Note 6. Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consisted of the following:

	December 31,
(in thousands)	2017			2016
Land and land interests⁽¹⁾	$	32,544		$	31,670
Buildings and leasehold improvements		222,118			185,987
Equipment and other⁽²⁾		351,676			326,868
Gross property and equipment		606,338			544,525
Accumulated depreciation		(300,767	)		(264,667	)
Property and equipment, net	$	305,571		$	279,858

⁽¹⁾

Land and land interests include certain leasehold interests in land within Pursuit for which we are considered to have perpetual use rights. The carrying amount of these leasehold interests was $8.4 million as of December 31, 2017 and $7.9 million as of December 31, 2016. These land interests are not subject to amortization.

⁽²⁾	Equipment and other includes capitalized costs incurred in developing or obtaining internal and external use software. The net carrying amount of capitalized software was $10.1 million as of December 31, 2017 and $11.9 million as of December 31, 2016.

Depreciation expense was $42.7 million for 2017, $33.6 million for 2016, and $28.1 million for 2015.

Non-cash increases to property and equipment related to assets acquired under capital leases were $2.5 million for 2017, $1.2 million for 2016, and $1.0 million for 2015. Non-cash increases to property and equipment purchases in accounts payable and accrued liabilities were $2.3 million for 2017, $0.9 million for 2016, and $2.3 million for 2015.

On December 29, 2016, the Mount Royal Hotel in Banff, Canada was damaged by a fire and closed. As a result of the fire, we recorded an impairment loss of $2.2 million against the net book value of the hotel assets. During 2017, we resolved our property and business interruption insurance claims related to the fire for a total of $36.3 million of which $29.3 million was recorded as an impairment recovery (partially offset by impairment charges of $0.2 million) related to construction costs to re-open the hotel.

During 2016, we recorded impairment charges of $0.2 million related to the write-down of certain software and buses in Pursuit. During 2015, we recorded impairment charges of $0.1 million related to the write-off of certain software in Pursuit. Impairment charges (recoveries) are included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.