By Matt Hoisch
View of Telluride from the Telski mountain. Picture from rawpixel.com.
The Telluride Ski and Golf Resort is preparing to open on time around Thanksgiving. That’s according to Telski’s majority owner, Chuck Horning, who spoke with KOTO earlier this week. Amid the coronavirus, there is historic uncertainty over what the 2020/ 2021 ski season will look like. But, Horning says, unless there is a government order to the contrary, he would choose to fully operate the resort.
“We’re really focused on having these lifts ready to operate,” he explains. “We’re focused on opening on time, having the best season we can have.”
But, he also stresses, the reopening plans are a work in progress.
“Because things get a little complicated that are outside your control,” he says. “And of course COVID is outside our control.”
Even if the resort opens, he adds, it probably won’t be a typical winter.
“It’s very unlikely we’re gonna open as a normal season,” Horning says. “We’re dependent on air traffic to get here. And the planes aren’t—it’s just no realistic to think we’re gonna have a normal season.”
Low flight numbers, Horning explains, would stress the resort’s business margins, which he says are thin. But, even if the resort was at a risk of a financial loss this winter, he says they would still plan to open this season to maintain longer-term relationships with visitors.
“It isn’t just whether we can make money in one year,” he says. “It’s important long-term for this resort that we provide a consistency of experience that hopefully gets a little better each year.”
Horning adds if the resort opens, there are no plans to restrict the mountain only to season pass holders. He also says there are no plans to sell the resort.
“I’ve never met with anybody on a sale. We’re not for sale,” he explains.
Telski, he says, is in the process of hiring for the season. One empty position, though, isn’t getting filled just yet. Bill Jensen left his role as Telski CEO earlier this month. But Horning explains finding a new CEO isn’t high on his to-do list. He’s confident in the team he has.
“It’s probably the lowest priority on my radar screen right now,” Horning says. “Because I’m very comfortable getting in here and working with this team that’s been here for years and allowing them to do what they need to do. We’re not distracted at all.”
Ultimately, the coming ski season is as uncertain as everything else during the pandemic. Information is constantly changing, and a lot will hinge on what orders come from the government. But Horning is focused on controlling what he can.
“We’ve gotta carry the torch of Telluride—we ski. This is a way of life here,” he says. “So we’re gonna be open. We’re not gonna be stupid. We’re gonna make good, sensible decisions as we go along so we survive through the winter. But given the condition’s we’ve got, we’re gonna do the best job we can.”
Telski’s decisions, he says, will be based on what’s in the best interest of the resort and the community long term.