arizona ski resort announces major facility upgrades

One of the most popular ski resorts in Arizona is planning for a major upgrading of its structural facilities as well as the construction of new trails and lifts.

The Flagstaff-based Arizona Snowbowl said the work, which most likely won’t begin until 2021, will take around $60 million to fully complete.

The plans, still to be reviewed and subsequently approved by the U.S. Forest Service, also include the construction of a climbing wall as well as a mountain coaster and space for outdoor concerts.

Animating the upgrade plan is the goal of significantly expanding the number of guests that the resort can accommodate, a number that Arizona Snowbowl officials would like to see increased from the current 3,800 guests to around 4,500.

In a statement, Snowbowl’s general manager, J.R. Murray, noted that it is “not uncommon for guests to experience long food lines, a lack of seating in the lodges and insufficient restrooms.”

Because of the sweeping and multi-faceted nature of the resort’s upgrades, it is thought that it will take as long as 15 years for the entire project to be completed.

Arizona Snowbowl is owned by the Durango-based Mountain Capital Partners, which also runs similar resorts in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. In the last few years, the company has taken on more than $40 million in capital improvement projects at its various properties.

By Garry Boulard

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