In the eyes of resort managers, the image of the terrain park shifted from a place of airborne exile to a popular destination for visitors. Areas realized that snowboarder visits were not only dependent on the availability of a park, but on how good the park was. Terrain parks became serious business. Because clients are becoming increasingly more discerning, resorts now have to be extremely creative when it comes to park development. Further, maintenance of the park should be taken as seriously as any other grooming on the mountain.
Terrain parks are expanding, the feeling being that bigger is better.
In many cases, parks are designed for specific styles of riding, even competition. From permanent boarder cross courses to double-barrel halfpipes, areas are catering to riders who are determined to defy the law of gravity. There is even a fairly lucrative market for teaching freestyle lessons in terrain parks. The actual design and placement of terrain features can make or break a park. The flow from hit to hit, the variety of features, and the inclusion of clean landing zones can turn a run full of jumps into a virtual amusement park.