Stowe Mountain Resort is now "Officially" for Sale

Is this a surprise? It shouldn't be. After all, AIG was clear, last year, about divesting itself of all non-core businesses. The inference to be drawn from the timing of this announcement and scope of coverage, is, I think, that the Resort is fairly close to be being sold. And, hopefully, to a deep-pocketed and experienced ski-resort operator — and on-mountain real-estate developer. AIG has received a surprising number of unsolicited bids from qualified buyers, spokesman Peter Tulupman said. He declined to state who the potential buyers are or if any are from Vermont. Vail Resorts, perhaps?

Last September, RockResorts quietly bought into Stowe with the announcement that it was expanding its luxury property collection to the “heart of the Northeast” with the addition of The Mansfield Inn at Stowe, which “... will be a charming, luxury property that embraces its stunning alpine backdrop. It serves as the perfect entry back into the Northeast for RockResorts.” Bet you didn't know that RockResorts, a resort hotel company headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc.

Why "quietly?" Well, a "rockresorts stowe" Google search returns this as the first organic result, a simple press release dated last September 22nd:

RockResorts - RockResorts Returns to the Northeast with the ...

Sep 22, 2008 ... “We are pleased to be working with RockResorts,” said Jeffrey Toporek, principal of Stonewater Partners, Inc. “The Mansfield Inn at Stowe ...

rockresorts.com/info/pressreleases/pressreleases.20080922.release.asp - 36k -

Cached - Similar pages -

I wonder why when you click on the headline, the result is, “RockResorts - Page Not Found.” And you won't find it if you navigate to the Press Room either. But, if you click on “Cached” — there it is! Are they coming out the back door — and right up the Mountain Road? Vail Resorts perhaps?