retail shops and restaurants, mountain operations facilities, a public parking garage, a new gondola and related skier portal and a public park. Ever Vail is slated to be the most sustainable development project in the history of the ski industry. The town of Vail, which operates the largest free bus system in the country, has a new hybrid bus in its fleet that provides up to 40 percent greater fuel efficiency and produces up to 50 percent fewer emissions than a standard low-floor diesel and due to a regenerative braking system is considerably quieter than buses currently in service.
BEST FITTING BOOTS ON THE GO
Every skier knows that improperly fitting ski boots can make or break a vacation. Vail’s Skier Enhancement Center provides a unique on-mountain approach to ensuring a proper, comfortable fit. Boot tech guru Greg Hoffmann combines his Myth Busting philosophy with years of hands-on fitting experience to master individual challenges. At the top of chairs 4, 5 and 11 on Vail Mountain , Greg and his team of experts can mold, wedge, cant and provide comfort to skiers while on the go. This special center is loaded with gear that enables performance and clients walk out the door, take a spin on one of three nearby lifts and go back to the “lab” for fine tuning in between runs. For additional details, visit skibootfitting.com.
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