The new Vail Civic Center will provide both residents and guests with world-class activities and facilities in addition to a new town center and a revitalization of Vail’s unique image. The plan is the result of a three-day Community Facilities Charette designed to create a new civic “heart” to the Town of Vail. This project would be located between Lionshead and Vail Village, adjacent to the Lionshead parking structure and Dobson Arena.

A new 50,000-s.f. multi-use space incorporating a full-size sheet of ice, meeting rooms, a ballroom, and a gymnastics facility will provide a central location for many activities and events that are now difficult to hold in Vail. It will also help to balance the seasonal fluctuation of visitors to the resort. Fronting the street along the existing parking structure will be the Vail “X-Stream” Adventure Center. Vail X-Stream is a 3-story transparent indoor adventure center that includes a flexible BMX, skateboard and in-line skate street course, and a pair of hydraulics for kayak play boating. Climbing walls would be offered along with ample space for observation and outstanding views of Vail Mountain.

An important component to the scheme was strengthening the connection between Lionshead and Vail Village. This is accomplished with the addition of a fixed European-style tramway with a defined paving pattern and pedestrian-oriented signage and lighting as reinforcement of the connection.