In his latest “Dear John” letter, Vail Resorts chief Rob Katz urges Park City Mountain Resort’s John Cumming to focus on the community and tone down the bluster.
In his second public letter to Cumming, Katz urged his fellow resort operator to not be a sore loser should a legal battle deliver Park City’s ski terrain to Vail.
In a week before a Utah judge began weighing a lease dispute that could see Vail take over nearly 80 percent of the Park City ski area’s terrain.
Cumming didn’t respond to Katz but issued a statement warning that Vail’s “domination” of the local ski market would be “bad for the community.”
Katz on Monday rebutted Cumming’s assertion that Vail is scheming a “takeover” of the ski area the Cumming clan has captained since 1994, when patriarch Ian Cumming launched Powdr Corp. with the acquisition of Park City.
Vail Resorts last spring ., which also owns 3,700 acres beneath neighboring Park City Mountain Resort. if the Colorado resort operator successfully defended Talisker in a lawsuit brought by Park City. Talisker in 2011 refused to renew Park City Mountain Resort’s longstanding lease for $155,000 after the . Park City sued Taliskier, arguing it had renewed the sweetheart lease first forged in the 1970s.
In a hearing earlier this month, Cumming’s attorneys said Powdr would and not allow Canyons skiers to access its base area village – or the city of Park City – if it lost its lease for the swath of Talisker-owned ski terrain. The judge’s decision is expected in June. (Katz notes in his letter that Park City officials have made it clear they will appeal if they lose.)
“While I understand your interest in retaining control of the resort, I fear that ignores reality. If your lease is found to have expired, PCMR will have no rights, no interest and no role in that terrain anymore. Demanding that you still be able to continue operating the resort after losing your lease simply is not realistic,” Katz wrote.
Katz said Vail Resorts does not have to buy anything from Park City, but is “very willing” to work with Cumming to not just “maximize the value of your base lands” but to protect a quality experience for Park City guests in the coming seasons.
Katz said litigation often includes posturing, but he urged Cumming to “send a message to the Park City community and the broader ski market” that should he lose his legal battle, he will “work constructively” with Vail Resorts and city officials.
“I think it will be good to share that you understand that if you have no lease for the Park City ski terrain, Powdr Corp. will not be the resort operator,” Katz wrote. “While threatening to remove ski lifts or block skier access may make sense during litigation, when the case is over, you should make sure you get fair value for what’s yours, but also take steps to ensure we provide the best guest and community experience possible. I can absolutely make that commitment for Vail Resorts.”
Katz has been elevating his profile in Park City and that lampoons local leaders and issues. Last week’s show featured Katz as the villain orchestrating a “Vailien” invasion of the valley.
The cast was “quite nervous” when they heard Katz was going to be in the audience last week, said Park City Follies writer Tom Clyde, noting that “while I think the overall script was somewhat balanced, Katz was painted as the classic villain in every way.”
“He was a good sport about it,” Clyde said. “Katz spent a good half hour out on the sidewalk in front of the theater talking with cast members. He really seemed to enjoy the show. I suggested that he needed to go buy a loaf of local Red Bicycle Bread and sit down with John Cumming to solve this. He said that was probably a good idea.”
Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374, jblevins@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jasontblevins
