Killington finally is getting a real base area village center.

In the March 2023 local election, residents of the town of Killington, Vermont, passed the TIF (tax increment financing) zone for a new village at Killington Mountain Resort.  It will take up to $47 million and about four years to build infrastructure including a new water system and road reconstruction plus guest facilities including housing, restaurants, and shops, for the planned village project, which has been under discussion for years.

The vote was 75% in favor of the TIF zone at the resort, which occurred due to the coming together of the resort, local businesses and residents to bolster the local economy.

Michael Sneyd, a resort development representative from Great Gulf Group, a firm from Toronto, joined Killington/Pico president and general manager Mike Solimano to present some of the plans to a group of local and regional journalists hosted by the Ski Vermont organization.

The project will take a couple of years to plan, design and sell while the construction is expected to take about four years.

The 4,229-foot Killington is part of Powdr, which also owns such other areas as Mt. Bachelor, Snowbird, Copper Mountain, Silver Star and others. Great Gulf has worked on similar projects at Stratton Mountain and resorts in Canada.

According to the industry trade publication Ski Area Management, it will be called Six Peaks Village, designed to serve skiers, bikers, hikers, golfers, music event attendees, and others in a true four-season center.

Phase 1 of the project would develop a walkable pedestrian avenue and 700 units near what is now Snowshed in the village that Sneyd said would incorporate a “ski beach” concept and be “animated for skiers and nonskiers.” The snowmaking pond would be featured and surrounded by a promenade.

Sneyd said there would be about 110,000 square feet of retail space in the village that will not be limited to Killington resort businesses. The living spaces would be whole ownerships – not fractional – as in many other such resort base areas – and there would be a rental program to be developed for residential owners.

Speaking to the development concept that is being planned Sneyd stated, “This is not a quaint Vermont thing.”

One of the intriguing aspects of the project is that the Snowshed and Ramshead lodges would be reconstructed and joined by a covered bridge spanning over what is currently the Killington Road.  The reconstruction of Killington Road includes installation of a multi-use path, sidewalks, pull-offs for buses, and a roundabout at the junction with East Mountain Road to relieve congestion, according to Ski Area Management.

Construction of Phase 1 is set to begin this summer.

The Killington village concept has been on the drawing boards for decades, and it appears that the community finally will have an opportunity to reap the rewards of the project coming to fruition.

6 Comments

  1. Richard Kavey says:

    “Pave paradise, put up a parking lot”. An industrial eyesore at the base of what fifty years ago was a ski area. Ugly!

  2. Roger Good says:

    Jeez, really? A ‘four season center’….
    Folks, you’re being sold a bill of goods.
    When the resort development rep describes the plan: ‘This is not a quaint Vermont thing,’ you better hold on to your hats!! Let’s overbuild.
    Heck, while you’re at it, how about developing an adjoining theme park, casino, maybe parking for a thousand more cars?
    What a sad turn of events for a classic New England ski destination.

    • One last thing. Who you going to hire to work this mega monstrosity? Locals? Ha! Better think again. Now in 2023, Vermont resorts are DESPERATE to hire seasonal workers. Ask ‘em. Things have become so dire that they are forced to bring in workers from Jamaica and Central America. You think it’s going to get better in a few years? Notice that the developers don’t touch on this critical issues.

  3. Carol Finer says:

    I ditto the two former comments. I lived in Killington back in the 1970s and into the 80s, first as a ski bum and eventually as a teacher in Woodstock, and of course skiing and hiking Killington and Pico year round. They were some of the happiest years of my life. Killington was a beautiful, unspoiled area then, and to bring in this huge development will make it like so many of the big overdeveloped areas out here in Colorado which I can’t wait to move away from. So sad!!

  4. EILEEN FISHKIN says:

    What’s not to love? The entire plan. I’ve skied Killington since the late ’60s. Love the New England feel, and do not look forward to a big city feel. Sorry Powdr, your plans are reprehensible as far as I am concerned.

  5. Ham Pakradooni says:

    I have fond memories of skiing at Killington in the 60’s, but when we were looking to buy a condo for our family in the late 90’s, we jumped at the opportunity of getting a condo at Stratton… the only ski village in New England. After 24 years of ownership, we don’t regret a thing! The convenience of walking to everything you need has been great.
    I am sure that Killington will tastefully develop a similar village at the “Great Killington”…our first love!

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