Recent Sun Valley Co. Renovations Enhance Resort Experience
By Aimee Durand
To continue to provide one of the top resort experiences in the country, Sun Valley Co. is continuing improvements that include rebuilding the fire-ravaged Warm Springs Lodge, remodeling the Sun Valley Inn, expanding employee housing opportunities, promoting healthy forests and completing a project in Cold Springs Canyon, that will include a new ski lift (though the new lift will not open until next year’s ski season).
Established in 1936 as a ski area, the resort has evolved into a four-season destination, offering outdoor adventures including hiking, biking, fishing, golf, skating and, of course, skiing.
Opening day for this winter season is Nov. 22. A few weeks later marks the debut of the new Warm Springs Day Lodge, which will reopen in December after a devastating fire last winter.
“We took an unfortunate situation and made it a great opportunity,” said Kelli Lusk, the resort’s spokesperson.
The new lodge will have a larger dining area with more than 100 seats, a better serving layout and the relocation of the bar for a full view of the mountain. SnowSports school desks will be relocated for more convenience, and bathrooms will be updated.
Another day lodge addition is a Konditorei “express,” a quick-serve extension of the popular Austrian-style Konditorei bakery and café in the Sun Valley Mall, which offers locally roasted organic coffee and handmade pastries. The Konditorei express will be up and running when the lodge reopens.
Employees will find new housing opportunities, as well. The Sun Valley Employee Housing Project features two new employee residential buildings. They are underway on a 16-acre parcel by the Sun Valley Horsemans Center. With the new buildings, the resort will be able to provide much-needed affordable housing to about 575 seasonal and year-round employees.
Building one, the Aspen, expected to be completed in early December 2018, is a dorm style with 111 rooms and can house up to 464 employees. Features of this dwelling include a fitness area, lounge, storage, laundry and WiFi. Building two, the Alpine, expected to be completed in April 2019, is apartment style with 62 rooms and can house up to 124 employees. Both buildings are having solar panels installed.
The current employee housing, the Moritz, is set to be demolished May 1, 2019, after all the offices are relocated throughout the Sun Valley Village. Other building demolitions include Oregon, Balsam and Washington, which will be replaced by a park. Idaho and Boise buildings will continue to house employees for a few years.
The “big story of the ski world,” according to Lusk, is the massive Cold Springs Canyon Project, which includes a 380-acre ski area expansion. Construction began this summer with the rerouting of the Cold Springs bike trail. This project contains many phases, including replacing the oldest chairlift with a detachable high-speed one. The new lift will have a vertical rise of 1,525 feet and be 5,500 feet long. The lower Broadway run is being expanded by 3,400 feet and is lined with snowmaking guns. Project completion is expected for the 2019-2020 winter season. This winter season, the Sun Valley Ski Patrol will lead advanced skiers on a tour to preview the trail for the next year.
As part of the Healthy Forests Initiative, the resort partners with the U.S. Forest Service to clear overgrown vegetation and trees to reduce destructive insects and hazards. Approximately 18 acres of gladed skiing has been added on Bald Mountain, bringing the total to 81 acres.
The resort has a preview center in the Village for the public to explore ongoing projects.
SIDEBAR:
The Sun Valley Inn Renovation Phase Two
The Inn was built in 1937 and was known as the Challenger Inn.
Phase one included 25 guest rooms renovated, and now, in phase two, there are 80 rooms to complete, for a total of 105. This Christmas, 68 rooms will be available, with the remaining 29 expected to be ready in February 2019.
There is a new Village Station restaurant and there are updates to The Ram and The Ram Bar. The Inn also has new carpeting, televisions, wall coverings, updated bathroom facilities, linens and other amenities, all upholding the traditional décor. A fitness center is being added and a new archway to connect parking and the Inn lawn.
There will be four types of guest rooms, including luxury, grand, executive suites and apartments. These rooms range in size from 370 square feet to 1,300 square feet.
The Sun Valley Inn is also revamping the employee cafeteria with a pizza station, new furniture, glass cases and décor. Finance, executive offices and meeting rooms are moving to this area, as well.
