Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince has publicly opposed the appointment of MGM Resorts International chief Bill Hornbuckle to the board of directors of Vail Resorts. Tensions between the ski industry giant and its most vocal external critic persist against the backdrop of Prince’s proposal to acquire Park City Mountain Resort for $500 million.
Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) announced on July 30, 2026, that Hornbuckle would join the board as its tenth member, effective August 3, 2026.
“No one is better at finding ways to be tasteless and extract money without delivering any real value,” Prince wrote on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend in response to the news. “A perfect fit for Vail.”
Prince, a Park City native who worked there as a ski instructor in the mid-1990s before co-founding Cloudflare, has been waging a persistent campaign arguing that Vail chronically underinvests in lift infrastructure, snowmaking systems, and employee wages in Park City. He cites safety concerns as grounds for a change in ownership and has offered approximately $500 million to acquire the resort for the benefit of the local community. Vail has flatly rejected the idea, stating that Park City Mountain is not for sale and pointing to $121 million in investments made in the resort since 2016.
Supporters of Prince’s campaign will likely view Hornbuckle’s appointment as a defensive move by management rather than a response to calls for genuine reform. Hornbuckle has over 35 years of experience in the casino and hotel hospitality industry and is himself a long-time homeowner in Park City. Vail Resorts cited this background as evidence of his “genuine understanding of the mountain environment,” according to a company press release distributed via PRNewswire. Critics, however, have noted that his experience lies in casino-resort hospitality rather than the management of mountain resorts or outdoor recreation organizations.
“Bill is a seasoned hospitality executive with a wealth of experience managing world-class resorts, building guest loyalty, and elevating service standards,” said Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz in the July 30, 2026, announcement. “As we launch ‘Epic Experience’—our multi-year initiative to enhance every aspect of the mountain resort experience—we are thrilled to welcome Bill to our board of directors.”
Hornbuckle echoed this sentiment. “Having dedicated my entire career to hospitality and possessing a personal connection to the mountains, I have long admired the iconic destinations and exceptional experiences that define Vail Resorts,” he said in the same statement.
For Prince, this appointment appears to do nothing to address his key grievances. His public campaign focuses on operational issues and safety concerns—matters fundamentally different from the branding of the guest experience. Adding an executive from the casino industry, rather than a mountain resort specialist or an independent reformer, is unlikely to satisfy activists pushing for structural change.
This corporate governance decision comes at a particularly tense moment. According to Semafor, Vail Resorts has hired bankers to defend against a potential takeover amid mounting speculation regarding acquisition interest and pressure from activist shareholders. Furthermore, according to Semafor, Oasis Capital is considering a bid for board seats, a move that would lend institutional weight to the external pressure generated by Prince’s campaign. It remains unclear whether Oasis Capital views Hornbuckle’s appointment as a significant concession or an inadequate response.
The next critical test will come on September 24, 2026, when Vail Resorts is scheduled to release its financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026. This will mark the first earnings call with Hornbuckle on the board, and both Prince and analysts will likely press management for answers regarding capital allocation priorities and potential asset sales. With MTN shares still trading roughly 9% below their 52-week high and Oasis Capital reportedly poised to ramp up pressure, management has dwindling time to prove that the new board appointments are more than just a defensive maneuver.
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