In a move to hedge bets against another hum drum season,
Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort, with the help of its investing partner, will
sink another $6 million into snowmaking this year. The resort, in cooperation
with the Nelson County Service Authority, plans to build a five-million-gallon
raw water storage tank and pumping station that will double the resort’s
snowmaking capacity (as well as provide a redundant water supply to the water
treatment plant).
The snowmaking upgrade is half of the planned $12 million
investment in facilities and infrastructure improvements, to be provided by the
James C. Justice Companies, over the next 16 months. Increased snowmaking will
allow Wintergreen to open earlier and provide more consistent coverage
throughout the season.
Located 35 miles southwest of Charlottesville, VA, (about
three hours from Wash., D.C.) Wintergreen is a four-season mountain retreat on
the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Situated on 11,000 acres
adjacent to the George Washington National Forest, the resort offers skiing,
snowboarding and tubing, 45 holes of championship golf, a tennis center,
full-service spa, fitness center and dining options. Additional amenities
include a lake, swimming pools, youth entertainment center, and 40,000 square
feet of combined indoor/outdoor meeting space.
The Justice Companies have committed another $3.2 million to
maintenance and improvements throughout the resort. As part of the renovation,
the golf course and facilities at Devils Knob will be privatized starting with
the spring 2014 season.
“Our vision is to make this among the top four-season resort
experiences in the east,” said Justice Companies president and CEO James C.
Justice, II. “The Wintergreen facilities are spectacular and the entire resort
has a tremendous impact on the local and regional tourism industry.” Other
near-term projects include upgrades of the Wintergreen Aquatics and Fitness
Center; renovation of Devils Grill mountaintop clubhouse restaurant; and
upgrades to the fitness facility at Stoney Creek.
