Holland & Hart Represents Family in Sale of Taos Ski Valley, Inc., to Billionaire Conservationist Louis Bacon

Holland & Hart recently represented family-owned Taos Ski Valley, Inc., in the successful sale of the New Mexico ski area to billionaire hedge fund manager and conservationist, Louis Bacon.

Rio Hondo Holdings, LLC, which is indirectly owned by Mr. Bacon, acquired TSV by means of a merger between TSV and a subsidiary of Rio Hondo. At the closing of the transaction in June, following receipt of a new permit from the U.S. Forest Service and the N.M. Liquor Licenses, TSV became a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Hondo.

The transaction capped more than 50 years of the ski area’s ownership by ski pioneers Ernie and Rhoda Blake and their family. The Blake family retains a seat on the Board of Directors for Taos Ski Valley, and all staff continue employment in their current positions.

Bacon has owned property in Taos Ski Valley since 1996, and his team collaborated with the Blake Family for several years on the Village Master Plan, which was unanimously approved last spring by the Village of Taos Ski Valley.

The Holland & Hart legal team was led by Chris Groll, a partner in the firm who holds nearly 20 years of experience providing counsel to clients on mergers and acquisitions and general business issues. She was assisted on this transaction by a broad team of M&A attorneys and subject matter experts.

Holland & Hart attorneys have significant experience representing businesses in complex commercial and corporate transactions. In 2011 and 2012, Corporate Board Member magazine recognized Holland & Hart as the top corporate law firm in Denver based on a survey of corporate directors and in-house counsel. Throughout the firm’s network of offices, we have lawyers with the knowledge, experience, and local contacts necessary to handle virtually any type and size of transaction.

For more about Holland & Hart’s Business Corporate and Finance practice, please visit our website at www.hollandhart.com.