After an 8 year back and forth with the Forest Service, the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort's master plan has been approved.
It includes 10 new chair lifts, 50 new ski runs, more parking, a new lodge and more jobs for locals.
The LVSSR's parent company, Powdr Corp is making a major investment in Las Vegas.
"This type of expansion is going to bring tourism dollars, jobs and huge business growth for the ski area itself and it's going to really give us a year round recreational destination on Mt. Charleston," said President and CEO of LVSSR Kevin Stickelman.
But it wasn't an easy run to approval. The original plan was submitted back in 2003. After eight years of changes and re-submittals the master plan was finally approved by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Service last week.
Protecting the environment was a critcal factor in their approval of the master plan. The main concern was the Mt. Charleston Blue Butterfly.
"It's really just a set of best management practices that we are going to put in place during this master plan that will safeguard some of their habitat, said Stickelman.
The LVSSR says the expansion will take 10 to 12 years to complete.
It's expected to cost Powdr Corp more than $35 million to complete and some of that will be passed along to customers.
But prices shouldn't go up significantly until the major transformations begin.
"We're on the lower end of the pricing scale already, an I intend us to stay there but we will eventually go up as we add more lifts and more terrain and more amenities for the guest," said Stickelman.
He assured Action News prices will remain the same this coming season.
The resort's first order of business will be adding five additional snow makers. They'll also expand the youth ski school, along with adding more parking and outdoor seating.
The new lifts and ski runs will come in the following years.
Source: http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/125768603.html
