For the second year in a row, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) has conferred their highest design award to Resort Design Associates for The Vilar Center for the Performing Arts. ARDA, a Washington, D.C. based trade association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries, announced the winner of the Year 2000 Gold Award for Resort Architecture at their national convention in Las Vegas, Nevada during a gala awards ceremony, April 4.

Accepting the award for Resort Design Associates was the firm's founder and President, Gordon Pierce. "Vilar Center was one of our most challenging and rewarding projects. It was a tremendous team effort involving some of the best engineers, contractors and consultants I have had the privilege to work with."

The Vilar Center is a state of the art public facility that includes a 527-seat theater, a 2,250 square foot art gallery, a 65-foot by 150-foot outdoor ice skating rink and a public transportation drop-off area. The Market Square Condominium development, which includes a seven-story condominium building, retail spaces and a three hundred space parking structure, was designed and constructed at a same time and shares the site. The entire development forms the final, major phase of construction for the Beaver Creek ski resort and serves as its cultural and functional center.