Alpin Unlimited Acquires 31.85% Stake In Bergbahn Ag Kitzbuhel

Alpin Unlimited, a subsidiary of LongRange Capital ("LongRange"), has acquired a 31.85 percent stake in Bergbahn Aktiengesellschaft Kitzbühel ("KitzSki").

"Kitzbühel is a place with deep roots in both competitive and recreational skiing," says Hank Tauber, Senior Advisor to Alpin Unlimited and LongRange. The American-Swiss dual citizen is a former Vice President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and former leader of the US Olympic Alpine Ski Team. "The ski resort has done a phenomenal job with its hospitality and on-piste infrastructure to ensure a vibrant future for skiing in the Austrian Alps," Tauber concludes.

"KitzSki is one of the top ski resorts in the world and we are excited to become a significant minority investor," says Bob Berlin, Founder and Managing Partner of LongRange. "Alpin Unlimited aims to build a strong partnership with KitzSki and its stakeholders, contributing to the long-term success of the resort."

LongRange Capital is an operationally focused private equity firm with $1.7 billion in assets under management that creates stronger long-term companies through a company- and customer-focused philosophy. The team has decades of experience in the hospitality, leisure and consumer goods segments in Europe and North America and is committed to working with companies and stakeholders to address their specific needs, ensuring that capital structure, management, strategy and execution, resources and incentive systems are aligned to achieve common goals. The capital on hand offers the flexibility to be either a majority or minority owner, as well as a partner or structured capital provider to companies, families, executives and other shareholders.

KitzSki was named the best ski resort in the world in 2023 by the portal skiresort.de. The annual Hahnenkamm races, which have been held here for almost a century, are also a fixture for the global skiing world elite and bring numerous international professionals and sports enthusiasts to Kitzbühel.

Away from competitive sports, the resort offers 233 km of varied slopes for beginners and professionals on skis and snowboards, accessible via 58 modern cable cars. With a comprehensive range of year-round leisure activities, award-winning restaurants and easy accessibility - for example from Munich, Innsbruck and Salzburg - Kitzbühel is one of the preferred ski and recreation areas for guests from home and abroad.

Alpin Unlimited was founded to create long-term partnerships with ski resorts in Europe with the goal of creating exceptional experiences for mountain guests all year round. We are committed to sharing mountain culture and related experiences in the Alps, while preserving the unique characteristics, natural beauty and character of each resort and community.

The transaction was supported by Conclave, a Swiss consulting firm specializing in investment banking.

CHG Czernich Rechtsanwälte, under the leadership of Dietmar Czernich, acted as lead legal advisor with his team consisting of Stefan Humer and Alexandra Petzelbauer for the sellers of the shares.

Under the leadership of Dominik Juster, E+H advised the buyers Alpin Unlimited and LongRange alongside Gasser Partner Rechtsanwälte (Hannes Arnold, Christina Delia Preiner).