Reed Hastings pours another $200 million into Utah ski resort’s public and private expansion

Reed Hastings acquired a controlling interest in Utah’s Powder Mountain in 2023 with a $100 million investment and is now allocating a further $200 million to broaden the resort’s offerings. The public portion will see three new lifts, including the DMI chair that opens over 1,000 acres, and a 15,000-square-foot base lodge with ski school and dining facilities. On the private side, the Powder Haven community is expanding from the sold-out Shelter Hill phase to a second phase called Prado, adding 34 larger lots starting at about $4 million and eight pre-built chalets, plus two additional private lifts serving more than 3,000 skiable acres.

Hastings argues the mixed public-private model can fund infrastructure while preserving the mountain’s low-crowd appeal, though some ski enthusiasts criticize the reservation of terrain for homeowners. The experiment reflects broader challenges faced by North American ski resorts over congestion, aging lifts and rising costs, and could become a template for future mountain developments.