This isn't new news. It's been on Lift Blog since December. They just confirmed it is happening.
There is a growing number of gondolas being installed in North America. Lift Blog has referred to it as the "gondola revolution". Last year there were three. Belleayre, The Yellowstone Club, and Oakland Zoo. All were built by Doppelmayr
This year there are 9. 3 at Disneyworld, 2 at Whistler Blackcomb, and one each at Bretton Woods, Silver Star, Winter Park, and The Yellowstone Club. All will be Doppelmayr except Winter Park which is Leitner Poma.
America has been slow to use gondolas for non skiing applications so it makes sense we are starting to catch up. For the ski areas, a gondola helps put the resort on the map and draws in big spenders that are looking for a high end experience. Also, people just like to ride gondolas. Look at Whiteface on a typical weekend when almost everyone lines up to lap the gondola and shuns the chairs.
The technology has become so much better and more accessible to more ski areas. Older gondolas like the Skyeship at Killington have super long terminals that were difficult to find enough room to install and were crazy expensive. Look at the Belleayre terminals. They aren't really any bigger than many chairlifts have, and the lift can still travel at 1000 feet per minute with a capacity of 2000 people per hour.
Gondolas also allow people not on ski equipment to ride up and down without affecting the operation of the lift for skiers. Bretton Woods wants to build a restaurant at the top of theirs and Whiteface has hundreds of non-skiers paying good money to ride the gondola up and down just for the view.
I expect to see even more ski areas installing gondolas in the coming years.
I've lived in New York my entire life.
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