Vail Resorts great debate on increasing parking prices when you fail at managing the rest of the mountain :)
This all started in 2015 lets not forget and Vail Resorts tried to trademark the name Park City - and any business with that name would have to change their name......great move Vail. But with extreme pushback they backed off and lost the battle.
lets go from free parking to $29 in a few years....and oh shutting down lifts causing long lines.
Three years ago, you could park for free or pay a small fee at the base.
Now? $29 per day is the new normal at the Mountain Village and Canyons base areas.
During covid they started the reservation system....which kinda worked and 4 in the car for free parking. But what about all the kids and young adults who ski train 5-7 days a week. No break to them. All about the money right?
It would be fine if the parking was easy and very convenient to the Village - which its not.
A Pattern of Corporate Mismanagement
The issues extend beyond parking:
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Understaffed lifts — leading to long lines even on moderate days.
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Cut corners on grooming and maintenance — locals notice the difference.
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Seasonal worker shortages — often blamed on housing, but compounded by low pay.
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Opaque communication — new policies seem to appear overnight without meaningful community input.
Vail’s strategy is clear: drive season pass sales, cut costs, and manage Park City as a spreadsheet entry — not a world-class mountain.
Locals Deserve Better
Park City isn’t just another mountain in Vail’s portfolio; it’s a living, breathing community that depends on skiing for its culture and economy. When management decisions are made 500 miles away by executives who don’t ski here, the disconnect shows.
A $29 parking fee might not seem huge to a tourist, but to locals — ski instructors, hospitality workers, weekend families — it’s a daily reminder that the mountain they built their lives around is slowly being taken away from them.
