How This Former Google Executive is Building Profitable Rural Hospitality Ventures

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

27 Feb 2025

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In the picturesque Adirondacks of New York, a former executive from Google is applying big data principles to transform historic properties into thriving hospitality ventures. Rick Vidal, owner and CEO of NewVida Preserve, represents a new breed of real estate investor – one who combines traditional hospitality fundamentals with cutting-edge data science to achieve remarkable results.

From Silicon Valley to the Adirondacks

“Most of my career is at the intersection of data science and entrepreneurism,” explains Vidal, whose path to hospitality real estate wound through impressive stops at McKinsey, the CDC, and Google, where he founded a sales engineering and data science team. This unique background shapes his approach to property investment and management.

“For me, real estate is an area that is still prime for disruption,” Vidal notes. “When you’re talking about operating a small boutique hotel or a restaurant, where culinary and bar programs can be some of the lowest margin entities within hospitality, if you don’t apply data science and tech smartly, you’re going to fail.”

A Data-Driven Success Story

This philosophy has proven successful at NewVida Preserve, formerly known as Paleface Mountain. The property, which operated as a ski mountain for 40 years before becoming a private residence, has been transformed into what is now the largest hospitality property in the Adirondack High Peaks region.

The results speak for themselves. “In June, just seven months after opening, we achieved profitability, which is crazy for hospitality, especially in a rural community,” Vidal shares. “We’ve sustained it since then through a combination of culture, community, and smart execution.”

This rapid path to profitability stems from Vidal’s analytical approach. “I model and scenario-plan everything, particularly in hospitality where labor and inventory costs are critical to normalize and stabilize,” he explains. The team conducts weekly deep dives into operational data, using historical information to predict everything from menu performance to pricing strategies.

A Community-Centric Business Model

What sets NewVida apart is its hybrid business model, designed to serve both tourists and the local community. Community members can access culinary services, wellness programs, and – through membership – enjoy 2,000 acres of trails for hiking, skiing, and mountain climbing.

“We created a hybrid place that is equally a destination for the local community as it is for tourists,” Vidal explains. “We love the concept of tourists vacationing and interacting with the local community as a smarter way to travel, to really get a sense of the culture and spirit of the area.”

The Next Chapter

Now, Vidal is seeking $9 million in investment to take NewVida to the next level. The expansion plan includes nearly tripling the lodging capacity through cabin development and creating a sustainable microbrewery with event space.

“These would be the first ski-in, ski-out cabins in the high peaks,” Vidal notes, explaining that the cabin model better competes with short-term rentals in the area, where visitors tend to prefer longer stays. The microbrewery addition would further strengthen community ties while creating a new revenue stream through distribution.

The investment is projected to boost profit margins from their current healthy 20% to approximately 35%. Working with Landvest Christie’s, the property is listed at $12.9 million for potential buyers, though Vidal is open to various partnership structures, including maintaining a minority stake and operational role.

Looking Ahead

For Vidal, NewVida Preserve represents more than just a successful business venture – it’s a blueprint for the future of rural hospitality. “I feel that the Adirondacks are still pre-tipping point, and we are investing smartly at the right time,” he explains. “Here you have in New York the largest number of acres under preservation in the lower 48, and most people don’t realize that – six and a half million acres. From a real estate perspective, the opportunity is still right there for disruption.”

The combination of data-driven operations, community integration, and strategic expansion plans positions NewVida Preserve at the forefront of rural hospitality innovation. As the property enters its next chapter, it stands as a testament to how modern investment approaches can revitalize historic properties while preserving their connection to local communities.

For investors interested in learning more about partnership opportunities at NewVida Preserve, inquiries can be directed to [email protected].