Deer Valley Resort Purchases Solitude Mountain Resort
Deer Valley Resort Purchases Solitude Mountain Resort
The Solitude Mountain Resort Village
Photo Deer Valley Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort Feb 2 2014 / Solitude Mountain Resort
New Solitude Logo
Solitude Mountain Resort's New Logo.
Photo Solitude Mountain Resort May 1 2015 / Solitude Mountain Resort
DEER VALLEY RESORT, PARK CITY, UTAH (May 1, 2015) –
It's official, as of today, May 1, 2015 Deer Valley takes over operations of Solitude Mountain Resort. And so a new and exciting chapter unfolds. This past January,Deer Valley Resort appointed Kim Mayhew as Solitude Mountain Resort's new general manager, which also became effective today.
“Solitude is an incredible resort and provided a huge opportunity for us to expand our offerings right here in Utah,” said Bob Wheaton, president and general manager of Deer Valley Resort. “Solitude is in a unique position with their widely varied terrain that attracts both local and destination skiers. We are ecstatic to be able to add the resort to the Deer Valley® family.”
“The DeSeelhorst family has enjoyed being a part of Solitude’s history for almost 40 years. We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish at the resort and in our mountain community,” said Dave DeSeelhorst, former owner and general manager of Solitude Mountain Resort. “We feel very fortunate for the opportunity to have worked with so many amazing people in our industry and most importantly being able to work with our incredible staff at Solitude over the years. It is exciting to pass on this unique and beautiful resort to one of the best resort operators in the country, Deer Valley.”
Along with the new ownership is an updated logo for Solitude Mountain Resort.
FAQs:
Why did Deer Valley Resort enter into an agreement to purchase Solitude Mountain Resort?
Deer Valley recognized a great opportunity to expand within the Utah market by adding Solitude Mountain Resort to the Deer Valley family. Solitude is an incredible resort, with both family friendly and expert terrain, and we are sincerely excited to begin working with the staff.
Amount Paid? Assets acquired?
This is a private acquisition.
Will Deer Valley bring more capital and marketing investments to Solitude?
Deer Valley's first capital improvement announcement to Solitude for the 2015-2016 ski season will be to remove the current Summit double chairlift and install a new detachable high-speed quad. Also, a new ski run will be cut from the top of the existing Apex Express chairlift to the bottom terminal of the realigned Summit Express chairlift, significantly lessening the current travel time to Honeycomb Canyon. Other priority improvements include; remodeling the Moonbeam Lodge restaurant, an increased guest service presence throughout the resort and new uniforms for Solitude staff.
Will snowboarding still be allowed at Solitude? How about the Brighton connection?
Deer Valley plans to continue allowing snowboarding at Solitude and keep the Brighton connection in place. Here's a recent Snowboard edit produced by Andrew Muse at Solitude.
What about One Wasatch? Now that Deer Valley intends to own Solitude does a connection from Big Cottonwood Canyon to Deer Valley, instead of Park City Mountain Resort, make more sense?
One Wasatch has been analyzed over the years and the present lift alignment recently released by Ski Utah seems to make the most sense.
Will it become a mini-Deer Valley?
Although Deer Valley will bring some of our service oriented and operational philosophies to the resort we do not plan to rebrand Solitude as another Deer Valley.
Will the name change?
The name is still Solitude Mountain Resort but it will be identified as "a Deer Valley Resort."
Will there be a reciprocal arrangement for skiing benefits between Solitude and Deer Valley Resort?
Pass products are still being determined for the 2015-16 season.
Will lift ticket, locals and season pass prices increase dramatically due to the purchase of Solitude by Deer Valley?
Moving forward, Deer Valley Resort will analyze past resort performance, operational expenses and projected revenue potential prior to setting rates.
Does Deer Valley plan on buying any more resorts?
Although Deer Valley is not actively pursuing purchasing another resort, we have always been open to analyzing opportunities that may be a good fit for Deer Valley.
For more information and interviews about Deer Valley’s purchase of Solitude Mountain Resort, please call Deer Valley Resort Communications Manager Emily Summers 435-645-6522 or email at emily@deervalley.com. Visit the resort’s website at deervalley.com and follow resort happenings on social media with #skithedifference.
Patrolling Fantasy Ridge - Solitude Mountain Resort
Deer Valley Powder Skiing
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Partners In Promoting Utah Powder
16 Comments
Jeffrey Wu \ 8.7 years ago
I am bummed by all the new access to Honeycomb Canyon, which I am sure will be nicely reflected in the cost of my season pass! The yahoos are going to take away a lot of my snow ~ will the all new "Summit Express" lift open at 930AM, or can I get a few earlier on-piste laps in before heading out? But no matter what Deer Valley does to get more people up to Honeycomb Canyon, one can still hike the Fantasy Ridge (will that open more?) and if even that's too crowded, then on goes the skins and hiking up to get to the goods, avalanche kit in tow, of course!
Park city mountain resort lodging \ 8.8 years ago
Thanks for sharing this post with us. It is really nice to see this all information in one blog. I really like this.
Donald Soolar \ 8.9 years ago
I love Deer Valley. Very nice place. Great!
mark mark \ 9.0 years ago
FYI, Brighton is up for sale too.
I've just relocated here for the variety of terrain the Cottonwoods offer and the laid back, unique personalities of the individual resorts. Not to sit in fat leather chairs around a fireplace. And certainly not to pay over a $100 a day to ski. The locals have been totally shut down over their concerns about One Wasatch. Piece by piece, what makes the Cottonwoods the coolest place on earth (Park City/Canyons were the first casualty) is being gobbled up by greedy corporatist who will make it unaffordable for many locals that keep the lifts running. Look at CO. $120+ for a lift ticket at Breck/Vail/Winter Park...?
I hope I never see One Wasatch in my lifetime. It's all about the shareholders, eff the locals...
John \ 9.0 years ago
Of course ticket/pass prices are going to skyrocket, it's owned by Deer Valley.
Arnaud \ 9.0 years ago
what a bummer... Why taking out the summit chair? Why making it easier to go from the bottom of honeycomb back up. All those little things made the vibe of solitude, the reason i kept coming every week end, foraging for my run at my own pace, taking the time to admire the mountain on my slow way to the summit (and sometime geeting my ass frozen too!!!) but if you didn't like it, then you did not understand the vibe and apirit of that mountain. Long live aolitude, and let's pray it keeps it won particular pace, for people who truly love the place.
ChrisG \ 9.0 years ago
"Also, a new ski run will be cut from the top of the existing Apex Express chairlift to the bottom terminal of the realigned Summit Express chairlift, significantly lessening the current travel time to Honeycomb Canyon. "
Bummer, that's the allure to the place for me. Pow for days due to the long traverse and travel time. Maybe they'll start grooming Honeycomb also to better enhance Deer Valley experience. I go to Utah to ski not be pampered and sit in nice lodges... oh, well, back to Alta.
Clement Desaulniers \ 9.5 years ago
I live in Norcross, Ga and have enjoyed staying in Park
City and skiing both Park City and Dear Valley. I like the friendly transit bus system. I have no idea how far Solitude is located from Park City, but I suspect the distance would be too much of a commute for me since I don't like to drive!
Ryan Mayfield \ 9.0 years ago
Hey Clement,
Solitude is located about 45 minutes from Park City. I'm sure there will be some sort of shuttle or bus system over there.
Jake \ 9.5 years ago
How can this be bad. My two favorite ski hills in Utah have merged. Solitude for snow and Deer valley for pampered skiing.
L. Snow \ 9.5 years ago
The "Deer Valley Experience" has always been fabulous. As a local Parkite of almost 20 years, I've never had a bad day at DV, even when the snow was a bit lacking. The folks that work the front lines, the actual faces you and I see and talk to on the mountain, are always friendly and have told me and others that they like their jobs and feel respected by DV's management. That means a whole lot. I can only imagine that will transfer to Solitude's staff.
As far as a comparison to The Canyons, I fear for Park City Mountain Resort. Talisker and now Vail made a mess of The Canyons and the skier's experience. It's a ridiculous trek to find skiable terrain (at least anything less than expert trails) with no less than 3 lift rides, sometimes taking an hour or more from the time you park your car. The affordable, family oriented restaurants at the base have been torn down leaving only insanely priced $20 hamburgers and $8 beers available. The employees only complain and do not have anything favorable to say about working there. They are the face of the business. How good an experience can it be to ski where almost no one smiles at you? I fear this attitude transferring to PCMR by next year.
So thank you DV for giving us soon-to-be-former-PCMR and almost-never-Canyons skiers another alternative to the Vail-ocracy that is in motion. Please hurry with a tram or lifts connecting to Solitude, although driving there from Park City only takes about the same amount of time as it does to ski anything decent at The Canyons.
206Gregorio \ 9.5 years ago
I don't understand the negative comments... being purchased by Deer Valley is not a horrible thing. At least it wasn't Brighton/Boyne. I only worked at DV for two years on the snow, and they are fabulous to their employees: how else are you going to get them to give such good service?! While I did teach celebrity's children, and famous rich people occasionally; they were the exception. Deer Valley's core customer has money, but they are almost all families looking for their kids to have a great time. Solitude offers Deer Valley an opportunity to give those families snowboarding/nordic under the same service standard while not having to change the original formula on the home mountain.
Watch, the name will probably be: Solitude, a Deer Valley Resort. And they love the deer in the aspen leaf logo, so that will probably be incorporated... maybe the solitude hawk in an aspen leaf? But really, be prepared to see the sea of employees in "DV green" making your snowboard day easier. I look forward to getting the best service, and the turkey chili without the chaos of Park City... plus better snow! Win-Win.
bill the cornlicker \ 9.5 years ago
very mixed emotions about this. mostly negative...
First of all the positive. "as a local" i'm glad that Solitude did not get bought out by Vail or another outsider. (i will never ski or ride the canyons or PCMR again)
now the negative. "as a local" i'm very dissapointed to see Solitude get bought up by Deer Valley, a place that has time and time again shown that they cater to the destination skier, and not the local. A place that has time and time again shown that they cater to "the haves" and not the "have nots". Maybe they'll allow snowboarders to continue riding there, and maybe even they will bring over there turkey chili. but one thing is for certain, prices are going up.
debbie \ 9.5 years ago
Surprise!!!!. we moved here from PA partly to ski solitude full time. We hope the "Solitude Experience" will not change.
John \ 9.5 years ago
Great... Let me guess, I won't be able to snowboard there in 2016 with my kids.
Keep that Soli vibe alive.
Local \ 9.5 years ago
@John - Deer Valley has a unique product in PC, I doubt they will try to compete with themselves and remove the snowboarding aspect at Solitude. If anything, it's great to know that a local resort, a local resort who has been awarded "best resort in the North America" 5 times in the last decade, will be running operations come May, 2015 - Solitude was up for sale, and I for one, as a Utah local, am happy to see another Utah company take over operations as opposed to an out of state corporation.
sue sherry \ 9.5 years ago
I know change is inevitable and I hope n pray after 17 years of going to solitude 2-3 times a winter is changes very little. the article mentions slight adjustment to name so will it be DEAR SOLITUDE or SOLITUDE VALLEY? what ever the case may it always be solitudinal.
sue in Solana beach
HimHa \ 9.5 years ago
WOW! all I can say is WOW! I did not see this coming -