The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Vermont natives Tim and Diane Mueller purchased CBMR in 2004 from the Walton and Callaway families, who previously owned the resort for 34 years. As part of that sale, the Mueller’s acquired potential development properties like Prospect, the North Village and Mountaineer Square North.
The Mueller’s passed on several Walton/Callaway holdings, including the Alpine Express transportation company, the Marcellina Apartment complex and the Villas luxury townhome development.
As seasoned resort operators, the Muellers recognized the potential of Okemo Mountain and Mount Sunapee and turned them into two of the East’s most successful ski and snowboard resorts.
After purchasing CBMR, the Muellers quickly set about making changes and improving the resort’s offerings. In just four years they have invested over $200 million into resort operations and real estate. The improvements included new snowmaking and grooming equipment, new lifts, the opening of the Teocalli Bowl and other small expansions in terrain.
In the summer of 2004 the Muellers began construction on a new base area building called the Lodge at Mountaineer Square and 20,000 square feet of conference space. The Lodge was completed in 2007.
In the fall of 2007 the Mueller’s took down the Gothic building and cafeteria at the base area to make way for a proposed luxury residential development called Cimarron, which would also house retail spaces and rental facilities.
This summer, in light of slowing real estate trends, the ski area announced that Cimarron would be put on hold until more buyer financing could be obtained. They put the completion of the Red Lady Lodge at the forefront of the “to-do” list in order to provide another cafeteria facility and warming house for skiers.
The Muellers also reinvigorated the quest to create lift accessed terrain on Snodgrass, and create a new village center near the base of that mountain, called North Village.
In early 2008 the resort unveiled a new branding study and changed the tagline to “inspiring your passion”. The branding study was met with several management changes, including the appointment of Ken Stone as Chief Operating Officer, a new culinary director, communications director, marketing director and ski school director.
