Alterra Mountain Company, which owns 15 North American ski resorts including Winter Park and Steamboat, will furlough year-round employees who cannot work due to ski area closures caused by the coronavirus and \u201cthe prospect of zero revenue for the foreseeable future,\u201d chief executive Rusty Gregory wrote in a letter to employees on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The plan takes effect Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cYear-round employees in the U.S. who are unable to perform their work at either home, resort or office due to work restrictions aimed at mitigating the spread of the virus will not receive pay,\u201d Gregory said. \u201cThey will remain an employee of their resort or business but will be listed on payroll for \u2018zero hours\u2019 and will not be working until these restrictions are lifted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alterra laid off 17,000 seasonal employees on March 14, the day Gov. Jared Polis closed Colorado ski areas effective the next day. Seasonal employment at Alterra\u2019s Colorado mountains typically ends in April.<\/p>\n
Company spokeswoman Kristin Rust said she didn\u2019t know how many year-round employees will be affected by furloughs that begin Saturday.<\/p>\n
Alterra has cut operating expenses across the board, Gregory said, and more than 50% of previously planned capital expenditures will be postponed.<\/p>\n