DULUTH — One of Minnesota’s downhill ski destinations is getting a makeover.

Lutsen Mountains owners Charles Skinner and Tom Rider have announced expansion plans along with a spruce-up of existing space. For one,  they’ll be replacing the 45-year-old gondola with a new $7 million version.

Construction won’t begin until summer, so the arrival of the new machine is a season away.

Other changes announced Tuesday include a bid for a special use permit for 400 acres of adjacent National Forest System lands in the Superior National Forest. It would help bring Lutsen’s current 180-acres of ski runs to about 300.