Sugarbush Resort has purchased the Sugar Lodge, located less than a mile down the road from Lincoln Peak.
Sugarbush will continue operating the Sugar Lodge as a year-round lodging property, which includes 22 rooms and two suites, a post and beam “great room” with a large fieldstone fireplace, a beer and wine bar, guest convenience center and a seasonal, heated, outdoor swimming pool. The Sugar Lodge is also located on the Mad Bus shuttle route in the winter.
The purchase is in conjunction with the decision to temporarily use the nearby Sugarbush Inn, which Sugarbush also owns, to house employees for the 2021/22 winter season. The Sugarbush Inn will continue to operate like an inn this winter, but only for Sugarbush employees. The resort needed to continue to expand its employee housing offerings as there are few affordable housing options in the area and using the Sugarbush Inn will help provide a local lodging benefit to these employees.
Previously, Sugarbush had a mix of owned and rented properties used for employee housing but many of those rented properties were not available this year. Sugarbush hopes to embark on building new employee housing in the near future and return the inn to guest use, according to spokesperson John Bleh.
Transitioning the Sugarbush Inn to employee housing this winter meant losing one of its lodging properties for guests and the purchase of the Sugar Lodge fills that void. “We believe this will help fill a real need for some of our employees and are excited to continue to find ways to add to our portfolio of employment benefits,” said John Hammond, president and COO of Sugarbush. “We want to thank Bob and Susan Cummiskey and Tim Piper for helping us add an incredible year-round property to our guest lodging options.”
The Cummiskeys owned the lodge for 20 years having purchased it in April 2001. They plan to stay in The Valley and are looking forward to spending time visiting family for holidays and celebrations that they often missed due to owning a hospitality business.
For more information on lodging at Sugarbush or employee benefits, visit www.sugarbush.com.
