Snowy Ridge Ski Resort: Fair Value Measurement and the Impairment of Long-Term Assets

ABSTRACT: The Snowy Ridge Ski Resort case study illustrates the use the new Fair Value Measurement Standard (SFAS No. 157) with various assets in connection with the acquisition of a ski resort and subsequent test for impairment. The case study introduces students to the two primary approaches for measuring fair value (Market and Income). These approaches are then used to compute fair value for a variety of assets. In addition, students become familiar with the Fair Value Hierarchy and classify fair value measures in accordance with the hierarchy. The assets to which the fair value measures are generated include: marketable securities; property, plant, and equipment; real estate under development; and goodwill. The fair values and other input data are then used to test for impairment of the operating assets and goodwill. Thus, the case study illustrates the interplay between fair value measurement and impairment testing in a simple setting to give the student a foundation for understanding how fair value measurement is used in GAAP for operating assets.