Wintergreen announced today that new owner Justice Companies will be investing $12 million in infrastructure and facilities improvements at the resort over the next 16 months. The first improvements, a five-million-gallon raw water storage tank and pumping station, will come from an initial $6 million that will be invested in cooperation with the Nelson County Service Authority. This change will “double the resort’s snowmaking capacity for the upcoming season, as well as provide a redundant water supply to the water treatment plant,” according to a press release sent out by Wintergreen today.
This summer, after years of financial woes that came to a head last December, Wintergreen Resort was purchased by billionaire James C. Justice II’s company, James C. Justice Companies. Justice made his money in coal and lives in Lewisburg, West Virginia. He is working on creating a track of tourist destinations from Tidewater to the Blue Ridge, as reported by us back in June. Wintergreen is the newest addition to his string of properties in the Virginias.
Other projects will include expanding and renovating the Wintergreen Aquatics and Fitness Center, renovating the clubhouse restaurant Devils Grill, and upgrading Stoney Creek’s fitness center. Justice also plans to privatize Devils Knob golf course and facilities by the 2014 season.
An extra $3.2 million will be invested by Justice Companies for maintenance and resort improvements. Investors hope that the $16 million will revitalize the resort.
“Our vision is to make this among the top four-season resort experiences in the east and we see tremendous opportunities in developing new membership programs and vacation packages,” said Justice.—Allie Cooper
