Friday, April 11, 2014

Causes for optimism

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     In mountain resort areas, spring sunshine doesn’t always bring optimism to the economy. More often than not, the end of winter puts the area into a financial funk until summer arrives.

     But this spring is different. The area may slip into its standard holding pattern, but there’s a lot of sunshine ahead if new initiatives in travel, events, marketing and development succeed. There’s a lot going on, which taken together, could significantly improve the economy over time.

     The Federal Aviation Administration’s approval of larger regional jets to serve Sun Valley means travelers are experiencing a shorter and far more comfortable ride. New direct seasonal jet service to the local airport from San Francisco and Denver have expanded the alternatives already available from Los Angeles, Seattle and Salt Lake City.

     The implementation of a 1 percent sales tax is giving legs to efforts to support and further expand air service.

     The development of a world-class spa and remodeled rooms at Sun Valley Resort will give it better appeal to a broad mix of travelers and match the resort’s services to its competitors.

     Last week’s announcement that Sun Valley will host the U.S. Alpine Ski Championships for the first time in 65 years was another giant step in putting the area back on the map of the nation’s top resorts.

     Other encouraging steps include: 1) Sun Valley Economic Development group’s efforts to locate a human performance lab here and to expand the area’s designation as a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training site for Nordic skiing 2) the city of Sun Valley’s commitment to restore $350,000 for marketing, and 3) the development of an integrated assisted-living and skilled-nursing facility in Bellevue.

     All of these steps have been a long time coming, but they are causes for optimism that the Sun Valley area’s future will be rosier than it has been in many years.

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