Snow Valley
South Windsor, Connecticut
Proposed in the late 1990s
Overview
Immediately following the 1997-98 ski season, Snow Valley International of Great Britain proposed the development of a large indoor sports complex. The initial development included David Lloyd, Tom Stewart, Hugh Kirk, Scott Carnegie, Jim O'Donnell, and local Kip Shepard. The 160 acre complex was to be built north of I-291 and east of US 5.
The initial 1998 proposal including a 5 trail, 200 foot tall indoor ski area with a FIS standard race course, a water park, a 5,000 seat hockey rink, restaurants and a movie theater. The original price tag was estimated at $350 million.
The permitting process was put on hold in the fall of 1998. By the time spring 1999 rolled around, the price tag had climbed to $650 million and Kirk and Carnegie had withdrawn from the project.
In September 1999, it was announced the developers of the now $810 million snow dome project would be asking for hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds and local tax breaks. The ski area design was expanded to be 590 feet tall with runs between 850 and 1,500 feet long.
By the end of 1999, options on multiple tracts of land expired. Stewart would go on to propose indoor ski area developments in the United Kingdom in 2001 and 2007.
Today
There are no known remains of the Snow Valley development.
Quotes
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The European businessmen proposing a $350 million, 20-story indoor ski mountain and water sports facility in South Windsor have backgrounds that vary from tennis and ice hockey to tax planning, real estate management and finance.
Their London-based group known as Snow Valley International is working with several major landowners in South Windsor to build a sports facility that would be the largest indoor complex of its kind in the world.
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Dan Uhlinger, 1999
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Stewart International Marketing, the developer, is seeking $150 million in state funds and $60 million in tax breaks from the town, but has not revealed its financial backers, the officials said.
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Dan Uhlinger, 1999
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Steve Courtney, a Snow Valley architect, said Thursday a telemarketing company has finished a consumer marketing survey needed for the feasibility study being done by Arthur Andersen, one of the nation's largest accounting firms.
The project on the 160-acre site off I-291 includes plans for a 590- foot snow dome, complete with 220- foot ski slope, a tropical water park with Olympic-sized swimming and diving pools, a wave pool, an aquarium, a movie theater, and restaurants.
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Dan Uhlinger, 1999
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Two years after an indoor snow-skiing mountain was proposed for an area near I-291, most of the landowners originally involved in the project have broken off ties with the developer.
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Dan Uhlinger, 1999
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Resources
Uhlinger, Dan. "Indoor Skiing Backers Seek A Lift." Hartford Courant. 3 Sep. 1999.
Uhlinger, Dan. "Indoor Skiing Site To Be Discussed." Hartford Courant. 31 Mar. 1998.
Uhlinger, Dan. "Europeans Proposing Local Indoor Complex." Hartford Courant. 4 Apr. 1998.
Uhlinger, Dan. "Landowners Slip Away From Ties To Snow Dome." Hartford Courant. 10 Dec. 1999.
Uhlinger, Dan. "Meeting Called About Snow Valley." Hartford Courant. 22 Oct. 1999.
Uhlinger, Dan. "Proposed Sports Park Off To A Slow Start." Hartford Courant. 12 Apr. 1999.
Uhlinger, Dan. "Snow Valley Proposal On Hold." Hartford Courant. 16 Oct. 1998.
Last updated: November 23, 2012
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