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PARK CITY — Deer Valley Resort is headed for a massive expansion over the next few ski seasons.
Resort officials on Thursday announced an agreement with the Extell Development Company that will add 3,700 acres of terrain, more than doubling its skiable area in the near future. The plan calls for 16 lifts and a 10-passenger gondola, along with a new base village with more than 1,500 residential units and hundreds of new hotel rooms.
The expanded area is expected to open over a span of about three ski seasons; however, resort officials say they believe they will be able to open 2,900 new acres of terrain along with nine chairlifts and 110 ski runs by as early as the 2025-2026 winter season. Once the entire project is complete, the resort will feature 5,726 acres of skiable terrain, including 37 chairlifts that reach more than 200 ski runs.
"Deer Valley Resort is committed to building upon our legacy as one of the world's most exceptional ski areas while staying true to our founding principles created over four decades ago," said Todd Bennett, president and chief operating officers of Deer Valley Resort, in a statement. "This expansion will facilitate even better access to the resort for our guests while offering a substantial increase in world-class amenities consistent with the resort's original vision."
Extell Development Company had been planning to open a new resort in the area that Deer Valley is now expanding to. The New York City-based company was behind the proposed Mayflower Mountain Resort which was slated to open next year as North America's first "world-class alpine village" to open in more than four decades, according to Heber Valley tourism officials.
Deer Valley's expansion absorbs those plans, offering ski access across South Peak, Park Peak and Big Dutch, as well as the Pioche and Hail mountains, according to Deer Valley Resort officials.
Extell will remain attached to the project under the new agreement, though. It will help Deer Valley develop its new base village.
The planned village is expected to add almost 1,700 new residential units and more than 800 hotel rooms to the area, as well as 250,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, and 68,000 square feet for a recreation center, according to the Alterra Mountain Company, Deer Valley's primary owner. It will also have a new skier services facility which will feature a ski school, children's programs, rentals and retail on top of new food and beverage options.
"This partnership with Deer Valley brings together two of the very best in the business of real estate, service and hospitality, and we look forward to working with them to create what will be the crown jewel of Utah," said Gary Barnett, founder and chairman of Extell Development Company.
Project officials believe the expansion has the potential to add close to 2,000 new jobs.
Alterra executives said Thursday that the expansion adds to a $500 million capital program the company announced earlier this year that seeks to improve its 17 resorts across North America.
"(We're) committed to investing in large-scale projects that will deliver differentiated experiences in incredible places and this project is exactly that," said Jared Smith, president & CEO of Alterra Mountain Company, in a statement. "Deer Valley has long been a world-renowned resort and this project will offer guests more of what it has always been known for."
The company also operates Solitude Mountain Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
