Broomfield, CO – Vail Resorts, Inc., operator of four popular ski resorts in Colorado and one at Lake Tahoe, has announced that projects underway this summer for the 2010-11 ski and snowboard season will total $75 to 85 million in calendar 2010, including a new chairlift and a new on-mountain restaurant.n”Now that the 2009-2010 ski season is over, we are already looking ahead to next ski season and starting work on projects that continue to enhance the world-class experience at Vail Resorts for all of our guests,” said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer for Vail Resorts.

At Vail Mountain in Colorado, the company will replace the High Noon Lift (Chair 5) with a new high-speed quad lift that will continue to serve Sun Up Bowl and Sun Down Bowl. The new lift cuts ride time in half — from 12 minutes to six — and has an uphill capacity of 2,400 people per hour.

Adventure Ridge on Vail Mountain will be expanded with additional tubing hill lanes and a new enclosed lift. Adventure Ridge currently offers adults and children a variety of winter activities including tubing, ski biking, kids snowmobiling, nature snowshoe tours and more.

Guest rooms at the Keystone Lodge will be upgraded with new amenities in all guest rooms, including new flat screen televisions as well as new tinted windows that that will reduce solar gain during the day and heat loss after the sun goes down.

Outside of Colorado, a new 14,750-square-foot restaurant at Heavenly Mountain Resort, located at the top of the Heavenly Gondola, will significantly increase indoor on-mountain seating at the resort, which straddles the California/Nevada state line at the south end of Lake Tahoe.

In addition, Vail Resorts will invest further in grooming and snowmaking equipment at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly Resorts. For the 2010-11 ski season Vail Resorts is upgrading and increasing its fleet of over 130 snowcats.

New this summer, Vail Resorts is planning to open an alpine coaster at Breckenridge Ski Resort in August, which will operate both in the summer and winter. The Alpine Coaster will be located at the Peak 8 Fun Park and the three-foot elevated track will wind guests through loops and curves within the forest canopy of Peak 8.

Vail Resorts will also be opening two new real estate properties this summer and fall. One Ski Hill Place, A RockResort property located at Breckenridge Ski Resort, is situated on ski-in/ski-out property at the base of Peak 8. The units range from studios to four bedrooms and include wood floors in the kitchen, granite countertops, high-end stainless steel appliances, a five-piece master bath, stone fireplace, spacious deck and high-speed wireless Internet access. It is expected to open next month.

Meanwhile, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail will be located at the base of Vail Mountain, within walking distance to shopping, restaurants and Gore Creek. The property’s 71 whole-ownership residences range from a two-bedroom home to a sprawling six-bedroom penthouse, and are expected to open sometime this fall.