SSCV breaks ground on long-awaited clubhouse

Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) announced a plan last week to break ground on a new, long-awaited clubhouse at the base of Golden Peak, fulfilling one of the organization’s top strategic priorities.

Thanks to the generosity and cooperation of Vail Resorts and the town of Vail, construction is set to begin on the 28,000-square-foot upgrade, which has been pursued in one form or another since the early 1990s. With demolition of the existing clubhouse already completed, the new facility is on schedule to make its grand opening prior to the start of the 2018-19 ski and snowboard season. It will be a welcomed sight for SSCV athletes, staff and board members, who have anticipated the redevelopment and worked toward this objective for a number of years.

“We’ve needed a new clubhouse for quite some time. This is the third and, thankfully, final iteration of the project,” said former SSCV board member Phil Hoversten, who is among the group of advisors that has led the redevelopment effort from the beginning. “This is absolutely huge for the club. When my kids went to Ski Club Vail, they all had lockers. They were able to leave their skis and a change of clothes at the club. We like to think of ourselves as the best ski and snowboard club in the country — if not, the world — and now we’ll have a clubhouse to match it.”

For SSCV Executive Director Kirk Dwyer, the clubhouse initiative was among his top priorities when he assumed leadership of the organization in 2016.

“The new clubhouse will go far beyond simply providing more space and enhanced facilities at the base of Golden Peak,” Dwyer said. “It will also serve a critical role in unifying our organization by providing a comfortable space where our athletes, staff and friends will be encouraged to congregate and enjoy the benefits of a slopeside community center.”

The new facility will be a significant upgrade from SSCV’s current clubhouse, which was constructed in 1977 when the club had less than 100 members. SSCV now serves more than 650 athletes and employs more than 100 coaches.

The $25 million structure will consist of five stories. The first two stories will host SSCV facilities, such as enhanced equipment storage, locker rooms, coaches’ workstations, administrative offices, conference rooms, athlete lounges, video rooms, warm-up/warm-down rooms, a tuning facility, a gym and a medical treatment center. The top two levels of the property will be occupied by luxury residential real estate, and the lowest level will consist of an underground garage, plus two on-grade affordable housing units.

With an expanded three-lane driveway and enhanced snow mitigation, the redevelopment plan intends to reduce the bottleneck of traffic that has impacted Vail Valley Drive during pick-up and drop-off times. Town of Vail residents and businesses should expect improved traffic flow through that area as a result of the redevelopment.

The project represents a tremendous, multiyear collaboration among SSCV, Vail Resorts, the town of Vail and Viele Construction. The development and sale of two luxury residential condominiums will help pay for the project, and Vail Resorts has generously donated additional land necessary to accommodate the expanded footprint of the new facility.

With the support and cooperation of many in the Vail community, the project is able to proceed without imposing any cost on SSCV’s membership.

“It was important that we minimize financial risk to the club,” said Dwyer. “The project is thankfully able to move forward without incurring any new debt for our organization. In fact, by moving forward, SSCV will eliminate more than $1 million of existing debt related to the planning, architectural, legal and permitting processes.”

The project does entail demolition of the current clubhouse, which renders it unavailable for the upcoming ski and snowboard season. This vacancy has always been a planned necessity of the project, and SSCV leadership has been extensively preparing for the prospect of a winter without a clubhouse.

Discussions are ongoing with the town of Vail, Vail Resorts and other parties to provide a functional solution. As the plans solidify in the months ahead, SSCV members should be on the lookout for updates on how the club will operate this coming season.

“I want to emphasize the outstanding leadership effort by members of our clubhouse committee, which is comprised of current and former SSCV board members,” Dwyer finished. “This has truly been a team effort to move the project forward. Of special note is the exceptional commitment of Jeff Kirwood in leading the committee and helping make this dream a reality.”

Release courtesy of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail