Ski Town Employment: Aspen One

Aspen One — the parent company of Aspen Skiing Company and several valley hospitality brands — is drawing attention for a more aggressive approach to one of ski country’s biggest problems: making it possible for employees to actually live and work in resort communities. In a recent 5280 Magazine feature, the company’s investments in workforce housing and childcare are positioned as a potential model for how ski towns can stabilize year-round employment amid soaring housing costs and limited local services.

The article outlines how Aspen One has moved beyond traditional “employee perks” and into large-scale community infrastructure: building housing developments, expanding early childhood capacity, and partnering with local government to shift units away from the short-term rental market. At the same time, it raises an important question for every resort community: can these initiatives truly reshape long-term affordability — or do they simply soften the edges of a deeper structural imbalance?

Key Points

• Aspen One is investing heavily in workforce housing and childcare to support roughly 4,500 Roaring Fork Valley employees
• The company reports it provides housing for approximately 75% of its seasonal workers and 40% of year-round employees
• Housing projects range from Tiny Town (a 95-unit neighborhood for employees) to proposed developments in Snowmass Village and downvalley
• Aspen One has also backed childcare expansion and is expected to launch a childcare subsidy pilot program in 2026
• The feature notes ongoing tension around overall affordability — including ski pass pricing and whether “access to the lifestyle” is becoming increasingly out of reach for locals

Aspen’s global profile has always been tied to luxury, but the valley’s long-term future depends on its ability to retain the workers who keep the community running — from lift operators and hospitality staff to teachers, medical teams, and year-round professionals. Whether Aspen One’s “continuum” approach becomes a lasting blueprint or a partial solution, it underscores what many locals already know: housing and childcare are no longer side issues in ski towns — they’re the foundation of sustainability.

Read the full story here.

By: Heather Balogh Rochfort | 5280 Magazine | Jan 13, 2026