This Utah ski resort launches public process to reshape base area

PARK CITY — Park City Mountain intends to give its base area a makeover ahead of the 2034 Olympics.

Vail Resorts announced plans Tuesday to launch a public planning process to reshape the future development of the Mountain Village base area site. East West Partners, a Denver-based real estate development company with operations in Park City, will help lead the process.

"We are excited about creating renewed vibrancy at Mountain Village," Deirdra Walsh, Park City Mountain vice president and chief operating officer, said in a press release. "Realizing this ambitious goal starts with thoughtful planning and community engagement. East West Partners brings deep experience in real estate planning and development in mountain communities, and we look forward to working with our community to shape what comes next."

Resort officials said they set the plans in motion as Park City Mountain prepares for the 2034 Winter Games. The resort will host men's and women's snowboarding halfpipe, snowboarding slopestyle, freestyle skiing halfpipe and freestyle skiing slopestyle.

The development project will cover an approximately 10-acre site at the base of the mountain. The process will explore opportunities for new development on the existing Mountain Village surface parking lots, as well as the potential relocation of the resort operations currently based in the Bonanza Park neighborhood. Principles outlined in Park City's newly adopted general plan will guide the planning.

"Park City is home for many of us at East West Partners, making this opportunity especially meaningful," said Bill Fiveash, managing partner of East West Partners. "We're honored to partner with Vail Resorts and excited to bring our experience in mountain resort development to explore what's possible for Mountain Village."

The resort will host stakeholder meetings and provide in-person and online input opportunities for the Mountain Village base area plan starting this winter. Pre-development meetings with the city will follow.

"We appreciate Park City Mountain and Vail Resorts engaging the community early in this process," said Park City Mayor Ryan Dickey. "The future of Mountain Village is important to our community, our economy and the guest experience. We look forward to a thoughtful conversation about how these properties can evolve in a way that reflects our city's strategic priorities and long-term vision."

Update also coming to mountain operations plan

Along with the Mountain Village base area planning process, Park City Mountain intends to update its mountain plan. It will reflect the resort's operations, including lifts, trails, snowmaking, guest facilities and other mountain infrastructure, and will detail the ways guests access the resort and how they are distributed across the mountain. It will include options for future mountain enhancements and will be designed to evolve over time as the guest and operational needs change.

"We'll be working with a leading mountain planning firm to help guide this effort, which will include opportunities for input through in-person meetings, open houses and online engagement this winter," Walsh said.

Since 2014, Vail Resorts has invested more than $200 million in the resort, including reimagining the Canyons Village base area, installing the Sunrise Gondola, snowmaking upgrades and new beginner ski and ride zones, as well as improvements to restaurants and other infrastructure.

The resort is scheduled to open Nov. 20 for the 2026-27 season, conditions permitting.