Though it received high marks for last year's nationally televised Ski Tour events in Sun Valley, the Sun Valley City Council has decided to allow the new council, which takes office in January, to decide whether to again provide city services to the event's promoters.
The last Ski Tour was sponsored by Honda, which has withdrawn. The event's new sponsor is Jeep.
During a meeting on Thursday, Nov. 15, Ski Tour Executive Director Maureen Baker asked council members for an estimated $15,000 to $16,000 in city services, such as fire and police personnel. She said the event would be "first class all the way," including three hours of television coverage by CBS.
The tour begins in Telluride, Colo., in mid-December, then continues in Squaw Valley, Calif., Feb. 8-10, and climaxes with a grand finale in Sun Valley, March 14-16.
Baker said new events will be added this year--women's skiercross and halfpipe, and men's and women's boardercross and snowboard halfpipe. However, she said, the men's snowboarding events may not take place at Sun Valley due to a scheduling conflict.
During Baker's appearance before the council, Councilman Blair Boand called the tour "the most professional production I've seen."
In other council business:
- Councilman Nils Ribi gave a brief interim report on a study of valley electrical power. He said the main concern for the valley should be the consequences of the single power line's failing for any length of time. He said Sun Valley Co. continues to be the largest consumer, with 20 to 25 percent of the power in the winter.
- The council authorized the police and fire departments to each purchase a command vehicle for their operations.
