Deer Valley Resort is pursuing the development of a significant project to house its workforce along a busy Park City road corridor.
The project is known as Ski Rail, a reference to the location’s proximity to the Rail Trail, and is proposed at 1555 Lower Iron Horse Loop Road. Deer Valley owns the land and operates a laundry facility at the location.
Deer Valley wants to develop a project with at least 200 beds. A timeline for the construction will hinge on the review process.
The Ski Rail proposal is linked to Deer Valley’s plans for a major development outside Snow Park Lodge. City Hall requires a bloc of workforce housing as part of a project like the one proposed at Snow Park.
“We’re committed to investing in Deer Valley’s future and addressing the needs of our employees and community through the proposed Affordable Master Planned Development,” said Deer Valley’s vice president of marketing, Susie English, referring to the Ski Rail project. “Our plan not only exceeds the minimum housing obligations for the Snow Park redevelopment but also ensures that housing is conveniently located on transit routes with direct access to Deer Valley. By situating housing within half a mile of major services, we aim to provide our staff with a vibrant in-town living experience, enhancing their quality of life while keeping them connected to the community.”
The location is near a wide range of businesses in the Prospector district, the Iron Horse district and along the Kearns Boulevard corridor.
It is almost certain the review process will address traffic. The location is accessed off Bonanza Drive, one of the busiest municipal streets and a road that regularly suffers backups during the morning and afternoon rush hours. There can also be turning difficulties from side streets onto Bonanza Drive during the busy times.
There could be questions about the impact of adding a substantial number of residences so close to Bonanza Drive. People who live nearby could also have concerns about any additional traffic on Bonanza Drive, as well as in the Iron Horse area. The businesses close to the location, though, could see a Deer Valley workforce development as potentially increasing the customer base in the immediate area.
The proposal is another element of Deer Valley’s aggressive push to remake the resort. The concept for the land outside Snow Park involves the development of a new base. Large garages would be built to account for the parking spots that are lost as the lots are developed.
Deer Valley and City Hall leaders in 2023 reached an agreement to pursue a public-private partnership addressing transportation and housing. City Hall and Deer Valley will each contribute $15 million as part of the partnership.
The resort, meanwhile, is also expanding off U.S. 40, in Wasatch County, with the Deer Valley East Village.
Deer Valley is scheduled to host an open house centered on Ski Rail. It is slated for Tuesday, Aug. 13, 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Deer Valley Plaza lobby located at 1375 Deer Valley Drive. RSVP at: https://tinyurl.com/48vmts7m.