Expanded excellence in Deer Valley
Summer/Fall 2024
Written By: Ted Scheffler | Images: Courtesy Deer Valley Resort
Since opening the day after Christmas — December 26, 1981 — Deer Valley Resort has evolved from a hidden gem into a world-renowned travel destination, setting and raising ski industry standards for luxury, service and terrain. It’s been a remarkable journey — and one that continues apace.
Deer Valley Resort began as a modest ski area with a focus on delivering exceptional service and maintaining a commitment to trail grooming and customer satisfaction. The resort’s founders, Edgar Stern and his family, laid the foundation for what would become a transformative force in the ski industry.
Initially, the impeccable grooming standards of Deer Valley’s pristine slopes helped set the resort apart. Deer Valley invested heavily in state-of-the-art grooming equipment, creating perfectly manicured slopes that became the hallmark of the Deer Valley experience. Additionally, Deer Valley elevated the standard for customer service in the ski industry with amenities like complimentary ski valet and on-mountain hosts that provide on-piste assistance. In the summer, Deer Valley offers guests nearly 60 miles of lift-served mountain biking, several of which connect with Park City’s 400-mile network of single track.
Over the years, Deer Valley continued to raise the hospitality bar. They built a culinary reputation with dining outlets like Royal Street Café, The Mariposa, Fireside Dining, The Brass Tag, and more recently, Cast & Cut and Fresh Tracks Kitchen. The two recent additions beckon hungry guests with everything from foie gras and poke to raclette and braised duck cassoulet.
In the 2023-24 winter season, Deer Valley launched the Sticky Wicket, a ski-themed bar and grill for guests 21 and over — a Deer Valley first.
In recent years, Deer Valley Resort has also made strides
in environmental sustainability. The resort has implemented eco-friendly practices, including energy-efficient snowmaking, waste reduction initiatives and programs that support local environmental causes.
And yet, the best might still be yet to come. During the 2023-24 ski season, Deer Valley Resort announced a monumental expansion: a new village and over 3,700 acres of new skiable terrain. The new Deer Valley East Village will be accessed via U.S. Route 40 and developed by Extell Development Company in collaboration with Deer Valley Resort. The village will feature
a state-of-the-art service facility, which will house a ski school, children’s programs, rentals, retail and dining options, along with 1,200 new parking spots for day-skiers.
The 3,700-acre project will include ski access across
four new peaks and 16
new chairlifts, including a 10-passenger gondola. The terrain will open in phases, with a good chunk opening in the 2025-26 winter season. Upon completion of the East Village terrain, Deer Valley Resort will boast over 5,726 acres accessed by 37 chairlifts serving 238 ski runs. Add to that over 800 new hotel rooms, some 1,700 residential units, 250,000-square-feet
of retail and commercial space, 68,000-square-feet of recreation space, and some 2,000 new job opportunities, and you can see why “monumental” is an apt term for Deer Valley Resort’s transformation.
“At Deer Valley Resort, we are proud of our legacy as
a top-tier ski destination, and we’re staying true to our founding principles set over four decades ago,” said Todd Bennett, president and chief operating officer of Deer Valley Resort. “This expansion improves our resort’s accessibility and enriches the guest experience with additional world-class amenities. We will honor our history and strengthen our ties to the community as we expand over the next several years.”
