Purgatory Resort owners buys another Durango ski area

DURANGO, Colo. (AP) -- The Hesperus Ski Area west of Durango has a new owner.

The Durango Herald reports the sale of the ski area, which includes a lodge, rental shop and tubing hill, was announced Thursday. Durango businessman James Coleman bought the property from Jim Pitcher, who has held the lease agreement for nearly 30 years.

Hesperus offers ski and ride school, including an after-school program that teaches skiing and snowboarding.

Coleman says he plans to operate the ski area through the end of the winter season and then determine whether any improvements need to be made.

Coleman acquired the nearby Purgatory Resort in 2015. He's a managing partner of an investment group that owns four other ski resorts, including Arizona Snowbowl and New Mexico's Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort and Pajarito Mountain.