Will Vail buy The Canyons?

On August 31, I heard a rumor that made a lot of sense, about Talisker, the owner of The Canyons Resort, spinning out its ski area operations and retaining its real estate only. This coming winter, Vail Resorts would pickup the mountain operations and that should prove to be an “epic” move for the entire Park City community as the Colorado based company is probably the only one in North America that that knows how to run a mountain resort and still has the more resources to do so.

Talisker, a Canadian-based operator is clobbered with expensive real estate development priced in the $1,000 + per square foot that no one has any appetite left for these days, plus Talisker has a huge note due this fall to pay for its foolish acquisition. Only two years ago Vail Resorts and Talisker fought bitterly for The Canyons that was then sold by American Skiing Company to Talisker, running its acquisition price well over $100 millions. Has any one heard anything that would corroborate this story?