Exclusive Ski Resort Rebrand Leaves Locals Feeling Excluded
Windham Mountain, a ski resort in the Catskills, has rebranded as the Windham Mountain Club, targeting wealthier clientele from New York City. The new ownership group, led by the founder of Ruby Tuesday and an heir to the Holiday Inn fortune, plans to transform the resort into a semiprivate club with exclusive amenities and high membership fees. This has sparked backlash from locals who feel left out and fear being priced out of their own community. The changes reflect the accelerating gentrification of the Catskills, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the influx of city dwellers moving upstate.