Vail, which as well as being a famous ski resort in Colorado actually owns four other famous ski resorts in Colorado and California, has announced it is spending up to 85 million dollars on “enhancing the guest experience” at its ski areas ahead of next winter. “Now that the 2009–2010 ski season is over, we are already looking ahead to next ski season and starting work on projects that continue to enhance the world-class experience at Vail Resorts for all of our guests,” said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer for Vail Resorts.

Vail and sister resort Beaver Creek have been awarded the 2015 Alpine World Skiing Championships. The famous US resort last hosted the Championships in 1999 and European resorts have or will host the seven Championships in between.

Vail have announced their Epic Pass is back for next winter and can be bought now. The Epic Pass gives unlimited and unrestricted skiing at the company’s five resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado and Heavenly in California as well as another Colorado ski centre the company doesn’t own, Arapahoe Basin.

They may not yet be open but enthusiastic locals have been hiking up the slopes at Vail in order to get ‘fresh tracks’ on the heavy snow that has been falling across much of Colorado including Vail’s four resorts in the state.

Keystone opens for the 2009–2010 season on Friday, November 6, followed closely by Breckenridge on Thursday, November 12. Vail and Heavenly are set to open November 20 and Beaver Creek will open November 25.

Vail Resorts Inc. reported Thursday a 52 percent drop in fiscal 2009 net income as the weak economy hurt tourism spending.

The ski-resort operator reported net income of $48.95 million, or $1.34 a share, on revenue of $977 million, compared with 2008 net income of $102.9 million, or $2.67 a share, on revenue of $1.15 billion.

Despite the income drop, chief executive Rob Katz said Vail Resorts has weathered the recession better than other ski resorts in Colorado and Utah.