WARREN, Vermont ??” Footprint site work for the new Clay Brook residences at Sugarbush is expected to be complete by the end of August, Resort officials announced this week. Once the structure’s footprint has been excavated, Pizzagalli Construction of South Burlington will begin building the 133,000-square foot project.

Clay Brook, the flagship building in Sugarbush’s new Lincoln Peak Village, will feature 61 whole and fractional ownership units as well as a year-round dining facility, full valet services, an Owner’s Lounge, and a year-round outdoor heated pool. The Resort has sold fifty percent of the residences and expects to have the facility open to the public for the 2006-07 season. Construction of a new guest services lodge, originally slated for this summer, will begin next spring. Although it was Sugarbush’s intent to open a new lodge during the 2005-06 season, the Lincoln Peak Village project received its Act 250 and local permits later than expected pushing what would have been the first phase’s scheduled opening into March of 2006.

“In light of the new timeline and to provide the best experience for our winter visitors, we decided to construct the Lincoln Peak Village in phases,” remarked Sugarbush’s president of real estate Bob Ackland. “With the opening of the new lodge pushed into spring, it didn’t make sense from a guest services’ perspective to be building two structures simultaneously. The amount of heavy machinery and construction materials in the Lincoln Peak base area would have significantly detracted from the guest experience,” continued Ackland.

The new Lincoln Peak Village is part of Sugarbush’s commitment to not only increase the bed base in the Mad River Valley, but also to greatly improve the Resort’s guest experience. The initial phases of the village will focus on construction of three buildings. The first being the Clay Brook residences with the other two new guest services lodges being built in subsequent construction seasons. When complete, the new base village will offer significantly more square footage for locker and dining space and will offer greater convenience to all Resort guests.

An interim village, consisting of a ticketing facility, ski and ride school, rentals, guest services, and a new 5,000-square foot Sprung Instant Structure(R) to house the Resort’s children’s programs, will be built for this season between the Village Double chair and the Poma surface lift on the future site of one of the new lodges.

“As it exists now, a guest has to walk all over the base area to get what they need to enjoy a day on the hill. The interim village is going to greatly improve our visitors’ experience because it will be a central hub where guests can purchase tickets, get rentals and sign up for ski and ride lessons,” offered Resort president Win Smith. Continued Smith, “Plus, with the new Sprung structure our children’s programs will be gaining an additional 2,000-square feet of space and guests will be able to more conveniently access the beginner slopes and lifts.” With the children’s programs moving to the Sprung structure, additional guest space will be available this year in the Gate House Lodge, Smith said.

Sprung Instant Structures(R) are innovative and highly versatile semi-permanent buildings used throughout the resort world to provide guest services and comfort in all weather conditions during construction phases.

The interim village will be landscaped in the spirit of a mountain hamlet and provide walk-out service on newly-graded learning terrain. The new learning area will have a Magic Carpet surface lift. Expansion of the Resort’s 22-acre parking facility, additional parking behind the Lincoln Peak snowmaking building and significant environmental improvements are also well underway.

Offered Smith, “We have been extremely pleased with our sales efforts to date. Ninety-three percent of our reservations for Clay Brook residences converted to actual Purchase and Sale contracts. That high of a conversion rate is unheard of in this business. People are excited to see this project moving forward.”