In the ski town of Girdwood one of the biggest attractions, Alyeska Resort & Hotel Alyeska, will be sold off to a Canadian company, Alyeska management.

According to a statement issued Tuesday by the resort's director of marketing, Eric Fullerton, Alyeska Resort has entered into a contract to sell "substantially all of its resort assets" to Pomeroy Lodging.

Fullerton said the deal should close before the end of the year, effectively handing off the assets to Pomeroy.

News of the sale quickly spread throughout Girdwood, and over coffee and while buying new ski boots, most people in town had something to say about the sale.

"I think it's more kind of excitement," Raleigh Hill one of the owners of Girdwood Picnic Club said. "Everyone is talking about it. It's definitely the conversation of the day for sure here in Girdwood."

Alyeska Resort and the 300-room hotel bring in thousands of people every year. Most people are looking to unwind, eat a delicious dinner at one of the restaurants in town such as Jack Sprat, or most likely they're in town to ski.

Powder Hound, which is at the base of the mountain near some of the ski lifts, says business is already picking up since it started getting colder.

"I think with a change of hands it could bring really good things to town or it could stay the same," Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound said. "We'll see what happens."

Pomeroy itself is described as a "full service hospitality company with expertise in hotel development, construction and management," the press release announcing the sale says.

Its web site touts quality, family and winning among its virtues.

"Quality has been and will continue to be the key to our success. We are committed to achieving excellence and upholding the highest standards in product and service. We know that we never get a second chance to make a quality first impression," reads the company website.

The company is based in Grande Prairie, Alberta in Canada, and owns 18 other hotels in Western Canada.

In his statement, Fullerton said there will be no further comments at this time. It is not clear why Alyeska owners decided to sell the resort.