Submitted by zoe on Thu, 2011-07-21 16:05

Vail Resorts announces the planned opening of Elway’s restaurant at The Lodge at Vail, A RockResort, for the 2011-2012 ski season.

Vail, Colo. – July 11, 2011 – Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:MTN) announced today the planned opening of Elway’s restaurant in Vail at The Lodge at Vail, A RockResort, for the 2011-2012 winter ski season.

Named for former Denver Bronco quarterback and NFL Hall of Fame Inductee John Elway, Elway’s new Vail restaurant will be the company’s first location outside of Denver. Elway’s is planned to open for the ski season in a fully-renovated space currently occupied by the Wildflower restaurant in The Lodge at Vail, located in the heart of Vail Village less than a block from Vail Mountain’s Vista Bahn chairlift.

"In our opinion The Lodge at Vail is the best restaurant location in Vail and we're excited about aligning our strong Elway's brand with the powerful brands of Vail and Vail Resorts. We look forward to serving Vail visitors from all over the world and seeing so many of our Denver guests who ski and vacation in Vail. The Elway's Cherry Creek team can't wait to bring Denver's best steakhouse to town," says John Elway, a partner in Elway’s.

“Vail Resorts is thrilled to bring Elway’s to our iconic RockResorts property, The Lodge at Vail, in the heart of Vail Village for this upcoming ski season,” says Jeff Jones, co-president and chief financial officer of Vail Resorts. “With the addition of this new restaurant, we are creating a combination of one of the most popular restaurant concepts in Colorado, established by one of the most successful figures in the history of Colorado sports, with one of the most popular ski resorts in the world. With its wide array of steaks and seafood as well as its terrific atmosphere and nightlife, Elway’s is sure to become a dining and nightlife destination experience for our Vail guests for many years to come.”

Elway’s new Vail restaurant will offer signature dishes including hand-cut, aged USDA prime steaks, fresh seafood and shellfish, Colorado Rack of Lamb, and Elway’s delicious Smash Burger. Signature side dishes include King crab fried rice and creamed corn. Après-ski guests can enjoy selections from Elway’s unique appetizer list and bar menu. Elway’s will also have an extensive wine list with wine by the glass and an ever-changing array of 350+ selections available by the bottle.

Construction of the new Elway’s restaurant is scheduled to begin on August 1. Elway’s will encompass approximately 5,500 total square feet, including outdoor spaces, and will have seating for approximately 260 guests. Elway’s will maintain the simple elegance of the restaurant’s Cherry Creek location but with authentic mountain touches using natural materials including wood, raw steel and leather.

The restaurant will feature three separate interior dining areas, each with a distinct experience for guests to enjoy; an intimate formal fireside dining area that can also be reserved for groups; a larger, more casual dining space that includes a lively bar perfect for après-ski; and a covered outdoor dining patio with seating for 28 that can be used year round. Finally, there will be an additional expansive outdoor patio that will be open for cocktails and casual dining as weather permits.

Elway’s at The Lodge at Vail will be located at 174 East Gore Creek Drive in Vail, Colo. The new restaurant joins The Lodge at Vail’s Cucina Rustica restaurant offering hotel guests two dining options. The Lodge at Vail is a classic icon of the Vail Valley where the authentic character of a grand alpine lodge comes together with unsurpassed service into a truly memorable lodging experience. For more information about The Lodge at Vail or RockResorts, visit www.lodgeatvail.rockresorts.com.

About Elway’s
Located in Denver’s distinctive Cherry Creek neighborhood and in Downtown Denver at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, and soon in The Lodge at Vail, A RockResort, Elway’s award-winning menu boasts USDA hand cut prime steaks, fresh fish, and much more. Elway’s was recently named Best Steakhouse by 5280 magazine and Westword, The Cherry Creek restaurant is located at 2500 East 1st Avenue. Elway’s Downtown is at 1881 Curtis Street. The Elway’s company website is www.elways.com

About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, and the Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and in the Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com

About RockResorts®
RockResorts®, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, owns and operates luxury resorts that offer casually elegant accommodations, lavish RockResorts Spas, renowned golf courses, award-winning dining and a variety of exciting outdoor adventures. The RockResorts collection includes The Arrabelle at Vail Square and The Lodge at Vail in Vail, Colo.; The Osprey at Beaver Creek and The Pines Lodge in Beaver Creek, Colo.; One Ski Hill Place in Breckenridge, Colo.; Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colo.; Snake River Lodge & Spa™ in Jackson Hole, Wyo.; La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa in Santa Fe, N.M.; Tempo Miami in Miami, Fla.; Half Moon in Rose Hall, Jamaica; The Landings St. Lucia in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia; and Balcones del Atlántico in Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic. Future RockResorts will include Alma del Pacifico Hotel in Costa Rica; Bimini Bay Resort & Marina in The Bahamas; Rum Cay Resort Marina in The Bahamas; Third Turtle Club & Spa in Turks and Caicos; The Mansfield Inn at Stowe in Stowe, Vt. www.rockresorts.com

Media Contacts:
Susan Darch, Vail Resorts and RockResorts
sdarch@vailresorts.com
303.404.6466

John Imbergamo, The Imbergamo Group - Elway’s
john@imbergamo.com
303-534-0567

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