Boyne Resorts - History

History

Boyne Resorts was founded by Everett Kircher, Jim Christianson and John Norton in 1947, when a hill in Northern Michigan that was too steep and wooded to farm was sold to the co-founders for $1 by former State Senator Pierson. Then the co-founders bought a single chairlift used from Sun Valley as the Northern Michigan resort's first lift. This chairlift was the first chairlift ever built. It is still in service today but has been upgraded several times over its lifetime. In 1954, Boyne built and opened the Gatlinburg Skylift in Tennessee as a summer tourist attraction. In 1963, Boyne Highlands in Northern Michigan was added and by 1967, Boyne Mountain expanded to include additional lifts and a golf course. Robert Trent Jones designed the first resort course in the region at Boyne Highlands in 1966.Chet Huntley's Big Sky Resort was purchased in 1976, only a few years after its opening in December 1973. In 1986, Boyne purchased Brighton outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. In the 1990s, Boyne USA purchased golf courses in Michigan and Florida. 1997 brought along the company's fifth ski resort, Crystal Mountain, Washington.

In 2001, Boyne added its first Canadian resort, Cypress Mountain outside Vancouver, British Columbia. Cypress Mountain was the host to all the Freestyle and Snowboard events for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. In 2002, the company's founder and visionary, Everett Kircher died however his legacy of staying as a privately held family company lives on under the leadership of his 4 children. Kircher had transferred ownership of the company to his 4 children in 1976. All had worked in the company for many years overseeing most of the operational aspects for almost a decade before his passing. John Kircher oversees the Western Division of Boyne which includes the Utah, Washington State and British Columbia operations. Stephen Kircher oversees the Eastern Division including Montana, Michigan, Tennessee, New Hampshire and Maine operations. Amy Kircher is the Chairperson of the family board and sister Kathryn oversees Boyne Design, which handles much of the interior refurbishment and real estate development product interiors. In 2007, Boyne Resorts entered into a sale and leaseback arrangement with CNL Income Properties on the Gatlinburg Skilift, Brighton and Cypress Mountain. The leases run for at least 40 years to Boyne for operations and all have buy back provisions to Boyne Resorts. Later in 2007, Boyne purchased Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine from The American Skiing Company and entered into a sale and leaseback arrangement with CNL Income Properties with similar 40 year leases. This gave Boyne ski areas in each of the major North American markets.

On September 19, 2007, Boyne announced their purchase of CNL Income Properties leases for The Summit at Snoqualmie, Washington, and Loon Mountain, New Hampshire, from Booth Creek Resorts. Both resorts continue to be owned by CNL Income Properties. This purchase made Boyne the largest ski resort operator in North America in terms of number of resorts, and third in number of skier visits at almost 3.8 million visitors.

Boyne Resorts also holds or held numerous patents on snowmaking technologies and has unveiled its latest technology in the Boyne Low E Fan Gun throughout its eastern resorts.