It’s official. Big Sky now undoubtedly has the “Biggest Skiing in America.” Last week Big Sky Resort owner Boyne Resorts in partnership with CrossHarbor Capital Partners LLC, completed the purchase of Moonlight Basin from a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. Moonlight Basin and Big Sky Resort share terrain off the epic 11,166-foot Lone Peak and previously provided a shared lift ticket for $103, plus tax. Together Big Sky and Moonlight Basin make up 5,750 skiable acres and boast 4,350 vertical feet, 23 chairlifts and 10 surface lifts.
The first tidings of the impending purchase came in mid-August 2013 and on October 1, 2013 the sale was finalized.
So what does this mean for skiers and snowboarders planning a Big Sky/Moonlight Basin ski vacation? A little more convenience and a couple bucks in savings. Now Moonlight Basin and Big Sky have one lift ticket and no tickets will be sold separately for the individual areas. Lift ticket prices to access both ski areas have dropped to $99, plus tax. Both areas will be seamlessly managed as one from lift operations to snowmaking and food and beverage services. Additionally, both areas will be branded as one.
This move was prompted by ongoing financial issues of Moonlight Basin owners Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. But under the Big Sky brand the future looks bright for Moonlight Basin as a viable, sustainable resort.
“The alliance to acquire Moonlight Basin and Spanish Peaks with CrossHarbor Capital Partners, another long-term strategic player in the Big Sky area, creates the opportunity for a stable and coordinated effort in helping the community and the region fulfill its experiential and economic potential,” said Stephen Kircher, President, Boyne Eastern Operations, in a press release, “For over 37 years, Boyne Resorts has been a steady custodian of growth of Big Sky Resort. We are truly excited about the positive impact this alliance will have on Big Sky Resort and surrounding communities in Southwestern Montana and permanently solidifying the ‘Biggest Skiing in America’.”
Leah Boucher
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