Vail Hosts Free George Gillett Day Celebration at Renovated Dobson Arena

Aspen —“George, Racine, Wisconsin.”

That was the name on the employee jacket. No title. No corporate rank. Just a man from Wisconsin who skied 135 days in his first season as the owner of Vail.

Gov. Jared Polis signed a proclamation this week declaring Sunday, Nov. 1, as George N. Gillett Jr. Day across the state of Colorado. The celebration is set for noon to 2 p.m. at Dobson Arena in Vail.

Make no mistake: this is the first event held inside that building since its 18-month, $54 million renovation wrapped.

Polis, a Vail homeowner himself, didn’t mince words in the text of the proclamation. He noted that Gillett was “as likely to start a conversation on a chairlift as in a boardroom.” He knew the ski patrollers. He knew the shop owners. He knew the bus drivers. He didn’t just manage a resort; he lived in it.

Gillett died on Sept. 22 at age 87. His wife, Rose Gillett, still lives in Vail. She said the family is “incredibly grateful” to everyone who shared years of friendship and adventure with him.

The event is free. It’s open to the entire Vail community. The Vail Daily reported that attendees from near and far are encouraged to wear apparel from the ’80s and ’90s. If you were there “when,” show it off.

There’s a catch to the schedule, though. Sunday is also when clocks fall back an hour. Don’t forget to move your dial before you head into the valley.

The program includes videos, speakers, and performances highlighting Gillett’s life. The focus is on his “magnanimous life,” according to a news release, specifically his ownership of Vail and Beaver Creek from 1985 through 1992.

In 1985, Gillett bought both resorts. He asked the Eagle River Valley to commit to two ideas: treat every guest well and embrace employees as family. He didn’t just buy real estate; he bought a social contract.

Later, in 2001, he bought the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL’s oldest franchise. Canadian fans feared an American owner would move the team. He didn’t. He honored its history and sold it to the Molson family in 2009. He remains respected across Canada for that decision.

Gillett was inducted into the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Racine Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. He was a lifetime trustee of the Vail Valley Foundation and a supporter of Vail Health.

After the two-hour celebration, food and beverage will be served for those who want to stay and explore the new Dobson Arena.

If you have photos of Gillett skiing, send them in JPEG format to [email protected]. They’ll be shown on the new big screen in a closing video.

Rose Gillett said, “George was one-of-a-kind and lived a life like no other.”

The Vail Daily noted that the full text of the proclamation is available online. It’s worth reading in its entirety to understand how deeply Polis and others viewed Gillett’s impact on the region.

The renovation of Dobson Arena cost $54 million. That money came from local tax dollars and private investment. The arena is now a modern facility, but the event inside it is old-school. It’s about people who actually talked to each other.

Gillett’s legacy isn’t just in the boardrooms of Vail Resorts or the ice rinks of Montreal. It’s in the conversations on chairlifts and the respect for staff who kept the slopes open.

Sunday is a state holiday in name only, but for Vail, it’s a homecoming.

The clock change is the only logistical hurdle. The rest is just showing up.