The Vail Town Council heard a wide-ranging update June 16 on the West Lionshead redevelopment project, with East West Partners reporting that a pre-development agreement with the town is on track for completion by early fall 2026.
Jim Tilling of East West Partners told the council the partnership has finalized its conceptual plan and obtained high-level cost estimates from contractor PCL for frontage road relocation — figures that will now go to town-hired financial consultant Pioneer for analysis of public financing options. The conceptual plan envisions up to 280 residential units, a 150-to-160-key condominium hotel, roughly 300 to 350 public parking spaces, a wellness and fitness facility, skier services, and a combined music and events venue.
Tilling said the project cannot move forward without a public financing component. “We know that this project will never happen without a public funding option,” he told the council, adding that the absence of such tools contributed to the failure of a previous Vail development effort.
Kevin Murphy of East West Partners said the partnership has been working with a council subcommittee to refine a pre-development agreement, with public financing the one remaining open topic. He said a framework agreement allowing the partners to pursue equity investors is also expected to be finalized over the summer.
Council members pressed the development team on plans for the proposed events and music venue, with Kim Langmaid urging that it be structured for genuine community access rather than operated primarily as a hotel amenity. Tilling and Murphy said no management decisions have been made but acknowledged that supplementing music programming with conferences and other events would likely be necessary to make the venue financially viable year-round.
A council member also asked about ski trail and lift access plans depicted in conceptual renderings, including any required environmental review. Murphy said the alignment for a ski-back trail has been studied with SE Group within an existing easement and that any NEPA requirements would depend on the final plan configuration.
At the same meeting, the council authorized Town Manager Russell Forrest to execute a contract with Allison Kent of Mauriello Planning Group for current planning services not to exceed $150,000. The contract fills a gap left by the recent resignation of the Community Development Department’s planning manager. The cost will be reflected in the town’s second 2026 budget supplemental.
The council also approved Resolution No. 22, Series of 2026, imposing a juvenile curfew from 10:30 p.m. July 4 to 5:00 a.m. July 5 for anyone under 18 in public spaces. Operations Commander Christopher Botkins wrote in a memo to the council that the curfew, first implemented in 2024, proved effective in reducing disturbances in the Solaris Plaza and International Bridge areas during the holiday.
The council received its 2025 annual audit results, presented by auditor Lillian via Zoom. The audit produced an unmodified — or clean — opinion on both the town’s financial statements and a single audit of federal funds. The general fund ended 2025 with $81 million in fund balance, including $21 million in non-spendable receivables tied to the Timber Ridge sale. No material weaknesses or significant deficiencies were identified. The auditor noted that a new governmental accounting standard, GASB 103, takes effect next year and will require additional budget-to-actual narrative disclosures.
CDOT Resident Engineer John Cronholm briefed the council on Vail Pass construction, noting a contractor deadline of November 8 for substantial completion, with major work expected to wrap by late September or early October.
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