For events in the colder months, venues that embrace the season and offer intriguing outdoor activities become paramount; luckily, myriad mountain ranges in the Northeast mean a vast number of ski resorts and centers are available to planners. The term “ski destination” is something of a misnomer—it doesn’t fully capture the range of offerings these venues have available beyond slaloming down mountains. These ski venues throughout the region do brisk events business year-round and offer something for everyone.
Event planners will find many amenities and spaces to accommodate groups of all sizes at Northeast mountain getaways. Most even call themselves “one-stop shops” and offer lodging on-site, although not all have accommodations. Thanks to shuttle services and strong relationships with local businesses, ski destinations allow event attendees to head to any of these snow-focused locales and not miss a step with their program or feel they are too far away from their group even if lodgings are not on-site.
“We try to understand what the client is looking for, look at what we have here, and offer a customized package,” says Emily Forloines, conference sales manager at Jay Peak Resort in Jay, Vermont. With this kind of flexibility for events and a holistic approach, ski destinations might be an appealing choice for planners with groups of skiers and nonskiers looking for some bleisure time in a beautiful natural setting.
Belleayre Mountain Ski Center in Highmount, New York, offers city-dwelling attendees a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of urban life (it is 90 minutes from Albany). It is the first ski center in the Catskill Mountains to open and the last to close each season. At 3,500 feet, with 51 ski trails total including several cross-country trails, the center can accommodate skiers of all skill levels. It is also the only ski center in the area with a gondola for extra-comfortable rides to the pinnacle. Fire pits and an outdoor bar help create festivity. “We work with each client and customize each event,” says Loronda Murphy-Cartolaro, event planner at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center. She notes its clientele has shifted toward planners with groups seeking bleisure experiences.
Belleayre Mountain Ski Center’s function space can comfortably accommodate 300 people. An expansion project, set to be complete for the upcoming ski season, will add room for an additional 300 attendees. The center does not have lodging on-site, but has a shuttle service to local hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.
Up in Vermont, Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe offers various packages for large group events of 20 or more people. “We offer special savings on lift tickets, rental equipment, and group ski lessons, based on availability,” says Emily Martin, director of communications for Vail Resorts in Broomfield, Colorado, Stowe Mountain Resort’s parent company. Other outdoor activities for groups at Stowe Mountain Resort might include curated on-mountain lunch and après ski experiences; ski and snowboard races with an awards banquet; guided ski and snowboard tours of little-known hidden gems on the mountain; and private dinners in the Cliff House. For this latter experience, gondola cabins equipped with lanterns and blankets transport guests to the summit for an unforgettable dinner with a view.
Family-friendly amenities are another important consideration for planners, as bringing spouses and children along for the ride has become an increasingly popular trend among event attendees. Along with great skiing and snowboarding opportunities, Jay Peak Resort provides plenty to keep the kids busy. The ski resort includes an indoor water park, ice-skating rink, a movie theater, and rock-climbing wall for the adventurous.
The family-friendly appeal is one reason why the New England Shoulder and Elbow Society (NESES) has held its annual conference at the resort for over 20 years. Another is the staff’s top-notch customer service and attention to detail. “The staff has done a great job of handling all the little details,” says Karen Myrick, nurse practitioner and meeting planner for NESES. “They’re really good about customizing things for everyone.” Myrick, continuing medical education (CME) officer for NESES, praises the venue’s flexibility when it comes to layout, as she needs to meet certain specifications for CME compliance. “You have to have separate doors for the exhibitors to be in—you can’t force any of your attendees to go into your exhibitor area,” she explains. She also notes that the staff at Jay Peak Resort has been flexbile about meeting start and end times, allowing attendees to break for a while in the middle of the day to spend time with accompanying family members.
Convenience and flexibility are hallmarks of Jay Peak Resort (it is 90 minutes from the nearest airport in Burlington, Vermont). On-site lodging options include guest cottages and three hotels including Hotel Jay & Conference Center.
In addition to its ski and snowboarding offerings, Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Pennsylvania, has what Gary Kline, director of marketing and guest experience at the resort, calls “corporate enhancements,” breakout sessions that focus on team building and networking. Kline says, “We have one called ‘Playing with Sharp Objects,’ which can include ax-throwing, archery, a mixology course, or build-a-bike class. These are more fun, social activities a group can do together.” Planners might incorporate other activities like group yoga, guided hikes, a field day with lawn games, and disc golf into their itineraries. With 26,000 square feet of meeting space and an on-site audiovisual equipment team, three restaurants, and a 116-room hotel, planners have plenty of options to choose from at Bear Creek Mountain Resort.
