Beaver Creek, Colorado is an unincorporated community in Eagle County, immediately south of the city of Avon. The area was
settled in 1951 around Beaver Creek Resort, a skiing destination that boasts over 1800 acres of
skiable land, 17 lifts, and 149 separate runs. The resort is run by Vail Resorts, and is a regular host of World Cup alpine
skiing events. The late President Gerald Ford and his wife owned a home in Beaver Creek, as did American businessman Steve
Fossett, who was famous for circumnavigating the world in a hot air balloon. The community is a popular destination for
conventions, such as the AEI World Forum, held there every year.
Vail Valley was first settled in 1881 by George Townsend. In 1972, Vail purchased the land and began
designing Beaver Creek Resort. The co-founder of Vail Resorts, Pete Seibert, attempted to make Beaver Creek
the home for the 1976 Olympic alpine skiing events, when Denver was in the running to host the games, though the resort was
not yet built. Later, after the property changed hands, Beaver Creek Resort officially opened for the 1980-81 ski season. As
did the first hotel in the community, The Charter at Beaver Creek. Oil tycoon owner, Harry Bass, invested heavily
in the resort, building a European village of costly, state-of-the-art condominiums. The resort struggled, however, because
those who purchased the condos were wealthy and didn't need the income of renting them out, hence retailers were hesitant to
open up shops in the resort, prompting Bass to sell the resort in 1985.
In 1989, Beaver Creek hosted the World Ski Championships, an honor the community
was given again in 1999. Over the last few years, Beaver Creek has been the home of the "Birds of Prey" World Cup
downhill skiing event. Every June since 1982, a gathering of government officials, scholars, and former heads of
state takes place in Beaver Creek for discussion of major economic, social, and security issues facing the world
community. The event is known as the AEI World Forum. The Forum is an influential event that impacts legislative
policies around the world.
Beaver Creek is known worldwide for offering upscale, family-oriented accommodations. The community offers an
array of restaurants and retail shops. The Beaver Creek Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., sits at the
base of Beaver Creek Mountain. Offering stunning views of the surrounding valley and long narrow fairways, it is one
of the oldest golf courses in Vail Valley. Beaver Creek Resort is owned and operated by Vail Resorts, the company that
runs Vail Resorts, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Heavenly.
