New ski lift construction postponed at Big Sky Resort

BIG SKY RESORT

BIG SKY RESORT – Big Sky Resort has postponed installation of the new Swift Current ski lift until the summer of 2021. The lift had been scheduled for a summer 2020 installation and complete in time to open for the 2020-21 ski season.

“Proceeding with a complex and deadline sensitive construction project during the current COVID-19 emergency would not be a prudent decision,” said Troy Nedved, general manager of operations at Big Sky Resort. According to Nedved, concerns about construction worker health and the unknowns related to the construction supply chain make the project too risky to undertake in 2020. A Doppelmayr D-Line, 6-passenger lift, the fastest and most technologically-advanced lift in the industry, has already been custom manufactured for this installation. Some site preparation and limited construction will happen this summer once public health authorities signal an all clear. 

Typically, major ski lift construction involving both the removal of an existing lift and installation of a new lift happens over the course of one April through November construction season with virtually no days to spare. “We‘re simply not going to initiate a project that removes a key ski lift if we cannot guarantee to our customers that the new lift will be ready for them on opening day,” said Taylor Middleton, COO, Big Sky Resort. 

The resort is evaluating several other major construction projects scheduled for this summer on a case-by-case basis.