April 28th , 2023
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What sets mountain resorts apart from other mixed-use resorts?
In this episode of Conversations with the Best Minds in Real Estate, RCLCO’s CEO, Adam Ducker, sits down with Jon Paul “JP” Testwuide and Andrew Lang of Alterra Mountain Company, a curator of a family of destinations including recreation, hospitality, real-estate development, food and beverage, and retail businesses.
The group discusses Alterra Mountain Company’s positioning in the mountain resort market and the strategies leading to their successes at Winter Park Resorts and Steamboat Springs in Colorado. A particular focus includes Alterra’s strategic planning of the mixed-use base villages that emphasizes creative placemaking providing for a great guest experience.
“We have the hat of an operator and the hat of a developer.”
– Andrew Lang on Alterra’s charter
In addition, the group discusses trends in mountain resorts from the last 10 years including how the rise and falls have impacted the market and what the future holds.
Alterra prioritizes its resort operations, and in doing so they recognize that fostering good culture, providing great recreational and entertainment opportunities and maintaining a strong resort identity is paramount to success.
“How do we create the asset that speaks to where the place is and how do we define that in connection with the resort and guest experience at the top of mind?”
– JP Testwuide on what to ask when considering how to best create a successful resort with guest satisfaction in mind
About Jon Paul “JP” Testwuide
Director of Development, Alterra Mountain Company
Jon Paul Testwuide serves as the Director of Development for Alterra Mountain Company. Mr. Testwuide leads development related activities for select resorts to grow and scale. Major initiatives include master land planning, entitlement pursuits, repositioning of existing assets, land acquisitions and dispositions, and horizontal and vertical development in resort product types. Prior to AMC, Jon Paul spent 5 years at KSL Capital Partners, a Denver based private equity firm with nearly $10 billion in assets under management, where he was responsible for leading large capital projects and repositioning’s within the hospitality space. He graduated from the University of Denver with a concentration in Real Estate & Finance. During his time at DU he played D-1 hockey for the Pioneers.
About Andrew Lang
Vice President of Strategic Planning and Development, Alterra Mountain Company
Andrew Lang serves as the Vice President of Strategic Planning and Development for Alterra Mountain Company and are part of the Financial Strategy team within the Finance Department. In addition, since 2013, Andrew has been a Co-founder and Partner at HLR Group, Inc., an investment management and holdings company dedicated to capital growth via applied statistical methods and factor-based investing across a range of assets. Prior to AMC, he spent a year at Genworth Financial as a Senior Manager. Andrew is an alumni from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and is currently based in Denver, CO.
About Adam Ducker
CEO, RCLCO Real Estate Consulting
Adam Ducker is Chief Executive Officer of RCLCO and oversees the firm’s Real Estate Economics and Management Consulting Practices. Adam joined RCLCO in the mid-1990s as an associate directly after graduate school and learned the trade with the firm. He is a recognized expert in strategic planning for real estate companies, investment analysis, market and financial analysis, and marketing of real estate assets. He has particular depth of expertise in high-density housing, retail/entertainment, and hotel development.
Adam is a member of the Executive Committee of RCLCO, which manages shared resources and oversees overall company strategy. He also sits on the board of the RCLCO Foundation.
Adam is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from place-making, urban redevelopment, retail trends, and in-town housing. His writing has been widely published and quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Urban Land, Real Assets, among others. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), vice chair of the Redevelopment and Reuse Council, and a board member of the Terwilliger Center for Housing. A native of the New York metropolitan area, Adam received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Columbia University.
