At the risk of seeming to count the proverbial chickens before they hatch, the Wood River Valley can count on a bright spot in its economy come July's Allen & Co. media tycoon rendezvous.
Allen & Co. has been a dependable conference host for more than 20 years here and this year, despite dismal economic conditions afflicting the nation, the conference will go on as scheduled.
Sun Valley Resort says through a spokesman it "expects no change—about the same as last year." How many high-tech and media executives and their families attend each year is never divulged, although estimates have run as high as 500.
That's part of the allure of the valley—a place where heavy hitters of the media can spend a few days or a week knowing they won't be badgered or their privacy abused while attending meetings and sampling some of the area's world-class outdoor recreation.
Dollar benefits to the valley cover a wide range. People are hired to provide hospitality and help with logistics. Rental cars are in demand. Corporate aircraft used by the CEOs require tens of thousands of gallons of fuel and several nights of parking at Friedman Memorial Airport. Retail sales and sales taxes take a spike upward.
The best guess is that the few days the Allen & Co. conference is in town means several million dollars pumped into the area's economy.
Being a good host and doing what is right has shown big rewards for the valley, especially at a time when locals need a shot of good news.
