SNÖBAHN, a Colorado startup pioneering year-round training for action sports, will celebrate the grand opening of its new 38,000-square-foot facility in Thornton on March 8 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller and representatives from the City of Thornton, including Mayor Jan Kulmann. Located at 14200 Lincoln St., this expansion marks a significant milestone in SNÖBAHN’s mission to provide accelerated learning, greater affordability, community development, and easier access to action sports like skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and BMX.
“SNÖBAHN is more than just a training center; it’s a vibrant community space that invites people of all ages and abilities to learn about and experience the thrill of action sports in a safe, accessible, and affordable environment,” said Sadler Merrill, founder and CEO and owner of SNÖBAHN. “We want to extend a huge thank-you to the City of Thornton, which has been incredibly supportive of our expansion here. We can’t wait for communities here in North Denver to experience everything SNÖBAHN has to offer.”
The architect for the new facility is Stantec and the general contractor is Lakewood-based Alcorn Construction.
Catering to beginners and seasoned pros alike, the new SNÖBAHN facility boasts four state-of-the-art revolving slopes for ski and snowboard training, a skate/BMX park with a Big Air jump crafted by the team behind parks for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and X Games, and a trampoline freestyle area with seven performance trampolines, a jump tower, and a run wall. SNÖBAHN’s innovative ‘revolving slope’ technology is designed to maximize learning efficiency in a fun and safe environment. The company’s onsite gear center provides an all-in-one place for ski and snowboard rentals and tunings, with a Surefoot® custom boot fitting center located inside. The facility also serves as the perfect event venue for action sports enthusiasts, offering private spaces for hosting birthday parties, corporate gatherings, and more.
“Winter sports are the heart and soul of Colorado’s thriving tourism and outdoor recreation economy, generating nearly $5 billion annually,” said Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann. “Understanding the importance of nurturing a love for these activities and inspiring the next generation of athletes and enthusiasts, we’re thrilled to welcome SNÖBAHN to the community. To celebrate, the city of Thornton is proudly declaring March 8 ‘Winter Sports Appreciation Day’ in Thornton to recognize the importance of winter sports and the essential role companies like SNÖBAHN play in supporting Colorado’s winter sports legacy.”
The concept of indoor ski and snowboard centers is widely popular in Europe, and SNÖBAHN is among the first companies to introduce this global phenomenon to the United States. The company provides not only a fun, safe space for training, but also expands the future of Colorado’s thriving winter sports industry by training 14,000 skiers and snowboarders annually, with a remarkable 98% conversion rate into lifelong winter sports participants.
Mayor Kulmann and the City of Thornton will also be declaring March 8 “Winter Sports Appreciation Day” to celebrate and raise awareness around how vital winter sports are to Colorado’s thriving tourism and outdoor recreation economy. Winter sports alone generate approximately $4.8 billion for Colorado’s economy —SNÖBAHN helps grow this impact by teaching 14,000 people annually, with 98% of customers developing into lifelong skiers and snowboarders.
SNÖBAHN also prioritizes partnerships with local organizations and schools by offering free education and training to further lower barriers to entry. With its second Colorado location and growing community, SNÖBAHN is revolutionizing the way people learn and experience action sports.
