The announcement - which was posted on Burton's Web site on Monday afternoon - has generated concern among some local business owners.
Kami Golembeski, co-owner of The Bromley View Inn, said the Open provides a boon for their business each year both during the week and on the weekend. During the week, about 10 of the inn's rooms are occupied and they are typically sold out for three days on the weekend. The revenue generated from the event is something Golembeski said will be difficult to offset.
"This is going to be a huge hit. We've actually been thinking about what to do," she said. "During that whole week it's about $10,000 worth of revenue, which is huge for a place like us. Ten thousand dollars is a lot to lose I don't know if we'd be sold out that weekend without the U.S. Open."
Even lodging establishments that don't see a swell of business as a result of the U.S. Open have indicated that they will experience a backlash due to the recent decision.
"It's going to be an economoc blow to this area," said owner of Three Mountain Inn Ed Dorta-Duque. "Due to the events of the last couple years we need as much tourism as possible. It definitely helps to have it here. There's definitely a good number of reservations we see as well as the area."
The hospitality industry is not the only
"We definitely are going to lose business," she said. "It is going to hurt us. It's not going to affect us like it does Stratton Corp., but it is a significant part of our month of March business."
McMahon estimated that Stratton Rentals' busines would decline by about 50 percent in the month of March as a result of the Open moving to Vail. Although McMahon said that they were not surprised by the announcement, they were disappointed.
"That group was great to deal with. They were a really nice group to have," McMahon said. "And especially the way last season went with the snow, it really helped for them to come cruising in in March on their white horses."
In their announcement on Monday, Burton stated that the 31st U.S. Open would take place at Vail's Golden Peak from Feb. 25 through March 2, 2013.
The first U.S. open took place in 1982 at Suicide Six, near Woodstock. The next two years the event was held at Snow Valley before finally landing at Stratton Mountain.
In a press release, Burton Founder & CEO Jake Burton thanked Stratton for hosting the event for many years.
"Stratton not only hosted the Open for 27 years, but also played a pivotal role in making resort riding a reality," Burton said. "And as we look to the future progression of the U.S. Open, I feel that Vail offers us the ideal venue to host the event. Vail is an incredible mountain and has been my snowboarding home-away-from-home for over 20 years. I have no doubt that the U.S. Open at Vail will only grow in its legacy as the premier rider-driven event in the world."
Following the announcement, President of Stratton Mountain, Sky Foulkes, issued a statement on Burton's decision to move the event to Vail.
"While we are disappointed, we respect their decision and wish them the very best as they embark on the next evolution of the US Open. We are honored to have hosted the event for the past 27 years, and for the opportunity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Open with them this past season," Foulkes said. "We are proud of the role that Stratton and Vermont have played in the progression of snowboarding, and look forward to a continued partnership with Burton, in our Experience Snowboarding Center and Burton at Stratton, as well as continuing to create world-class events and terrain parks."
Burton professional rider Kelly Clark also weighed in on the recent announcement.
"The U.S. Open is one of my favorite events by far, and I couldn't be more excited about its next evolution," Clark said in the press release. "Burton has always been about progressing the sport and doing what's best for snowboarders, and I truly believe that this move to Vail will make the Open even better for the riders and the thousands of fans who come out to watch."
While Clark was one rider that expressed excitement over the decision to move the event to Vail, Director of Snowboarding at Stratton Mountain School and Olympic Gold Medalist Ross Powers was upset by the decision.
"I'm very disappointed to hear that the US Open is leaving Stratton and Vermont. The US Open was always one of the biggest events for me as it was what I grew up watching and riding in," said Powers via e-mail. "I'm sad [the] that next generation of [Vermont] and east coast snowboarders will not get the chance to experience what I did. From watching my heroes compete, to competing myself and then going on to win the Open. I've had so many great times at the Open over the years and I will miss it being at Stratton, Vermont."
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