EPR Properties purchased Wintergreen, a Virginia resort, on Thursday from James C. Justice II. The four season resort will be leased by and managed by Pacific Group Resorts, a company which currently owns and operates the New Hampshire Ragged Mountain Resort and the Maryland Wisp Resort.
Brian Chase, managing broker of Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties — a group closely involved with the resort and the surrounding area — said he was supportive of EPR and Pacific Group Resorts management.
“I think they are better than a good fit,” Chase said. “They are quite possibly the best fit we could’ve imagined. These folks are already operating some East Coast resorts, and they have tons and tons of experience.”
Chase said EPR Properties chose to work with Pacific Group Resorts due to an already successful partnership at the Wisp Resort in Western Maryland. EPR Vice President Brian Moriarty said Wintergreen had many of the qualities his company looks for in a property and he was excited to be working in the area.
“Wintergreen Resort is an outstanding property with many of the attributes we look for as a long term property owner,” he said in an e-mail. “We are also very pleased to be expanding our partnership with the highly experienced team at Pacific Group Resorts and are excited the future potential of Wintergreen.”
EPR Properties: A profile of Wintergreen's new owner
Pacific Group Resorts spokesperson Mark Fisher said the company is also pleased to have the opportunity to lease and manage Wintergreen.
“The executive team at PGRI has a broad base of experience in mountain resort operations and in the master planning and development of ski resorts,” Fisher said. “We hope to work with the management team at Wintergreen to maximize the customer experience through a combination of meticulous planning and operating enhancements and efficiencies. The people at Wintergreen are top notch, and we are delighted to be working with them on the possibilities for growth here.”
Wintergreen General Manager Hank Theiss also said he was excited by the change in a press release.
“I’ve been in this industry for over 30 years and I’ve known the leadership of Pacific Group Resorts for over 20 years,” Theiss said. “They have tons of experience in this industry at some of the most iconic resorts in the West. My management team and I are excited for the possibilities this partnership could bring to our members and guests.”
Justice II purchased the 11,000 acre resort in the summer of 2012 but put it back on the market in Feb. 2014. Chase said the uncertainty caused by the sale may have negatively affected the resort, but hopes that it will be replaced by greater interest in the mountain.
“People really shy away from uncertainty,” Chase said. “There was a lot of uncertainty in the last 12 months. Now that [it] has been taken out of the picture, I am certain there are a lot of people who are willing and able to pursue their interests in Wintergreen.”
Chase said the purchase could actually boost the popularity and financial success of the resort and said those who have spent years enjoying Wintergreen should be excited to learn of Pacific Group Resorts’ emphasis on the best parts of the resort.
“Right out of the gate I...believe [Pacific Group Resorts has] a firm appreciation for everything Wintergreen has to offer, and that they will capitalize what is best and capitalize it moving forward,” Chase said.
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