Vail Unveils Specific Numbers for West Lionshead Project

The West Lionshead project isn’t just getting bigger. It’s getting specific.

For months, Vail officials and developers whispered about numbers. They showed a sneak preview to Park City. But until Tuesday, the public got little more than vague promises of a "new incarnation" of the failed Ever Vail ski village. Now, the conceptual framework is on the table. And it’s heavier than anyone expected.

This is the plan that will define Vail’s next decade. It’s a partnership between property owner Vail Resorts, developer East West Partners, and the town itself, all tied up in the Booth Heights lawsuit settlement. The site is fixed: 12.6 acres owned by Vail Resorts. The goal is also fixed: a new gondola up to Eagles Nest.

But the details? Those are finally emerging.

East West Managing Partner Jim Telling laid out the numbers for the full Vail Town Council. This isn’t a draft. It’s the current framework for a pre-development agreement the partners hope to finalize by fall. Once that agreement is signed, the council debates it. Then the public weighs in.

Here is what you’re actually getting for your tax dollars and your commute.

Between 52,000 and 58,000 square feet of dining and retail. That’s not a pop-up market. That’s a significant commercial footprint.

300 to 350 public parking spots. They’re going into a structured garage and transit hub. Telling says these numbers were vetted against a study. The study claims this parking will pull overflow cars off the arterial, which sees gridlock about 15 days a year. Fifteen. Is that the best use of prime real estate? Worth watching.

220 to 280 housing units. Mix of market-rate and deed-restricted. Not a housing boom. A modest bump.

Then there’s the entertainment. A music venue between 10,000 and 14,000 square feet. A wellness facility hitting 18,000 to 22,000 square feet. Skier services taking up 10,000 to 15,000 square feet.

Vail Resorts Director of Real Estate Development Melissa Sherburne painted a picture. She talked about a transit hub on the east side. A vibrant pedestrian corridor cutting through the site. A bridge leading to a "ski beach." She promised it would be lively. Energetic. Year-round. A mountain connection.

But look at the money.

Telling confirmed they have a "very high-level" estimate for realigning the main corridor. He didn’t give the number. He also left one major topic on the table: public financing. Specials taxing districts. Tax increment financing (TIF). He said they’ve made "good progress."

That’s the code. They’re asking the town to help pay for the infrastructure.

The short version: The project is moving from concept to contract. The physical footprint is set. The housing count is capped. The parking is calculated. What’s missing is the final price tag for the road realignment and the exact split on public financing.

Sherburne described a "ski-back trail" connecting the site to the mountain. Telling talked about reducing traffic on the congested stretch. These are the selling points. But the selling point for the town is the tax base. The selling point for the developer is the density.

The council has been working with the partners for months. Very little public visibility. Now the curtain is up. The numbers are on the page. The question is whether the town can afford the road work required to make this all work.

Telling didn’t reveal the road cost. He just said they’re ready to hash it out.

The plan is solid. The vision is clear. The bill is coming.