A very private person
By RON SOBLE
Editor, Idaho Mountain Express
Perhaps not as elusive as the late Howard Hughes, billionaire Robert Earl
Holding nevertheless wraps himself in a cloak of privacy that has allowed few glimpses
into his business and personal life. One of the nation’s most successful
entrepreneurs, his empire includes the Sun Valley Co. and other ski resorts and ranches
throughout the West.
On Sunday, Feb. 13, The Salt Lake Tribune published a three-story
package exploring Holding’s personal history—including a rare interview—
his political muscle and his dealings with Forest Service employees who were working on a
federal land exchange for his Snowbasin Ski Area in Utah, an important venue for the 2002
Winter Olympics.
"Is Holding an influence peddler enriching himself on the backs of
the taxpayers, as critics contend?" asked James Shelledy, the Salt Lake Tribune editor,
in an introduction to the stories by writers Christopher Smith and Guy Boulton. "Or
is he a savvy, hardworking businessman creating amenities to benefit all of Utah, as
admirers maintain? There is no simple answer…"
This story package was reprinted with permission of The Salt Lake
Tribune.
