Press Release from Talisker - March 29, 2010:
TALISKER EXPANDS WITH PURCHASE OF THE WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL AT THE CANYONS
Toronto – Talisker announced today its purchase of Park City’s newest luxury hotel, The Waldorf Astoria, Park City, located at The Canyons.
The Waldorf Astoria, Park City, opened last summer at the foot of Talisker’s ski resort, The Canyons. The hotel includes 170 rooms and condominium units, dining at Spruce, as well as the Golden Door Spa which offers an exquisite menu of services available to hotel guests and the community alike.
“We are proud to add this wonderful and complementary asset to the Talisker and Canyons properties in Park City”, said Jack Bistricer Chairman and CEO of Talisker. “The Waldorf Astoria, integrated into The Canyons Resort, will expand The Canyons’ offerings and Talisker’s Definitive Alpine Living experience.”
Talisker is developing real estate in several Park City area communities, including The Canyons ski resort, Empire Pass at Deer Valley Resort, Tuhaye golf course community, and others comprising more than 13,000 acres throughout the area. As the creator of the remarkable Talisker Club, Talisker has been recognized by the Robb Report as the Best of the Best of Mountain Resorts, and by Travel + Leisure Golf’s America’s Top 100 Golf Communities.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Park City Ranks 4th on Barron's top ten list of "Best Places for Second Homes"
The 10 Best Places for Second Homes
By STEVEN M. SEARS
MONDAY MARCH 8, 2010
Prices of luxury real estate are finally starting to rise, as bargain hunters swoop in. Some of the best deals are in second homes with prices off as much as 40%.
AT LONG LAST, THE MARKET FOR LUXURY REAL ESTATE IS COMING BACK TO LIFE
Prices for primary residences, which plunged at least 20% from the peak in 2007, appear to have bottomed.
In some of the snappiest locations, scattered bidding wars are breaking out and prices are turning upward.
In Greenwich, Conn., realty brokers say, the final months of 2009 were almost record-setters for sales volume, as two years of pent-up demand was unleashed. Even the megadeal is back. In Beverly Hills, film producer
Jeffrey Katzenberg just plunked down $35 million for an 8,700-square-foot home on six acres.
There's nothing like a stabilized economy and a huge rebound in stocks
to send folks looking for the perfect manse.
The return of hefty Wall Street bonuses hasn't hurt, either.
With all that in mind, and with summer just around the corner, Barron's sized up the market for upscale second homes, one of the greatest luxuries of all. We scoped out dozens of deluxe enclaves across the country,
speaking with brokers, homeowners and others. Our conclusion: Now could be an excellent time to buy.
Prices are way down -- 40% off the peak in some locations. Seemingly at or near bottom, they are starting to attract the first wave of bargain hunters -- and not just families in need of R&R. Hard-nosed investors also are on the prowl,
says Jan Reuter, head of residential real estate at U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management:
"We've seen an uptick in buying in just the last couple of months."
To help you in the hunt, Barron's has selected the 10 best places in America for second homes. These alluring
locales have it all: gorgeous houses, spectacular views, world-class golf, fishing and skiing, fine dining and
great shopping. You'll find the complete range of lifestyles, from peaceful and easy to vigorously social.
Some warnings: 1) Our selections are every bit as subjective as tastes in homes themselves. 2) The prices cited
are based mainly on conversations with locals, because hard data isn't available. 3) Your plush new retreat may
take some time to rise in value. Serious appreciation will require a better economy and, quite possibly,
another big rally in stocks.
But hey, you could do worse than marking time in paradise.
1. Maui
Consistently rated the "Best Island in the World" by travel experts, this Hawaiian beauty underwent a growth spurt during the past decade that some critics bemoaned as excessive. But the southern coast, anchored by the hamlet of Wailea, has weathered it all well. One of the first master-planned resort communities in the nation, it's a balanced blend of understated gated communities, luxury resort hotels, three excellent golf courses, a tennis center and, of course, several crescent sandy beaches. Wailea has 500 single-family homes, and their views are stunning: lush, verdant hills, brilliantly blue ocean and, after the steamy sun showers, rainbows over the horizon.
Median Price: $1.5 million
Drop From Peak: 27%
Neighbor: Oprah Winfrey
2. Kiawah Island, S.C.
Languid elegance defines South Carolina's coast, and Kiawah, just off Charleston, may be its ideal expression. The island has one developer, Kiawah Development Partners, and an architectural review board that protects the 4,500 or so properties from the excesses often seen when wealth meets water. It has 10 miles of hard-sand beaches and abundant wildlife: bobcats, gray foxes, loggerhead turtles and more. Its Ocean Course has long been favorite of golfers; it hosted the 2007 Senior PGA Championship. Want to tee up some culture? Charleston is just 45 minutes away.
Median Price: $1.4 million
Drop From Peak: 21%
Neighbor: Dan Marino
3. The Hamptons
Long the favored retreat of high-powered New Yorkers, the Hamptons are a just now experiencing a fresh jump in home sales, realty brokers say. Credit the revival in Wall Street bonuses. Southampton, bastion of old money, is known for its grand estates, but lovely homes can be found in what not long ago were potato fields. In chic East Hampton, the choicest real estate is on Georgica Pond. Alas, most of the area's finest properties never come to market.
Once you own a home in the Hamptons, you own it forever.
Median Price: $1.5 million
Drop from Peak: 30%
Neighbor: Steven Spielberg
4. Park City, Utah
Skiers love Park City for its powdery winters, but homeowners relish the summers, too. The crowds thin out, life slows down and the tall aspens lining the nearby Wasatch range shimmer in the breeze. The one-street Old West downtown is dotted with classic Victorian houses, while Deer Valley, an understated year-round resort community, sits on the eastern edge. Its namesake ski hill has been crowned by readers of Ski Magazine as North America's top ski resort for three years running. For $100,000, you can join the nearby Talisker Club, with links designed by PGA Tour Champion Mark O'Meara. Bonus: Salt Lake City International Airport, a Delta Air Lines hub,
has direct flights to the East and West Coasts.
Median Price: $1 million
Drop From Peak: 10% to 45% **
Neighbor: Robert Redford
** Range varries based on location and amount on inventory available
5. Aspen, Colo.
Aspen isn't just a year-round playground; it's also a cultural oasis, the home to the Aspen Institute think tank, a world-class symphony, and dance and art festivals. The four major ski hills speak for the themselves. The Maroon Creek Club includes a challenging golf course designed by Tom Fazio. The city's West End has a mix of 19th-century Victorians and modern abodes not far from the "beachfront" -- downtown neighborhoods within walking distance of the lift. The posh shopping is so good that some folks never find their way up to the trails.
Median Price: $5.6 million
Drop From Peak: 6%
Neighbor: Jack Nicholson
6. Pebble Beach, Calif.
Golfer Jack Nicklaus once said that if he had one last round to play before he died, it would be at Pebble Beach. The site of four U.S. Opens, The Links are rated the No. 1 public course in America by Golf Digest for 2009-10. There are several other public and private golf courses within the guarded gates of the verdant Del Monte Forest, which surrounds the community of Pebble Beach. Stunning estates not far from the first tee offer sweeping views of Monterey Bay. Duffers who buy in can play the Golden Bear's dream course every day.
Median Price: $1.1 million
Drop Since Peak: 20%
Neighbor: Clint Eastwood.
7. Palm Beach
This Florida island hovers above reality, and at $30 million-plus, so do its finest pads. Oodles of socialites and tycoons wouldn't have it any other way. Neither would Jimmy Buffett, Rush Limbaugh and too many other boldface names to mention. In addition to the never-ending social whirl, residents like the shopping on Worth Avenue and the beauty of Addison Mizner's Mediterranean-style architecture. Mortals can enjoy the town by buying "over the moat" -- in Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Delray Beach.
Median Price: $3.5 million
Drop From Peak: 11%
Neighbor: Henry Kravis
8. Captiva/Sanibel Island, Fla.
Sitting off the coast of Fort Myers, a nerve center of America's foreclosure crisis, the barrier islands of Captiva and Sanibel are the very picture of laid-back living. Linked by a bridge at Sanibel's northern point, the islands are renowned for their pristine beaches and abundant seashells. Then there are the hiking trails; half the island is a nature preserve. The late Robert Rauschenberg is, even in death, one of the largest landowners. His 35-acre spread, complete with studio, is intact on Captiva's northern end.
Median Price: $3.5 million
Drop From Peak: 40%
Neighbor: Ted Koppel
9. Asheville, N.C.
Nestled in the mountains of North Carolina, Asheville offers a four-seasons lifestyle with just enough culture and good restaurants to keep urban-withdrawal pangs at bay. Some homebuyers come from the Northeast, and many come from Florida to beat the heat. The locals call them "halfbacks," since Asheville is halfway up the East Coast. The town has a university and a thriving art scene. We like the 1920s-vintage Tudor homes in the Biltmore Forest district, once part of the adjacent Biltmore Estate. The funky Grove Park neighborhood is also worth a look.
Median Price: $700,000
Drop From Peak: 38%
Neighbor: Andie McDowell
10. Gasparilla Island, Fla.
Katherine Hepburn used to rent a beach house here, and it's easy to see why. The small island off Florida's southwest coast has been lovingly preserved: The Gasparilla Act, a state law passed in 1980, put a tight lid on population density, building heights and commercial development. Golf carts -- some customized to resemble '57 Chevys -- are the favored mode of transportation. The historic downtown has gracious homes, and the waters around the island are renowned for tarpon fishing. To check it out, check into the plush Gasparilla Inn.
Median Price: $1.8 million.
Drop From Peak: 18%
Neighbor: Harrison Ford, frequent visitor.
By STEVEN M. SEARS
MONDAY MARCH 8, 2010
Prices of luxury real estate are finally starting to rise, as bargain hunters swoop in. Some of the best deals are in second homes with prices off as much as 40%.
AT LONG LAST, THE MARKET FOR LUXURY REAL ESTATE IS COMING BACK TO LIFE
Prices for primary residences, which plunged at least 20% from the peak in 2007, appear to have bottomed.
In some of the snappiest locations, scattered bidding wars are breaking out and prices are turning upward.
In Greenwich, Conn., realty brokers say, the final months of 2009 were almost record-setters for sales volume, as two years of pent-up demand was unleashed. Even the megadeal is back. In Beverly Hills, film producer
Jeffrey Katzenberg just plunked down $35 million for an 8,700-square-foot home on six acres.
There's nothing like a stabilized economy and a huge rebound in stocks
to send folks looking for the perfect manse.
The return of hefty Wall Street bonuses hasn't hurt, either.
With all that in mind, and with summer just around the corner, Barron's sized up the market for upscale second homes, one of the greatest luxuries of all. We scoped out dozens of deluxe enclaves across the country,
speaking with brokers, homeowners and others. Our conclusion: Now could be an excellent time to buy.
Prices are way down -- 40% off the peak in some locations. Seemingly at or near bottom, they are starting to attract the first wave of bargain hunters -- and not just families in need of R&R. Hard-nosed investors also are on the prowl,
says Jan Reuter, head of residential real estate at U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management:
"We've seen an uptick in buying in just the last couple of months."
To help you in the hunt, Barron's has selected the 10 best places in America for second homes. These alluring
locales have it all: gorgeous houses, spectacular views, world-class golf, fishing and skiing, fine dining and
great shopping. You'll find the complete range of lifestyles, from peaceful and easy to vigorously social.
Some warnings: 1) Our selections are every bit as subjective as tastes in homes themselves. 2) The prices cited
are based mainly on conversations with locals, because hard data isn't available. 3) Your plush new retreat may
take some time to rise in value. Serious appreciation will require a better economy and, quite possibly,
another big rally in stocks.
But hey, you could do worse than marking time in paradise.
1. Maui
Consistently rated the "Best Island in the World" by travel experts, this Hawaiian beauty underwent a growth spurt during the past decade that some critics bemoaned as excessive. But the southern coast, anchored by the hamlet of Wailea, has weathered it all well. One of the first master-planned resort communities in the nation, it's a balanced blend of understated gated communities, luxury resort hotels, three excellent golf courses, a tennis center and, of course, several crescent sandy beaches. Wailea has 500 single-family homes, and their views are stunning: lush, verdant hills, brilliantly blue ocean and, after the steamy sun showers, rainbows over the horizon.
Median Price: $1.5 million
Drop From Peak: 27%
Neighbor: Oprah Winfrey
2. Kiawah Island, S.C.
Languid elegance defines South Carolina's coast, and Kiawah, just off Charleston, may be its ideal expression. The island has one developer, Kiawah Development Partners, and an architectural review board that protects the 4,500 or so properties from the excesses often seen when wealth meets water. It has 10 miles of hard-sand beaches and abundant wildlife: bobcats, gray foxes, loggerhead turtles and more. Its Ocean Course has long been favorite of golfers; it hosted the 2007 Senior PGA Championship. Want to tee up some culture? Charleston is just 45 minutes away.
Median Price: $1.4 million
Drop From Peak: 21%
Neighbor: Dan Marino
3. The Hamptons
Long the favored retreat of high-powered New Yorkers, the Hamptons are a just now experiencing a fresh jump in home sales, realty brokers say. Credit the revival in Wall Street bonuses. Southampton, bastion of old money, is known for its grand estates, but lovely homes can be found in what not long ago were potato fields. In chic East Hampton, the choicest real estate is on Georgica Pond. Alas, most of the area's finest properties never come to market.
Once you own a home in the Hamptons, you own it forever.
Median Price: $1.5 million
Drop from Peak: 30%
Neighbor: Steven Spielberg
4. Park City, Utah
Skiers love Park City for its powdery winters, but homeowners relish the summers, too. The crowds thin out, life slows down and the tall aspens lining the nearby Wasatch range shimmer in the breeze. The one-street Old West downtown is dotted with classic Victorian houses, while Deer Valley, an understated year-round resort community, sits on the eastern edge. Its namesake ski hill has been crowned by readers of Ski Magazine as North America's top ski resort for three years running. For $100,000, you can join the nearby Talisker Club, with links designed by PGA Tour Champion Mark O'Meara. Bonus: Salt Lake City International Airport, a Delta Air Lines hub,
has direct flights to the East and West Coasts.
Median Price: $1 million
Drop From Peak: 10% to 45% **
Neighbor: Robert Redford
** Range varries based on location and amount on inventory available
5. Aspen, Colo.
Aspen isn't just a year-round playground; it's also a cultural oasis, the home to the Aspen Institute think tank, a world-class symphony, and dance and art festivals. The four major ski hills speak for the themselves. The Maroon Creek Club includes a challenging golf course designed by Tom Fazio. The city's West End has a mix of 19th-century Victorians and modern abodes not far from the "beachfront" -- downtown neighborhoods within walking distance of the lift. The posh shopping is so good that some folks never find their way up to the trails.
Median Price: $5.6 million
Drop From Peak: 6%
Neighbor: Jack Nicholson
6. Pebble Beach, Calif.
Golfer Jack Nicklaus once said that if he had one last round to play before he died, it would be at Pebble Beach. The site of four U.S. Opens, The Links are rated the No. 1 public course in America by Golf Digest for 2009-10. There are several other public and private golf courses within the guarded gates of the verdant Del Monte Forest, which surrounds the community of Pebble Beach. Stunning estates not far from the first tee offer sweeping views of Monterey Bay. Duffers who buy in can play the Golden Bear's dream course every day.
Median Price: $1.1 million
Drop Since Peak: 20%
Neighbor: Clint Eastwood.
7. Palm Beach
This Florida island hovers above reality, and at $30 million-plus, so do its finest pads. Oodles of socialites and tycoons wouldn't have it any other way. Neither would Jimmy Buffett, Rush Limbaugh and too many other boldface names to mention. In addition to the never-ending social whirl, residents like the shopping on Worth Avenue and the beauty of Addison Mizner's Mediterranean-style architecture. Mortals can enjoy the town by buying "over the moat" -- in Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Delray Beach.
Median Price: $3.5 million
Drop From Peak: 11%
Neighbor: Henry Kravis
8. Captiva/Sanibel Island, Fla.
Sitting off the coast of Fort Myers, a nerve center of America's foreclosure crisis, the barrier islands of Captiva and Sanibel are the very picture of laid-back living. Linked by a bridge at Sanibel's northern point, the islands are renowned for their pristine beaches and abundant seashells. Then there are the hiking trails; half the island is a nature preserve. The late Robert Rauschenberg is, even in death, one of the largest landowners. His 35-acre spread, complete with studio, is intact on Captiva's northern end.
Median Price: $3.5 million
Drop From Peak: 40%
Neighbor: Ted Koppel
9. Asheville, N.C.
Nestled in the mountains of North Carolina, Asheville offers a four-seasons lifestyle with just enough culture and good restaurants to keep urban-withdrawal pangs at bay. Some homebuyers come from the Northeast, and many come from Florida to beat the heat. The locals call them "halfbacks," since Asheville is halfway up the East Coast. The town has a university and a thriving art scene. We like the 1920s-vintage Tudor homes in the Biltmore Forest district, once part of the adjacent Biltmore Estate. The funky Grove Park neighborhood is also worth a look.
Median Price: $700,000
Drop From Peak: 38%
Neighbor: Andie McDowell
10. Gasparilla Island, Fla.
Katherine Hepburn used to rent a beach house here, and it's easy to see why. The small island off Florida's southwest coast has been lovingly preserved: The Gasparilla Act, a state law passed in 1980, put a tight lid on population density, building heights and commercial development. Golf carts -- some customized to resemble '57 Chevys -- are the favored mode of transportation. The historic downtown has gracious homes, and the waters around the island are renowned for tarpon fishing. To check it out, check into the plush Gasparilla Inn.
Median Price: $1.8 million.
Drop From Peak: 18%
Neighbor: Harrison Ford, frequent visitor.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Summit County called one of America's wealthiest counties
Summit County called one of America's wealthiest counties
According to Forbes.com, it's an anomaly
by Andrew Kirk, OF THE RECORD STAFF
Posted: 03/10/2010 12:47:13 PM MST
Last week, Forbes.com assembled a list of America's top 25 richest counties. With a median household income of $85,258 in the 2008 calendar year, Summit County made No. 22 on the list.
That's probably no surprise to people familiar with the community and the price of housing here, but what may be surprising is the fact that it's one of very few vacation communities and the only one not adjacent to a major metropolitan area.
The latter point is the explanation Forbes-writer Francesca Levy gives for why these 25 counties are so wealthy. Almost all of the counties are within driving distance of the Washington, D.C. and New York City metropolitan areas. Two are in the Bay Area: Marin across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco and Santa Clara to the south in Silicon Valley. All the rest are bedroom communities for Denver, Colo.; Atlanta, Ga.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Baltimore, Md.
People with high-paying jobs often want to live in beautiful suburban areas with good schools. All 25 counties match that description, but Salt Lake City is not comparable in size to those other seven cities.
What accounts for Summit County's wealth?
Mark Seltenrich, president of the Park City Board of Realtors, helps people look into moving here all the time. He said its proximity to Salt Lake City is only piece of a larger pie.
"Utah isn't known for the high wages of the coasts," he said. "People who live here they're bringing the money with them."
There are plenty of Summit County residents who commute to Salt Lake City, but for several reasons Park City has become attractive to people who can work anywhere. Some residents telecommute or have home offices. Others travel for work - like airline employees - and need close proximity to a major airport.
Park City's year-round outdoor recreation makes it popular with people with enough money to retire early, or who are looking for quality of life in the place they choose to reside, he said.
Many parents also scrutinize school districts carefully.
Aspen, Colo., for example, has great quality of life, but their public education system isn't as good as Park City's, he said. All wealthy areas have private schools, but many parents feel their child gets a more "normal" or well-rounded experience in public schools.
Additionally, Park City has many long-time residents who preserve the community's character. It's a real town, not just homes surrounding a ski resort, he said. Many people value a feeling of community.
All of these factors make Summit County an attractive place to locate one's primary residence - not just a place to buy land or have a vacation home. That's probably why it's the only resort town on the list, he said.
And the richest county in America? Loudoun in Virginia just outside of Alexandria.
According to Forbes.com, it's an anomaly
by Andrew Kirk, OF THE RECORD STAFF
Posted: 03/10/2010 12:47:13 PM MST
Last week, Forbes.com assembled a list of America's top 25 richest counties. With a median household income of $85,258 in the 2008 calendar year, Summit County made No. 22 on the list.
That's probably no surprise to people familiar with the community and the price of housing here, but what may be surprising is the fact that it's one of very few vacation communities and the only one not adjacent to a major metropolitan area.
The latter point is the explanation Forbes-writer Francesca Levy gives for why these 25 counties are so wealthy. Almost all of the counties are within driving distance of the Washington, D.C. and New York City metropolitan areas. Two are in the Bay Area: Marin across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco and Santa Clara to the south in Silicon Valley. All the rest are bedroom communities for Denver, Colo.; Atlanta, Ga.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Baltimore, Md.
People with high-paying jobs often want to live in beautiful suburban areas with good schools. All 25 counties match that description, but Salt Lake City is not comparable in size to those other seven cities.
What accounts for Summit County's wealth?
Mark Seltenrich, president of the Park City Board of Realtors, helps people look into moving here all the time. He said its proximity to Salt Lake City is only piece of a larger pie.
"Utah isn't known for the high wages of the coasts," he said. "People who live here they're bringing the money with them."
There are plenty of Summit County residents who commute to Salt Lake City, but for several reasons Park City has become attractive to people who can work anywhere. Some residents telecommute or have home offices. Others travel for work - like airline employees - and need close proximity to a major airport.
Park City's year-round outdoor recreation makes it popular with people with enough money to retire early, or who are looking for quality of life in the place they choose to reside, he said.
Many parents also scrutinize school districts carefully.
Aspen, Colo., for example, has great quality of life, but their public education system isn't as good as Park City's, he said. All wealthy areas have private schools, but many parents feel their child gets a more "normal" or well-rounded experience in public schools.
Additionally, Park City has many long-time residents who preserve the community's character. It's a real town, not just homes surrounding a ski resort, he said. Many people value a feeling of community.
All of these factors make Summit County an attractive place to locate one's primary residence - not just a place to buy land or have a vacation home. That's probably why it's the only resort town on the list, he said.
And the richest county in America? Loudoun in Virginia just outside of Alexandria.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Utah ski season started slow, finishing strong
Utah ski season started slow, finishing strong
Recreation » Snow was in short supply early on; out-of-state skier totals are holding up well vs. last's years numbers.
By Paul Beebe
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 03/05/2010 08:53:31 PM MST
On a morning when the Wasatch Mountains were carpeted with fresh snow, Coleen Reardon was feeling good about the remaining weeks of the ski season.
Last year, the last three weeks of March were a near-bust for Deer Valley Resort, thanks to the recession, said Reardon, marketing director for the tony resort.
Today, the outlook has turned around. Bookings for the next three weeks of March -- and the first week of April - --- are solid, suggesting to Reardon that consumer angst is thawing, and skiers are once again opening their wallets.
"We've never seen this level of bookings so close in [to the time they arrive at Deer Valley] and so late in the year," Reardon said. "I think people really did miss their vacations last year."
While she didn't provide mid-season visitor numbers, it was clear from her report that Utah's ski industry is turning a corner.
Largely because of the economy and an early shortage of snow, the season began inauspiciously, said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah, a marketing firm owned by the 13 ski resorts that make up the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association. Lately, though, skier counts have been charging uphill.
"If there's going to be a theme this year, it was a slow start and a strong finish," Rafferty said.
It's too early to tell just how profitable the 2009-10 season will turn out to be. With plenty of skiable snow at the state's resorts, those numbers are at least six weeks away.
Out-of-state skier counts are holding up well against last year's lift-ticket numbers, Rafferty said.
Local skier counts are soft, though, mainly because of the perception that since snowfall totals haven't approached those of the two previous years, skiing conditions aren't optimal, he said.
Even so, "given where the economy is and how the weather worked out, I think the resorts are going to be happy with their numbers," Rafferty said.
Resorts have noticed a significant change in skier spending patterns, however. Before the recession struck late in 2007, families traveling to Utah ski areas splurged, renting more than one hotel room, buying new equipment, eating at restaurants and taking private lessons, Rafferty said.
This year, as the country crawls out of the recession, "they are squeezing everybody into one room, stopping at Costco to pick up snacks, making breakfast in their rooms and taking group lessons," he said.
Meanwhile, along the Wasatch Front at Alta, it's been a "solid year," spokesman Tyler Jackson said. No attendance records are being set, though.
"Season pass holders have done well. The snow hasn't been like we've had in the last few years. But the storms that we've had [since Thursday] has brought everyone up," Jackson said.
At mid-day, Alta had received 19 inches of snow over the previous 24 hours.
pbeebe@sltrib.com
Recreation » Snow was in short supply early on; out-of-state skier totals are holding up well vs. last's years numbers.
By Paul Beebe
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 03/05/2010 08:53:31 PM MST
On a morning when the Wasatch Mountains were carpeted with fresh snow, Coleen Reardon was feeling good about the remaining weeks of the ski season.
Last year, the last three weeks of March were a near-bust for Deer Valley Resort, thanks to the recession, said Reardon, marketing director for the tony resort.
Today, the outlook has turned around. Bookings for the next three weeks of March -- and the first week of April - --- are solid, suggesting to Reardon that consumer angst is thawing, and skiers are once again opening their wallets.
"We've never seen this level of bookings so close in [to the time they arrive at Deer Valley] and so late in the year," Reardon said. "I think people really did miss their vacations last year."
While she didn't provide mid-season visitor numbers, it was clear from her report that Utah's ski industry is turning a corner.
Largely because of the economy and an early shortage of snow, the season began inauspiciously, said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah, a marketing firm owned by the 13 ski resorts that make up the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association. Lately, though, skier counts have been charging uphill.
"If there's going to be a theme this year, it was a slow start and a strong finish," Rafferty said.
It's too early to tell just how profitable the 2009-10 season will turn out to be. With plenty of skiable snow at the state's resorts, those numbers are at least six weeks away.
Out-of-state skier counts are holding up well against last year's lift-ticket numbers, Rafferty said.
Local skier counts are soft, though, mainly because of the perception that since snowfall totals haven't approached those of the two previous years, skiing conditions aren't optimal, he said.
Even so, "given where the economy is and how the weather worked out, I think the resorts are going to be happy with their numbers," Rafferty said.
Resorts have noticed a significant change in skier spending patterns, however. Before the recession struck late in 2007, families traveling to Utah ski areas splurged, renting more than one hotel room, buying new equipment, eating at restaurants and taking private lessons, Rafferty said.
This year, as the country crawls out of the recession, "they are squeezing everybody into one room, stopping at Costco to pick up snacks, making breakfast in their rooms and taking group lessons," he said.
Meanwhile, along the Wasatch Front at Alta, it's been a "solid year," spokesman Tyler Jackson said. No attendance records are being set, though.
"Season pass holders have done well. The snow hasn't been like we've had in the last few years. But the storms that we've had [since Thursday] has brought everyone up," Jackson said.
At mid-day, Alta had received 19 inches of snow over the previous 24 hours.
pbeebe@sltrib.com
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Utahns play vital role in record medal haul
Utahns play vital role in record medal haul
By Michael C. Lewis
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 02/28/2010 07:35:08 AM MST
(The Associated Press)«12345»Vancouver, British Columbia »
It's fitting that four-time Olympian Bill Demong will carry the flag for the U.S. Olympic Team at the closing ceremony of the Vancouver Games tonight.
The first American gold medalist in Nordic combined lives and trains in Park City, and athletes like him from Utah have made a huge contribution to the most successful Winter Games in U.S. Olympic history.
"I have seen a significant change over the four Olympics that I've been to," Demong said. At the 1998 Nagano Games in Japan, "we felt like we were a small country at the Olympic Games. As a whole team, we felt like one of the outsiders at the Winter Olympics. Now, we're here to win."
And win, they did.
The Americans have won 36 medals -- tying the most ever, by any nation -- with the certainty of one more today, when the men's hockey team plays Canada in the much-anticipated gold-medal game. That assures they will win the overall medal count for the first time since the 1932 Lake Placid Games; even when they won 34 medals at the 2002 Salt Lake Games, the Germans topped the table with 36.
Sixteen of those medals came from athletes who live and train in Utah -- from downhill skier Lindsey Vonn and short-track speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno to aerialist Jeret "Speedy" Peterson and history-making bobsled driver Steve Holcomb.
"We're probably the best prepared team," said Mike Plant, the chef de mission for the U.S. team. "You combine that with the passion and the commitment and the dedication" of the athletes, and "you come out with a pretty powerful combination. And we've seen some great results."
The highlight for many Utahns surely had to be Holcomb's dominating victory in the four-man bobsled on Sunday, snapping a 62-year gold-medal drought for the Americans in one of the most popular sports in the Olympics.
Demong was right there, too, as the first American to win gold
in one of the Nordic sports -- cross country, ski jumping and combined. He and Park City's Brett Camerota also were part of the silver-medal winning relay team.
Vonn and snowboarder Torah Bright of Salt Lake City won the only other gold medals among Utah athletes, though Bright won her halfpipe gold for Australia, meaning the total medal count for athletes from Utah will be 17. In addition to the hockey game, there is one final men's cross country race today, though no Americans are expected to medal.
A part-time Park City resident, the much-hyped Vonn won the downhill and took bronze in the super-G, but crashed out of her other three races and disappointed those who expected her to fare even better.
Meanwhile, Ohno became the winningest winter Olympian in U.S. history, with his silver and two bronzes giving him eight medals in his career. He has lived in South Jordan while training at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns. He probably will move soon to New York or Los Angeles to pursue business opportunities.
"Just seeing all the Americans have so much success -- and not just Alpine, but in all the events -- has been really cool," Vonn said. "Sitting at home watching TV in the evening and seeing pretty much every event there's an American on the podium. It's very cool to watch and even though I'm living through the Olympics, I'm also still a spectator and I love to see how much success we're having as a team."
In all, 19 athletes were responsible for the Utah medal haul, though nearly 40 others competed, too.
Some were elated to medal or simply participate, such as moguls skier Shannon Bahrke of Salt Lake City and skeleton slider Noelle Pikus-Pace of Orem. But others were disappointed in not improving on past successes.
Skier Ted Ligety finished no better than fifth in his four alpine races, after winning gold at the 2006 Turin Games. Bobsled driver Shauna Rohbock of Orem had hoped for gold after taking silver four years ago, but finished only sixth on the dangerous track that earned worldwide criticism after the death of a Georgian luger in a training crash the day before the Olympics began.
"It's not the Olympics I've dreamed of for four years," she said.
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association based in Park City enjoyed a great showing, though, even if it fizzled a bit at the end.
Its athletes won 21 medals, including eight in the first six Alpine events -- that would rank at least fifth on the medal table -- while Kearns-based U.S. Speedskating managed 10 medals, with a lot of help from Ohno and double-medalist Chad Hedrick, who has lived in Draper but plans a move back to his native Texas.
So now, the focus will shift to the 2014 Sochi Games in Russia, a host nation that will be coming off a disappointing performance in Vancouver. They won a modest 15 medals, pending today's cross-country finale.
The Americans, on the other hand, won't have that problem.
But thanks to the athletes from Utah who made the Vancouver Games such a roaring success, they will have a hard time producing an encore.
mcl@sltrib.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Past Winter Games gave a boost to Park City & other Winter Destinations
Past Winter Games gave a boost to Park City & other Winter Destinations
Posted on 12:00 AM CST on Sunday, February 21, 2010; Dallas Morning News
Walt Roessing is a freelance writer in California
PARK CITY, Utah – Watching the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on television can't help but remind Utahans of the positive economic impact such an event can have on a tourism destination.
The February 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games have been responsible for a surge in the state's tourism industry, especially for Park City and Salt Lake City.
Park City, host to one-third of the 2002 Winter Games events, has Utah's greatest concentration of upscale ski resorts with the triad of Deer Valley, the Canyons and Park City Mountain Resort.
"The skier-days of that trio jumped from 1.16 million in the year of the Olympics to a peak of 1.87 million in 2007-08," says Craig McCarthy, of the Park City Chamber/Bureau. For the third consecutive year, he adds, Deer Valley has been named the No. 1 overall resort in North America by the readers of Ski Magazine.
Also, the Canyons, with 3,700 skiable acres, has become Utah's largest resort, and Park City Mountain Resort offers the only ski-in, ski-out access to historic Main Street, McCarthy says.
Since the 2002 Games the three local ski areas have added a combined nine new ski lifts and opened more runs and terrain.
Substantial, too, has been the growth in Park City's tourism infrastructure. It now encompasses about 6,000 lodging rooms plus meeting properties with 3,000 rooms.
New lodging growth continues. On Deer Valley's Flagstaff Mountain, we skied with McCarthy to the doors of the Montage. Slated to open in the winter season of 2010-11, that property will have 174 luxury guest suites, 81 private residences, a spa and two restaurants.
New luxury hotels
My visit included tours of three newly opened luxury hotels: the low-rise Escala Lodge and Dakota Mountain Lodge at the Canyons and the 11-story, slopeside St. Regis Deer Crest hotel at Deer Valley.
At the St. Regis, everything about the architecture – color schemes, lighting fixtures, oversize windows in the public areas – is worthy of a palace. There's an immense lobby, restaurants, library, wine cellar and meeting facilities.
Recent plush lodging newcomers are Sky Lodge and Hotel Park City.
Other local improvements are the Golden Door Spa's debut at the Canyons and a megadollar expansion of the slopeside spa at Deer Valley's Stein Eriksen Lodge.
The legacy of the 2002 Olympics made those projects possible.
Another appealing feature is that the historic mining town (founded 1884) is a blend of old and new. Sixty-four of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many sit side by side along century-old Main Street, the center for most of Park City's shops and 100 restaurants.
Here's another Main Street bonus. After a two-year, $8.9 million renovation, the Park City Museum has reopened. The exhibits focus on Park City's history as a silver-mining town, its subsequent transition to a renowned ski resort, and the local people who made it all happen.
Posted on 12:00 AM CST on Sunday, February 21, 2010; Dallas Morning News
Walt Roessing is a freelance writer in California
PARK CITY, Utah – Watching the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on television can't help but remind Utahans of the positive economic impact such an event can have on a tourism destination.
The February 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games have been responsible for a surge in the state's tourism industry, especially for Park City and Salt Lake City.
Park City, host to one-third of the 2002 Winter Games events, has Utah's greatest concentration of upscale ski resorts with the triad of Deer Valley, the Canyons and Park City Mountain Resort.
"The skier-days of that trio jumped from 1.16 million in the year of the Olympics to a peak of 1.87 million in 2007-08," says Craig McCarthy, of the Park City Chamber/Bureau. For the third consecutive year, he adds, Deer Valley has been named the No. 1 overall resort in North America by the readers of Ski Magazine.
Also, the Canyons, with 3,700 skiable acres, has become Utah's largest resort, and Park City Mountain Resort offers the only ski-in, ski-out access to historic Main Street, McCarthy says.
Since the 2002 Games the three local ski areas have added a combined nine new ski lifts and opened more runs and terrain.
Substantial, too, has been the growth in Park City's tourism infrastructure. It now encompasses about 6,000 lodging rooms plus meeting properties with 3,000 rooms.
New lodging growth continues. On Deer Valley's Flagstaff Mountain, we skied with McCarthy to the doors of the Montage. Slated to open in the winter season of 2010-11, that property will have 174 luxury guest suites, 81 private residences, a spa and two restaurants.
New luxury hotels
My visit included tours of three newly opened luxury hotels: the low-rise Escala Lodge and Dakota Mountain Lodge at the Canyons and the 11-story, slopeside St. Regis Deer Crest hotel at Deer Valley.
At the St. Regis, everything about the architecture – color schemes, lighting fixtures, oversize windows in the public areas – is worthy of a palace. There's an immense lobby, restaurants, library, wine cellar and meeting facilities.
Recent plush lodging newcomers are Sky Lodge and Hotel Park City.
Other local improvements are the Golden Door Spa's debut at the Canyons and a megadollar expansion of the slopeside spa at Deer Valley's Stein Eriksen Lodge.
The legacy of the 2002 Olympics made those projects possible.
Another appealing feature is that the historic mining town (founded 1884) is a blend of old and new. Sixty-four of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many sit side by side along century-old Main Street, the center for most of Park City's shops and 100 restaurants.
Here's another Main Street bonus. After a two-year, $8.9 million renovation, the Park City Museum has reopened. The exhibits focus on Park City's history as a silver-mining town, its subsequent transition to a renowned ski resort, and the local people who made it all happen.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
J&G Grill, St. Regis Deer Crest Resort
J&G Grill:
The St. Regis spared no expense in building Jean-Georges’ dream restaurant.
By Ted Scheffler, Salt Lake CityWeekly.net
In 1991, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened his first restaurant, JoJo, on New York City’s Upper East Side. Vong followed soon after in 1992, and then Jean-Georges— Vongerichten’s celebrated eponymous eatery—in 1997.
I recall the dates because I left New York City for Utah in ’92. Today, the Alsace-born chef’s name is stamped on restaurants all over the globe, and his 29th restaurant—J&G Grill at the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort in Deer Valley—recently opened with a noticeable bang.
Envious chefs salivate over the gargantuan exhibition kitchen at J&G Grill. “It’s the biggest of all my restaurants,” said Vongerichten, proudly. And indeed, the St. Regis spared no expense in building Jean-Georges’ (everyone calls him by his first name) dream restaurant. It sports a long, communal table that seats 22, a chef’s private table for 10 on the terrace and a spacious main dining room for 75. Adjacent to J&G Grill is a 4,600-bottle wine “vault” and the St. Regis bar.
J&G Grill is contemporary but very warm, with lots of tan, cream and brown throughout—gorgeous. A double-sided wood-burning fireplace separates the kitchen and counter seating from the main dining room, which sports highly polished Venetian plaster, herringbone carpet and stacked gray quartz stone. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer stupendous slopeside views of Deer Valley. Jean-Georges went out of his way to incorporate local materials like the gray quartz into his restaurant.
And Jean-Georges is all about attention to detail. He gave me generous amounts of time during his restaurant’s opening week, and one morning, as he was showing me an auxiliary kitchen that services deck diners, a box of pine cones arrived. “I don’t want flowers from Holland on my tables,” Jean-Georges said as he ripped into one of the boxes. The pine cones serve as table centerpieces at J&G Grill. Jean-Georges was so excited about the arrival of his cones that he went from table to table, where diners were enjoying breakfast, and placed each pine cone personally.
Jean-Georges describes J&G Grill as his “best of” restaurant. He has hand-picked favorite dishes from his diverse restaurants and assembled them on one menu. That’s lucky for us, since the menu spans a culinary universe ranging from the Southeast Asian flavors Jean-Georges has become so famous for, to classic French fare such as J&G Grill’s perfect French onion soup ($11). And the prices, surprisingly, aren’t as steep as at many high-end Park City restaurants. At J&G Grill, you’ll find $10 pizza on the menu, $12 mussels mariniere, a $14 turkey burger and entrees that generally run from about $24 to $36.
Splitting a charcuterie plate (three meats/$16) seemed like a good way to begin dinner. The charcuterie was plentiful, but not especially interesting: bresaola, prosciutto and speck. The speck and bresaola were dry and tasted as though they’d been air-exposed for too long. An appetizer of mussels mariniere was a heaping two-tothree dozen black Maine mussels in a lovely, fragrant broth with grilled pesto bread for dipping. Unfortunately, at least half of the mussels had just barely begun to open. I suspect Jean-Georges would be appalled at the lack of quality control there.
That’s the bad news: two less-than-exceptional dishes among well over a dozen that I tried. As mentioned, the French onion soup at J&G Grill is as good as it gets. A pizza with Fontina cheese and black truffles (real truffles, not truffle oil or essence) is a sinful pleasure, as is a simple presentation of risotto with shaved white Burgundy truffles—one of the most delicious dishes you’ll ever encounter.
Service at J&G Grill is nothing if not attentive. I was commenting to my wife that a menu description of Casco cod “with spices” ($27) didn’t really tell me much. Which spices? Well, a server overheard my observation and rushed over to fill me in on every spice in the dish.
What J&G Grill has in common with every other Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant is a delicate touch in the kitchen. Jean-Georges’ dishes are complex, but not complicated. Lobster tastes like lobster, enhanced by basil-butter sauce and seasonings but not buried in them. Stunningly simple boneless, parmesan-crusted Niman Ranch poulet rouge ($22) with lemon sauce actually tasted like chicken—moist and flavorful, on a bed of lemon-basil-butter artichokes.
With 4,600 bottles of wine to select from, you can, of course, wreck your budget ordering wine at J&G Grill. But it’s not necessary. Wines are offered by the glass, and St. Regis’ director of wine Paul Fried is happy to find something to sip to fit any budget. “It’s easy to buy expensive wine,” Fried said after I asked him for something in the not-so-expensive $40-$50 per bottle range. At the other end of the spectrum, you can also enjoy Tokaji Aszu Essencia, by the glass, for a mere $140 per.
You probably shouldn’t visit J&G Grill expecting to find Jean-Georges manning the stove. With 29 restaurants and another scheduled to open this month, he’s a busy guy. On the other hand, he told me that he loves to ski and that J&G Grill is the only one of his restaurants located at a ski resort. So, if you encounter an immensely creative, uncommonly talented, genuinely nice guy in chef’s whites on the slope, it might just be Jean-Georges.
J&G Grill, St. Regis Deer Crest Resort
2300 Deer Valley Drive East
Park City
435-940-5760
The St. Regis spared no expense in building Jean-Georges’ dream restaurant.
By Ted Scheffler, Salt Lake CityWeekly.net
In 1991, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened his first restaurant, JoJo, on New York City’s Upper East Side. Vong followed soon after in 1992, and then Jean-Georges— Vongerichten’s celebrated eponymous eatery—in 1997.
I recall the dates because I left New York City for Utah in ’92. Today, the Alsace-born chef’s name is stamped on restaurants all over the globe, and his 29th restaurant—J&G Grill at the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort in Deer Valley—recently opened with a noticeable bang.
Envious chefs salivate over the gargantuan exhibition kitchen at J&G Grill. “It’s the biggest of all my restaurants,” said Vongerichten, proudly. And indeed, the St. Regis spared no expense in building Jean-Georges’ (everyone calls him by his first name) dream restaurant. It sports a long, communal table that seats 22, a chef’s private table for 10 on the terrace and a spacious main dining room for 75. Adjacent to J&G Grill is a 4,600-bottle wine “vault” and the St. Regis bar.
J&G Grill is contemporary but very warm, with lots of tan, cream and brown throughout—gorgeous. A double-sided wood-burning fireplace separates the kitchen and counter seating from the main dining room, which sports highly polished Venetian plaster, herringbone carpet and stacked gray quartz stone. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer stupendous slopeside views of Deer Valley. Jean-Georges went out of his way to incorporate local materials like the gray quartz into his restaurant.
And Jean-Georges is all about attention to detail. He gave me generous amounts of time during his restaurant’s opening week, and one morning, as he was showing me an auxiliary kitchen that services deck diners, a box of pine cones arrived. “I don’t want flowers from Holland on my tables,” Jean-Georges said as he ripped into one of the boxes. The pine cones serve as table centerpieces at J&G Grill. Jean-Georges was so excited about the arrival of his cones that he went from table to table, where diners were enjoying breakfast, and placed each pine cone personally.
Jean-Georges describes J&G Grill as his “best of” restaurant. He has hand-picked favorite dishes from his diverse restaurants and assembled them on one menu. That’s lucky for us, since the menu spans a culinary universe ranging from the Southeast Asian flavors Jean-Georges has become so famous for, to classic French fare such as J&G Grill’s perfect French onion soup ($11). And the prices, surprisingly, aren’t as steep as at many high-end Park City restaurants. At J&G Grill, you’ll find $10 pizza on the menu, $12 mussels mariniere, a $14 turkey burger and entrees that generally run from about $24 to $36.
Splitting a charcuterie plate (three meats/$16) seemed like a good way to begin dinner. The charcuterie was plentiful, but not especially interesting: bresaola, prosciutto and speck. The speck and bresaola were dry and tasted as though they’d been air-exposed for too long. An appetizer of mussels mariniere was a heaping two-tothree dozen black Maine mussels in a lovely, fragrant broth with grilled pesto bread for dipping. Unfortunately, at least half of the mussels had just barely begun to open. I suspect Jean-Georges would be appalled at the lack of quality control there.
That’s the bad news: two less-than-exceptional dishes among well over a dozen that I tried. As mentioned, the French onion soup at J&G Grill is as good as it gets. A pizza with Fontina cheese and black truffles (real truffles, not truffle oil or essence) is a sinful pleasure, as is a simple presentation of risotto with shaved white Burgundy truffles—one of the most delicious dishes you’ll ever encounter.
Service at J&G Grill is nothing if not attentive. I was commenting to my wife that a menu description of Casco cod “with spices” ($27) didn’t really tell me much. Which spices? Well, a server overheard my observation and rushed over to fill me in on every spice in the dish.
What J&G Grill has in common with every other Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant is a delicate touch in the kitchen. Jean-Georges’ dishes are complex, but not complicated. Lobster tastes like lobster, enhanced by basil-butter sauce and seasonings but not buried in them. Stunningly simple boneless, parmesan-crusted Niman Ranch poulet rouge ($22) with lemon sauce actually tasted like chicken—moist and flavorful, on a bed of lemon-basil-butter artichokes.
With 4,600 bottles of wine to select from, you can, of course, wreck your budget ordering wine at J&G Grill. But it’s not necessary. Wines are offered by the glass, and St. Regis’ director of wine Paul Fried is happy to find something to sip to fit any budget. “It’s easy to buy expensive wine,” Fried said after I asked him for something in the not-so-expensive $40-$50 per bottle range. At the other end of the spectrum, you can also enjoy Tokaji Aszu Essencia, by the glass, for a mere $140 per.
You probably shouldn’t visit J&G Grill expecting to find Jean-Georges manning the stove. With 29 restaurants and another scheduled to open this month, he’s a busy guy. On the other hand, he told me that he loves to ski and that J&G Grill is the only one of his restaurants located at a ski resort. So, if you encounter an immensely creative, uncommonly talented, genuinely nice guy in chef’s whites on the slope, it might just be Jean-Georges.
J&G Grill, St. Regis Deer Crest Resort
2300 Deer Valley Drive East
Park City
435-940-5760
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
