Jay Peak to Host 2016 Porsche Club of America Porsche Parade
Ten-day event represents largest piece of single-group business in resort’s history
August 22, 2013 (Jay, VT)- Jay Peak Resort announced that it has signed an agreement to host the 2016 Porsche Club of America’s Porsche Parade. The PCA’s annual major event will bring more than 2,000 Porsche owners from around the country, and representatives from the Porsche factory to Jay Peak for 10 days in mid-June of 2016. The parade represents the largest piece of single-group business in the resort’s history.
“Glad we decided to build another hotel this summer,” said Jay Peak’s president and co-owner Bill Stenger, only half-jokingly. “The continuing expansion of our lodging and venue offerings has allowed Jay (Peak) to significantly increase its summer events and wedding business year over year, and that’s proven to us that we can be successful on a year-round basis. But having something on the scale of the PCA Parade…it will be the first time in our history that one group will occupy every hotel room and every condo that we have at the resort for such a prolonged period of time.”
Jay Peak has opened two hotels over the last four years with a third scheduled to open this Christmas. The resort has also constructed close to 250 condominiums since 2011.
Over the course of almost two weeks, attendees will compete in a Porsche Car show called the Concourse d’Elegance located on the 1st and 9th fairways of the Jay Peak golf course, an autocross, and a quiz of Porsche-related knowledge. There will also be nightly seminars and social events.
The autocross and time-speed-distance events require a venue to meet specific needs, something Jay Peak was in a unique position to meet as the resort’s ownership recently purchased the nearby Newport Airport.
“We had decided to purchase the license to operate the airport before this opportunity presented itself,” continued Stenger. “Having it proved to be a huge fringe benefit when speaking with PCA officials.”
A statement on the PCA’s website gives a sense of what’s to come. “The current size of our convention makes a true parade of cars logistically difficult but we still do it when we can, and it is always a sight to see.”
On the economic front, the Vermont Convention Bureau says the event will have an economic impact of $1.2 million for the state. Resort officials estimate that impact will be largely focused on the Jay Peak region.
The Porsche Club of America’s Porsche Parade will run from Friday June 17 to Sunday June 26, 2016.