Windham Mountain Club Faces Backlash Following Rebrand; Addresses Community Concerns

On October 2nd, Windham Mountain, New York, announced that it was rebranding as Windham Mountain Club. Alongside the rebrand, the resort also shared news of a $70 million investment (this investment was previously announced in July) in off and on-piste enhancements, plus upcoming improvements to the members-only experience.

The rebrand faced swift backlash online. This past week, Windham Mountain Club made several posts on its Instagram page, quickly populated by commenters worried or angry about the transition. The resort has since turned off comments on its two most recent Instagram posts.

Concerns raised by skiers online varied. Some worried that the mountain was going completely private and members-only (it's not), whereas others feared for the future of the resort's lift-serviced bike park.

"Please do not close the bike park. Us Windham riders are a strong community that have a big love for the bike park. Closing it would cause more harm than good. Please remember about us and give a second thought to this community that is actively growing," wrote one commenter.

In a conversation with Powder, Kate Sullivan, Windham Moutain Club's director of marketing and communications, stated that the lift-serviced bike park will cease operations after this fall and will not be open next summer (the bike park is open for two more weekends).

Sullivan later expanded on the closure of the lift-serviced bike park during written correspondence: "It was a tough decision and is heartbreaking for staff and guests alike, especially those who worked hard to make it a top-notch experience and are passionate about riding it. Bike park visitation is a fraction of what our winter visitation is."

Another common thread among those upset was financial, with many skiers viewing the rebrand as Windham pivoting toward primarily serving a more moneyed clientele, as illustrated by this commenter's response:

"I am blown away with frustration. This is nearly unbelievable, but then I think about how somebody who can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for private experience is just too selfish to think about how this impacts SO MANY LIVES. Forget me, who was privileged enough to spend my weekends exploring this mountain from an early age. How about the employees? Or the residents? Or the town? And all of the small businesses surrounding the mountain?"

Sullivan confirmed that the rebrand is, in part, about enhancing the luxury experience at Windham Mountain Club.

"It is a luxury-focused pivot," she said. However, Sullivan also noted that she doesn't view the change as just being about serving those with deep pockets. "Yes, there's an expansion of the existing members club. But the, you know, focus on enhancing the amenities that we have are really also for our season pass holders. You know, ticket holders, it's for the entire community, not just the members component."

The resort will continue to offer public access tickets and passes, with restrictions applying to the number of tickets and Ikon Pass reservations available daily -- Windham Mountain Club has restricted ticket sales for the past three years and required Ikon Pass reservations last year.

Sullivan states that Windham Mountain Club's continuing ticket and reservation system is not "more aggressive" than other ski resorts that have adopted similar crowd reduction measures post-pandemic.

As for benefits for non-members post-rebrand, Sullivan pointed towards a "revamped culinary program" coming to Windham Mountain Club -- four new restaurants will be available at the resort next winter, one of which is members-only.

Additionally, she explained that a portion of the $70 million in capital expenditures will go towards improving on-piste infrastructure, accessible by members and non-members alike.

"Lifts and snowmaking have also been enhanced at Windham Mountain Club, including a full mechanical upgrade to the East Side Express (G) and more automated snowmaking to provide more snow coverage in less time. Automation has been added for this season on Upper Wolverine, Lower Warpath, and Way to Go," the resort wrote in an October 2nd press release. According to Sullivan, there are "not currently" any plans to build new chairlifts.

Another component of the capital expenditures is club-focused, offering upgrades to amenities for members and lodging guests, including constructing a fitness club, an adventure club, a Hudson River outpost, and an amphitheater. Windham Mountain Club hasn't shared the costs associated with these developments.

While day tickets for next winter at Windham Mountain Club are not yet available, season pass options range from $1,899 to $2,149. The cost of membership at the mountain going forward is $175,000, with pre-existing members who wish to retain their membership at the rebranded resort receiving a discount.

Sullivan also expressed that Windham Mountain Club believes the rebrand will be a net positive for the resort's local economy and residents. "The overall mountain experience is intended to include the community," she said. "[It] exists to bring, you know, more people here that are going to spend money in the town and enhance finance and commerce of the town, as well as create more jobs for the larger, you know, Greene County and the region. And we think those are all positive things."

Toward the end of the conversation, Sullivan addressed two rumors circulating online: the prospect of a snowboarding ban at Windham Mountain Club and word of the rental shop closing. Neither of these rumors, it turns out, are true.

"I've definitely seen the rumors out there about no snowboarding and that is absolutely not the case. We are open to skiers and snowboarders," Sullivan said.

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