Windham Mountain is in the process of becoming a semi-private, all-seasons resort, much to the ire of locals.
It ’s a Saturday afternoon in early March , and Chip Seamans is make the round at theWindham Mountain Clubin the Catskills , where he ’s serve as president and general manager for over a decade . The members - only ski lodge is bustle about in ways you would gestate : families dining together at rustic tables , charwoman sipping vino at the stripe as fireplaces roar nearby , and adolescent loaf on mystifying leather couch while sharing curious TikTok videos with each other . Every ten steps another appendage of the club is ready to exchange wizardly pleasantry . “ hit the slopes today , Chip ? ” It ’s very much business as common — at least through the ending of Windham ’s winter time of year .
Thiswinter wonderland located just two - and - a - one-half hour outside New York City , antecedently open to the populace , is in the summons of becoming a semi - individual , four - season resort with hogback riding , fly - fishing , and golf — and a $ 175,000price tagto buy in . That ’s the early Bronx cheer special though : At the close of March , that price increase to $ 200,000 . Meanwhile , membership dues will lead $ 9,000 a yr , with increases on the horizon as more comforts get together Windham ’s list of oblation .
Even for existing club members , the updated buy - in is pretty hefty . Those who join early shelled out as minuscule as $ 25,000 . To avoid their rank being terminate , they ’ll have to pitchfork over at least another $ 150,000 .
The members-only ski lodge|Photo courtesy of Windham Mountain Club
The move seems built to lure the well - heeled from New York City , like an all - season alternative to the Hamptons for the upper echelon . Though the resort has gone through many changes in its more than 70 - class world , this one might be the most ambitious .
That ’s in part thanks to late changes in upper management . In April 2023 , an possession group led bySandy Beall(founder of Ruby Tuesday ) andWebb Wilson(grandson of Holiday Inn laminitis Kemmons Wilson)became majority ownersof Windham Mountain with an initial investment of over $ 70 million .
Like most ski resorts , Windham is at a crossroads . It has to reckon with the reality of short ski time of year amid mood change . ( Warming temperature be the American ski industry$1.7 billionin lost revenue in the last decade . ) Resorts , especially in the NE , face adapting or shuttering amid the rising threat . That was compounded by pandemic - era limitation that mean set its mental ability to 25 percent .
Windham Mountain|Photo courtesy of Windham Mountain Club
In late years , Windham has pumped millions into improving mountain operations let in young high - focal ratio airlift and expanded snow - making capabilities . But snow - qualification can only do so much . Resorts need to get creative to bring in more revenue , which is specially truthful for smaller resorts like Windham , whose approaching changes include a belt of fresh activities , upgraded dining , and a revamped golf trend .
The golf row will get vivify and become phallus - only in coming month . Over the summer , the resort is coif to crack soil on a Modern spa and fittingness centre in the base lodge with more capacitance for massages as well as steam rooms and saunas .
The most obtrusive change so far has been the food , which was previously handled by Sodexo , the institutional food service behemoth known for dining broadcast at schools , senior sum , and prisons . Typically , ski resort food is n’t known for being flavorful or for holding much nutritional value , but it is , however , known for being painfully expensive .
The terrace|Photo courtesy of Windham Mountain Club
The Plain Jane cafeteria at the lodge ’s theme is nowFoodhall , serving breakfast and lunch with a more contemporary design and the basic American ski lodgemenu : burgers , sandwich , tender , and fries . It ’s better ( ceramic plates have substitute newspaper scale and cafeteria trays ; the burger comes with remoulade - manner limited sauce ; and the fragrant and refreshing squash salad almost seems too fancy for the carte ) , but not exactly groundbreaking .
The resort ’s high - end mess - top Italian restaurant , Cin Cin ! , has amenu of Italian classicslike Handmade Pappardelle with Short Rib Bolognese and a pan - seared branzino served with olives and caper ( each of these dishes is $ 36 ) . approachable only by ski rhytidoplasty , the eating place offers stunning vistas of the Hudson Valley , but preliminaryreviewscomplained about pitiful service during the eatery ’s first couple calendar month .
Windham also now has side - side sushi fromOkami by Mr. Leeat the Umbrella Bar , which sits in front of the base Sir Oliver Lodge and overlooks the spate . Thepetite menuincludes the sushi essentials plus a smattering of sakes and Nipponese whiskies . Those dining spot join the already established restaurantSeasons , which featuresMediterranean stapleslike shawarma and kebabs , as well as the members - onlyWindham Grill .
Cin Cin!|Photo courtesy of Windham Mountain Club
While the guild is impart lots of amenities , it ’s also hold away others — and none of it is sitting well with the surrounding community of interests . The pop Windham Mountain Bike Park , a pop trail - biking destination that has hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup several times over the last two decades , for good closedin October as part of the restructuring .
Moves like this have driven locals like Dennis Malles away . Malles , a Hudson Valley native uses the spate in the summertime calendar month for mountain biking . Under the newfangled rebranding , Windham wo n’t be an choice for him .
“ It ’s grievous because there is a lot of history in the mountain bike community . I feel like we are getting pushed out and it ’s very upsetting , ” Malles evidence Thrillist .
Windham Mountain at sunrise|Photo courtesy of Windham Mountain Club
Others are n’t thrill by the changes either and they ’re letting the resort get it on in the most fell tourist court of public opinion — societal media . OnRedditandInstagram , users skewer the resort for the late rebranding .
“ Yeah there ’s a gross ton of money in NYC and those people need to go on gracious vacations … but the skiing just is n’t good enough to justify an experience like that , ” one Reddit usersaid .
On anOctober Instagram postannouncing major changes and service tier up , users sounded off send for it “ the downgrade NO ONE asked for . ” Another said that a “ semi individual open to the populace makes total good sense if you ’re a f******g moron . ”
It ’s not the only change that the world-wide world clearly loathed . In January , the resort tested out two - twenty-four hour period passes rather than day passes . The rollout , to Seamans ’s own entree , was confusing . Windham quick turn back on the decision .
“ It ’s kind of funny to me . Windham is a nice mountain but it feels like they ’re trying to liken themselves to Vail , Aspen , or Killington . It screw up my mind they ’re proceed this route , ” Malles say .
After all , the ski season on the East Coast is usually on its last leg by March , while ski seasons can run into the belated springiness out W . In Utah , resorts like Snowbird had gunpowder days in previous April last twelvemonth . Skiers hit the gradient onJuly quaternary weekendfour class ago in Squaw Valley .
Once a state staple fiber for the regional skier and New York ’s day - trip audience , Windham was once a top choice . It was small , wizard , and reasonably price — day top for the worldwide populace are at $ 95 — the cheapest in the region , but it also boast the few track during peak time of year at 52 . If you ’re willing to open your wallet to become a Windham extremity , why not fell out west every weekend ?
Windham Mountain Club is bank on the notion that the spread out year - rhythm activities , which you do n’t get at conventional club , is deserving the price tag . In fact , Seamans does n’t see the crowd fade in the coming months .
He expects that the resort will have 200 families as appendage by the destruction of the month . Most of them pre - existing penis buy in at the new monetary value point , he says ( but refused to reveal the specific figure ) . He does accentuate that the membership fee is 80 pct refundable if you take to allow for the golf club .
For the local or free-and-easy day - tripper , the magic spell of small regional mountains as a pillar of the community is all but gone . Other regional mountains including Hunter and Belleayre are left to pick up the slack as the hubs for outside activity .
Even with the belt of novel activities , elevate dining , and brusque channel the new owners have plan as part of its new scheme , it ’s still questionable whether New York ’s elite will be unforced to pay the cost .
As one Reddit user put it : “ You ’re Windham , not Vail , get over yourself . ”
