TGR Co-Founder Comments On Surprising Sale Of Jackson Hole
Last week, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, announced that it was changing hands. The sale, which is expected to be finalized by the end of 2023, will transfer ownership from the Kemmerer Family to board members Eric Macy and Mike Corbat alongside a group of investors. Read more about the news here.
This development prompted a thorough Instagram post from Teton Gravity Research co-founder and Jackson Hole, Wyoming resident Todd Jones where he detailed his feelings about the sale.
Check it out below.
From Jones' post:
"Home, is where i want to be, but I guess I'm already there" Breaking news: Jackson Hole sold today. When I read the headline, I was gripped. Then, when I figured out what was going on I was stoked...The founders of this incredible mountain were legends. "Paul McCollister and Alex Morley stood in an empty field and saw a runway" These boys redefined skiing in North America. In 1963 they put in one of the most legendary ski lifts in the world, Big Red. In 1992 they handed over the next era of their vision to the Kemmerer family. Around that time , I came to JH to take a year off from college. Much has gone down since then but i can say this, the Kemmerer's were the best owners in the world. In my mind they operated this resort with a philosophy to embrace how world class this place was the day the boys spun the first lift. Sure it was a bit cowboy at times and that was some of the best stuff. Say what you will, but running one of the sickest mountains in the world with their commitment to excellence was not an easy task and find me a family that did it better. I have traveled the world to every continent and have rarely seen the like. They did this all independently, while focusing on being stewards of the community and trying to protect the experience . As an example, in the last few years, Jackson Hole has pioneered the idea of limiting skier days. Imagine if golf courses doubled the people they sent on the course on a full day. It would suck. Jackson figured that out and we are leading the industry in lift line maintenance. While our little town has burst at the seems, I am beyond ecstatic that we remain an independent ski area. I am grateful that the Kemmerer's chose this independent path and I am stoked for Eric and Mike. I can't wait to shred our little hill together. Congratulations!
Thank you all for taking control of the spaceship! Let's fly it to amazing places. Lastly, to the Kemmerer family, I am forever grateful to you for your undying commitment to the biggest little hill in the world. Your track changed my life, and for the record I am not going back to college. (I took a "year" off in 1991 to spend a winter in JH)."
Jones understandably expressed concern when he first heard the news of the sale. While he refrained from addressing the elephant in the room -- resort conglomerates -- Jones, like many skiers processing the announcement, expressed excitement that Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will remain independently owned going forward.
He also paid tribute to the Kremmer Family, who has operated the resort since 1992. The family introduced infrastructure improvements like a green energy system and a new aerial tram and pioneered the use of ticket and mega pass reservations during their tenure as owners.
Here's the thing. Jones has been a fixture of the freeskiing and Jackson Hole community for decades. If he's comfortable with the sale, odds are it bodes well for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Although, as with every significant change in skiing, all we can really do is wait and see.
That said, here at Powder, we're rooting for the soon-to-be new owners. Best of luck to Eric Macy and Mike Corbat in their new venture!
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