Vail Resorts reports slow start to the season
By Jason Blevins, Denver Post
The slow start to the ski season did not help Vail Resorts. The Broomfield, Colo.-based resort operator reported Friday that early-season visitation to its nine North American mountain resorts and three urban hills was down more than 13 percent compared with the previous season.
By the end of December though, visitation was back on track with destination guests buoying flagging revenue with spending on lift tickets, passes, dining, rentals, lessons and retail shops.
Season-to-date lift ticket revenue at Vail Resorts’ ski areas was up 4.3 percent through the first week of January compared with the same period last season. Rental revenue was down 2 percent. Ski school revenue was up 1.5 percent and dining revenue was down 6.4 percent.