For the Sun Valley area, being a pretty place may not be enough to sustain the economy at levels that existed before the national economic meltdown. Yet, if it is willing to live by its wits, it can do well.
The valley's got Bald Mountain, great golf and tennis, superb hiking and biking trails, premier fishing, and access to the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states. And, it's full of smart people.
It's where Averell Harriman developed the nation's first destination ski resort and where the chairlift was invented. Unlike some of its "plasticized" progeny, the valley is a real community with an array of arts and events.
The area is a popular destination for business groups. But this year, banking and investment groups cut back or eliminated convention travel.
The cutbacks opened holes in the valley's summer business. Filling those holes is important for the future and will require the valley to leverage its assets to appeal to a wider range of visitors. Vail, Colo., for example, just wrapped up a spring sports festival that brought 1,600 athletes and 35,000 visitors to that mountain town. The festival included competitions for everyone from runners and kayakers to dog lovers.
Sun Valley's business groups should engage their wits to regroup, repackage and reschedule to create similarly focused summer theme weeks to fill the gaps created by the loss of conventions.
Before the recession, the valley was packed every summer. Today, the "Welcome" sign is out, and the cities need to join with businesses in nationwide advertising to ensure that every visitor knows it.
