Arapahoe Basin COO Al Henceroth Provides Exclusive Interview About Alterra Acquisition

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, located near Dillon, CO, made an announcement last week that sent shockwaves through the skiing world.

After 27 years of celebrated ownership, Arapahoe Basin is to be sold to Alterra Mountain Company by Canadian real estate firm Dream Unlimited Corp.

Alterra is known for owning and operating over a dozen ski resorts across the country, and for selling the ever-popular Ikon Pass.

To understand the public's reaction, you must first understand what separates Arapahoe Basin from many of Colorado's ski resorts.

Rather than fancy lodges, five-star restaurants, and designer shops donning store fronts in the village, Arapahoe Basin is serviced by a simple base lodge with one restaurant (plus two on-mountain lodges).

It's a "skier's mountain" in that the skiing/riding experience is the main selling point. Arapahoe Basin attracts no-frills skiers looking for full-thrill terrain without the over-crowding experienced at other resorts (A-Basin limits daily lift ticket sales).

So, when it was announced that the company that owns notably busier and fancier ski resorts such as Palisades Tahoe, CA and Steamboat, CO was taking over, the fear of change spread like wildfire.

These reactions were understandable, but dramatized.

Rather than further stoke the flames of unfounded fear and conspiracy, I chatted with Arapahoe Basin COO Al Henceroth to better understand the acquisition by Alterra.

Check out our conversation below:

What do you think Dream Unlimited Corp did right with Arapahoe Basin over the last 27 years?

"You know that's a really good question. They did a lot of things the right way, maybe everything the right way. I think one of the biggest things they recognized was that Arapahoe Basin was a special place. It's a diamond in the rough.

While the Basin was a great place in 1997 when they bought it, it could be so much more. They were very good about making steady investments in the place.

We were the only ski company in their portfolio, and they didn't necessarily have expertise in running ski areas, but they had a lot of expertise in running businesses. 

I think what they did better than anything was they listened to us when we talked about skiing."

You mentioned in a recent blog that maintaining the vibe of Arapahoe Basin is important. How do you plan to accomplish that once Alterra takes over?

"Alterra gets what a cool place A-Basin is, that's why they bought it. I don't think it's their intention to buy it and just totally change it into something else.

Obviously, the parent company is really important, but the people at a resort, the people that work there, the people that visit there, that hang out there, that's what makes the culture so exciting and fun.

We're going to plan on doing things the same kind of way and treating people the same way. We will continue to promote opportunities for people to have fun skiing, or whatever they like to do. So, you know, we don't see that part changing."

Does Alterra plan to make Arapahoe Basin an unlimited access Ikon Pass resort?

"We have talked about that a little bit, and what I don't think Alterra wants to do is blow the place up. They don't want to overrun us.

You know, the early season, maybe Monday through Friday, we could use a few more people here, and I bet they're going to help us try to figure out how to maintain the weekends, just where we are.

We might try and get a few more people up here in the quiet times, but I don't think they have plans to stuff a gazillion people in here."

You mentioned in your blog that things are going to run as usual for at least for the remainder of this season. What are your personal goals to finish out this season?

"We had a little bit of a slow start to the season snow wise, but the skiing is great. I'm hoping we can finish out and have an incredibly strong end to it.

I'm working with our whole team to be ready for this transition when it actually occurs. We don't know when it's going to close yet."

There are folks expressing concern in the comments of Arapahoe Basin's social media posts. What would you say to those who are actively concerned about the future of Arapahoe Basin?

"So, this is not the first big change that A-Basin has been through. When Ralston Purina bought the place in 1978, that was pre-social media of course, but everybody thought that that was going to ruin A-Basin.

In fact, for most people living today, A-Basin is post-1978 Ralston Purina, and for a lot of people those were the "good old days".

We've been through this before when we wanted to add snowmaking in the late 90s, people thought that was going to ruin A-Basin. When we joined the Ikon Pass five years ago, people thought that was going to ruin A-Basin.

What I would encourage people to do is to be calm and patient and have faith in those of us that are still working here. We all want the place to be its same special and wonderful place.

This is this is going to be a good thing for us. Dream were fantastic owners, but they're ready to sell and I'm just glad that as good of a company as Alterra wanted to buy it.

I think they're going to do a great job."

What is it about A-Basin that makes it such a special place?

"I think there are two things that make A-Basin such an incredible place.
One is the mountain, the physical setting, it's just, it's as good as it gets. I never get tired of being here. It's just stunning. Every day while we're talking, I'm looking out the window at the East Wall. It's just stunning.

The other big thing is the people. We live in a different world. Social media is kind of a weird place. I walk around, I have great talks with people, they express their interest and concern, they have lots of questions, but it's still a positive place.

What I think is really special at its core is that people want to be here and want to make it such a fun place."

Related: Alterra Mountain Company To Purchase Colorado's Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

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