In Conversation with Kim McClelland and Deer Valley Lodging

By Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties

May 13, 2015

As part of BHHS Utah's "In Conversation with..." series, we sat down with Kim McClelland, Director of Lodging Operations for Deer Valley Resort. We were interested to see if McClelland had witnessed any outstanding trends, how business had been throughout the season, and any noteworthy visitor behaviors.

Although “The Greatest Snow on Earth” was conspicuously absent this winter, Park City’s three resorts successfully utilized their snow making and grooming capabilities to continue to provide a world class experience to visiting and local skiers.

So the obvious question is what impact did the paucity of snow have on Park City’s business activity? The answer is surprising little. Because of the outstanding capabilities of the resorts to make snow, combined with the strong brand identity Park City has built over the years and its ease of access, business has been very strong throughout the community.

Restaurants appear to be pacing ahead of last year. A number of business owners in the service industry are reporting gains in the range of 6% to 10% over last year. The lodging community is also reporting business levels that are up, and everyone is anticipating a strong finish to the season. At Deer Valley, our lodging numbers are pacing ahead of last year by 9%.

This season brought a strong influx of international travelers, which significantly supported business levels. According to our stats, Australia accounted for the largest number of international visitors followed by Mexico and Brazil. Domestically, our #1 destination market remains California followed by Texas, New York, New Jersey and then rounding out the top 5 is a virtual tie between Florida and Illinois.

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The unseasonably warm temperatures and lack of snow on the West coast and along the Northwest corridor most probably resulted in more Park City visitors. Special events like the Sundance Film Festival, Visa Freestyle International World Cup at Deer Valley and the Grand Prix races at Park City continue to draw additional pulses of visitors and media attention.

Overall, the consensus around the community was that the 2014-15 ski season was a successful one, with business activity pacing at least as well as last year if not a little better. That is an amazing accomplishment given Mother Nature’s lack of cooperation this year. This season’s success stands as a testament to Park City’s recognition as one of the premier destinations in the country.

Kim McClelland

Director of Lodging Operations

Deer Valley Resort

Tags: park city real estate, Real Estate News, park city, deer valley, Deer Valley Lodging
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An Update on BHHS Utah Ski Developments

By Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties

Mar 02, 2015

The 2014-2015 ski season has proven quite exciting with the arrival of Vail Resorts in Park City. The proposed changes to Park City’s resort landscape have impacted real estate trends on the slopes in interesting and unprecedented ways. Across the board, we are seeing a stunning increase in new construction and vacant land purchases. Consumers seem fixated on new construction and building. Amenities are also frequently cited as a strong point of consideration among buyers.

All of these preferences amount to a new kind of buyer.

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In the Colony, our development agents are reporting a record-breaking number of builds taking place and tremendous interest from buyers about locating near the base of the planned and approved gondola connecting Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort, which ends right in the middle of the Colony development. In the last year, 21 lots have sold in the Colony, and there are currently a total of 45 homes under construction or in the SARC process.

In upper Deer Valley, we have seen steady buyer interest. Again, we are seeing a new demographic of buyer emerge: one that wants newer builds, hotel-level amenities, ski access, and a good investment. Our Deer Valley developments have all reported strong sales and remarkable demand for new product.

Deer Crest currently has the lowest amount of inventory since the development’s inception. There’s a wide swing in prices, several resale lots, and great demand for land. In 2014, all new Deer Crest homes sold, most before construction was completed. There’s also less demand for large homes…the priority seems to be intimate family gathering spots with ski access.

The St. Regis at Deer Valley has seen quite a lot of activity: residences are almost sold out and there has been good turnover with the condos.

Deer Pointe townhomes are pre-selling as they’re coming on the market. The hill track ski lift, which takes Deer Pointe residents to Jordanelle skiing, has been completed. Exterior4jpeg

The Stein Eriksen Residences have continued to sell at an unprecedented pace. Currently, 36 of the 54 residences have sold. SER has capitalized on the new demographic of buyer by offering a perfect storm of features: brand new construction, ski-in/ski-out construction, great amenities, fresh contemporary design and finishes, views, and the Steins five star, five diamond management team and name. KitchenViewjpeg

Overall, our ski developments have seen a stream of buyers all expressing the same demands: new builds, ski access, amenities, and family gathering spaces.

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Tags: vail resorts, deer valley, deer valley resort, ski developments, st. regis, stein eriksen residences, cayons resort, the colony, contemporary, new construction, ski-in/ski-out, ski homes
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Deer Valley Announces Major Expansion Plans

By Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties

Dec 15, 2014

Deer Valley hopes to connect resort to Old Town.

In a meeting with the Park City Council, Bob Wheaton, the President and General Manager of Deer Valley Resort, shared Deer Valley's plan to dramatically increase their ski terrain with eight new lifts, which will serve approximately 1,000 acres of new runs. Wheaton also discussed the Berkshire Hathaway Utah Properties listed development at Mayflower (above the Jordanelle) and expanded residential communities in and around the resort. Most exciting, Wheaton confirmed that Deer Valley intends to try to connect the resort directly to Old Town via a Gondola System.

There are two options, the first option involves two connected gondolas; the second option would involve a single gondola running between Silver Lake Village and Old Town. In addition to providing visitors and locals easy access to the resort, city council members believe this plan will help reduce Park City's traffic.

Wheaton relayed that these expansion plans could begin as early as next summer, but that cost (particularly with regards to the gondola) was an issue, and the resort would be cautious. There are also proposed improvements to the parking lots at Snow Park.

For additional information, see the Park Record's coverage on this meeting.

All in all, it is safe to say that Park City's resorts are entering into a phase of serious growth and evolution. We look forward to seeing what the future holds and continuing to represent the real estate interests of those who share our affinity for our mountain town paradise.

Tags: BHHS Utah, park city, real estate, park city news, skiing, deer valley, deer valley resort, ski utah, ski park city, resort news
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