Friday — April 9, 2004

Some aspects of master plan are under way

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

In presenting a 50-year master plan for Sun Valley Co. properties, General Manager Wally Huffman said Tuesday that the company intends to initiate three major development projects this year.

The first priority for the company is gaining approval for and building a new guest lodge at the base of Dollar Mountain, Huffman said. The facility would replace the aging, undersized Dollar Cabin.

"We’re very excited about this. We know it’s been a long time coming," Huffman told a large audience of local residents gathered April 6 at the Sun Valley Inn.

Plans for the new lodge—which Huffman said will somewhat resemble the company‘s Warm Springs Day Lodge—have already been drafted and will be submitted to Sun Valley city planners this month.

Huffman said the lodge is proposed to include a restaurant, ski rental shop, ski-school office, restricted childrens’ area and a small daycare facility.

Sun Valley Co. plans to build the facility this summer and open it to the public by Christmas 2004, Huffman said.

The second priority for Sun Valley Co. is construction of a proposed new hotel immediately north of the Sun Valley Lodge. The site is currently a parking lot for Sun Valley Village.

The proposed structure—for which plans are still evolving—is likely to include 120 to 200 guest rooms. A two-level underground parking garage would be built beneath the hotel.

Huffman said the company would like to initiate the project in "six months to a year."

The third priority among projects outlined in the master plan, Huffman said, is the annexation of 160 acres of company land at the River Run base area of Bald Mountain into the city of Ketchum. The land is currently in Blaine County.

The master plan calls for developing the area with a new four-star hotel, a 1500-space parking facility and 350 housing units.

Huffman said he wants to start the annexation process "right away."

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.