A lease agreement dating back to 1981 allows Park City Mountain to operate the Town Lift.
Property owners Pat, Ed and Mike Sweeney filed a lawsuit last week arguing Park City Mountain owner Vail Resorts violated the decades-old lease governing their land at the base of Town Lift and now want out.
Pat Sweeney said the family has exhausted its patience and feels it can no longer trust Vail as a working partner. He told KPCW they remain concerned about potential legal risks after a personal injury lawsuit was filed against the family last year. Sweeney said they now intend to sell the Town Lift Plaza and will list the property in the coming days.
He said the area’s future is uncertain with the pending lawsuits and unknown desires of the future owners.
In a statement, Park City Mountain Vice President and COO Deirdra Walsh said the Town Lift will continue to operate now and in the future through longstanding and long-term rights in the property.
Walsh said the resort values its relationship with the Sweeney family. She said Park City Mountain has complied with and respected its agreements related to the Town Lift Plaza.
According to court documents, the issues center around liability. Vail agreed to carry and maintain general liability insurance, insure the three brothers as part of the insurance policy and defend them in the event of any legal claims against them related to the Town Lift property.
The Sweeney’s lawsuit argues Vail failed to do all three.
The dispute was borne of a separate lawsuit brought by Dina Miller, who claims she slipped and fell in ski boots in a public restroom at the base of the Town Lift in 2023. She sued Vail and the Sweeneys for negligence in April of 2024. She is seeking an unspecified amount of compensation for medical expenses and ongoing injuries.
Meanwhile, Vail and the Sweeneys point the liability finger at each other.
Vail claimed the Sweeneys are tasked with restroom maintenance, not the resort.
But the Sweeneys say Vail must defend them in accordance with the 1981 agreement. Vail has refused according to the court filing.
In August the brothers sent a notice of pending default to Vail, saying the company failed to follow the longtime agreement.
Vail’s lawyer claimed the company was not in default, which sparked the lawsuit filed Nov. 8.
Along with attorney fees and compensation, the Sweeneys are seeking to terminate the lease and all easements that allow the Town Lift to operate.
The Town Lift just off the bottom of Park City’s Main Street is scheduled to begin daily operations mid-December.
