Colorado’s ski towns—from Aspen and Vail to Winter Park and Steamboat—are global destinations. Hospitality businesses and ski resorts face seasonal peaks, high infrastructure costs, and skilled labor demands. Whether revitalizing a lodge, upgrading lifts, or expanding guest accommodations, smart funding is essential to stay competitive and profitable.
This guide covers loan and funding options for Colorado ski resorts and hospitality businesses, including conventional and SBA loans, municipal bonds, grants, CDFI support, and specialized programs—helping you build, expand, or modernize with confidence.
Operating in the mountain economy presents unique financial challenges:
Infrastructure investments: ski lifts, snowmaking systems, lodges
Capital improvements: HVAC, energy efficiency, safety upgrades
Seasonality: managing winter peaks and summer lulls
Labor costs: skilled hospitality and seasonal staff
Regulatory demands: environmental permits, fire mitigation, ADA compliance
⛷️ To thrive in Colorado’s competitive ski market, resorts and hospitality providers must secure long-term financing and seasonal support that address both operations and capital investments.
Use: Working capital, renovations, marketing, refinancing
Loan Size: Up to $5 million
Terms: 10 years (equipment) or 25 years (real estate)
Rates: Prime + 2.25–4.75%
Best for: Remodels, lift upgrades, marketing expansion
Use: Real estate, lodges, energy systems
Structure: 50% bank + 40% CDC + 10% borrower
Ideal for: Mountain lodges or resort real estate acquisition
Loans up to $15 million with flexible terms for resort construction, renovation, and refinancing
Offer local expertise for ski-in/ski-out, urban Denver, or mountain town projects
Towns and ski resorts can use municipal bonds for debt financing secured through resort revenues herringbank.com
Ideal for public-private partnerships funding lifts, parking, or lodge expansions
Open to NSAA members for energy‑efficient snowmaking, recycling, habitat projects
Past recipients include Eldora Mountain Resort
Next application window opens January 2026
Supports outdoor rec, job training, and community access in ski regions cpw.state.co.us
Under ARP funding, supports tourism infrastructure, workforce, and marketing
Federal competitive grants totalling $240M nationally
Supports nonprofits and hospitality rebuilds with matching grants in rural and mountain areas
Microloans and SBA Community Advantage up to $1M for hospitality, tourism, and rural businesses
Emergency microloans ($5K–$50K) for minority, veteran-owned, and rural businesses
Specialized hospitality lending including construction, renovation, refinancing, and SBA herringbank.com
Towns like Nederland have used enterprise fund revenue bonds to purchase ski areas like Eldora Mountain
Partnerships help share risk and leverage debt based on resort revenues
Define project: lift, lodge, sustainability, equipment
Select financing path (SBA, conventional, bond, grants)
Prequalify lenders or public agencies
Complete feasibility, business plans & financial projections
Submit applications and underwriting docs
Close funding and begin construction/operations
Monitor ROI—track usage, energy savings, occupancy
Nederland explored enterprise fund bonds and municipal financing to invest in Eldora’s operations—ensuring revenues cover debt, protecting taxpayers, and enabling upgrades engagenederland.us.engagementhq.comherringbank.comsummitchamber.org+1coloradosun.com+1.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| SBA & conventional offer structured capital for long-term projects | SBA underwriting can be slow; bonds require public coordination |
| Grants target sustainability, equity, and tourism development | Grant funding is competitive; requires matching funds or demonstration |
| Bonds share public/private risk for large infrastructure improvements | Municipal debt often requires voter or board approval |
| CDFIs provide flexible support for underserved rural resort businesses | Some funds limited to nonprofits or specific equity criteria |
Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF): Loan packaging, community lending
NSAA Grant Program: Technical help for sustainability projects nsaa.org
Colorado Parks & Wildlife Outdoor Equity Program: grant applications in mountain towns
Colorado SBA & SBDC: Free business counseling and loan assistance
Colorado ski resorts and hospitality businesses operate in a unique, high-stakes environment. The right mix of SBA and conventional loans, municipal bonds, targeted grants, and CDFI support provides the financial foundation to modernize, expand, and remain competitive—even in face of seasonality and environmental pressures.
Ready to elevate your ski resort or hospitality venture?
Explore SBA prequalification, connect with Herring Bank for tailored financing, apply for Sustainable Slopes grants, and talk to Colorado Enterprise Fund or your SBDC advisor to design your funding roadmap.