Lake Tahoe ski resorts count on deep pocket investments to pay off

This winter at Lake Tahoe ski resorts marks the latest progression in merger mania. The Vail Corp. now owns Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, while KSL Capital Partners is investing in acquisitions Squaw and Alpine Meadows. Even independent Sugar Bowl is getting into the act with a recently inked agreement to operate the Royal Gorge Cross Country Resort.
While some decry the corporatization of Tahoe skiing - as powder runs merely become another "product" in a portfolio and free-spirited skiers are reduced to blips in profit centers - others are glad that the influx of deep-pocketed corporations has brought overdue investment in on-mountain facilities and the overall ski experience, from lifts to snowmaking and grooming, dining and ski schools.
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