There’s been a bunch of comebacks in the New England ski industry lately, but the revival surrounding Maple Valley in Vermont is unique. According to the Brattleboro Reformer, the owners that bought the former ski resort in 2018 are planning to convert the base lodge “into a brewery and distillery with a tasting room seating 100 people.” According to New England Ski Industry, when Sugar Mountain Holdings originally bought the property in 2018, the plan was to renovate the base lodge into a brewery, add a vineyard in five years, and then restore ski area operations within a decade. It’s unclear if this is still the plan. On December 2 at 10:30, there will be a public hearing and site visit at the Maple Valley base lodge. In this meeting, the new owners, Sugar Mountain Holdings, will discuss their proposed changes and take questions.

Here are the details about their plans:

“The plan calls for a 1,900-square-foot distillery production area and a tasting room at 3,400 square feet. The facility is expected to employ 12 people working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week and the tasting room and retail space are expected to be open from noon to 9 p.m. seven days a week. There will be space on-site for four food trucks, which will have access to electricity so gas generators won’t be needed.

Special events including live music are planned to be held in an area on the west side of the existing lodge building. The existing elevated deck will be removed and replaced with a ground-level patio to accommodate these events.”

Maple Valley ran from 1963 to the 1999-2000 season. It featured sixteen trails, night skiing on eight trails, three lifts(two chairlifts and a t-bar), and snow tubing. The ski resort faced bankruptcy multiple times, and couldn’t keep up with local rivals. You can learn more about Maple Valley’s on New England Ski History here.

Image Credits: Brattleboro Reformer, New England Ski History, Skimap.org