One of Park City’s favorite festivals is set for Monday, and I can’t wait. Thanks to the hard work and exceptional organizational skills of the Park City Rotary Club, this year’s Miner’s Day promises to be one of our best.

Start off with a complimentary 7:30 breakfast at City Park courtesy of St. Mary’s Catholic Church (donations will be appreciated) and the Bark City 5K at 8 a.m.

The day unfolds from there, with all events clustered around City Park and Main Street. Check out the jam-packed schedule at ParkCityMinersDay.org. There is even still time to register if you want to participate in the 11 a.m. Miner’s Day Parade — deadline is Friday.

What are your Miner’s Day favorites? Running of the Balls on Main (always over much too quickly!) is one of my favorites, or relaxing at City Park with food trucks and live, local music.  

I enjoy people-watching at the parade as much as I love the parade itself, and the afternoon mining competition is a reminder of the grit and hard work of the people who came before us.

The day reminds me that everyone has a Park City story, a moment when, Park City native or not, they looked around and heard an inner voice say, “This is the place for me!”

Of course, Park City itself has a story to tell, and Miner’s Day is a great time to listen. Amidst all the fun and fundraising is our ever-present past, from the 5K that runs along part of the historic Rail Trail to the kids’ games set up across from the landmark Miner’s Hospital.

We have recently introduced a new, no-cost way for you to bring that local history into your life any time you like while also enjoying a healthy walk your step counter will love!

Our Travel Stories app is a self-guided walking tour of Main Street’s historic sites, transporting you back in time with engaging narratives accompanied by dramatic sound effects. Each segment automatically begins as you approach each site, such as the First National Bank Building and the Town Lift Plaza. Where you start makes no difference — the live map shows your location and the nearest site. No wi-fi or cell service is necessary.

It’s a unique, enjoyable experience with something new for even the most seasoned Parkite, such as the story of Park City’s long-lost Chinatown and the connection of our mining past to the Crescent Tramway and Town Lift.

Did you know The Park Record lost everything in the great fire of 1898, but set up in a tent and kept publishing, never missing an issue? Or that the Park City Museum building was then our City Hall and survived the fire due to its brick construction, a rarity among Park City’s wooden buildings?

You can enjoy this free service by visiting Travelstorys.com/tours and putting ‘Park City’ in the search bar. Download the app using the QR code, and you’re good to go! Be sure to use headphones on your tour so not to disturb others and stay alert to traffic as you get lost in our colorful history.

Travel Stories perfectly complements the Miner’s Day experience — bringing the past to life as you celebrate the present with friends, sunshine (fingers crossed) and the unique Park City vibe.

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

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Welcoming new board members is always exciting, and it goes both ways. Our six newly elected directors are bursting with ideas and energy, eager to make us even better at representing our businesses and serving the community.

They join a board selected by our partners and executive team that eminently represents Park City’s economic breadth. You will find hoteliers, restauranteurs, the leaders of our arts and cultural life, ski resort executives, housing and real estate professionals, service providers and nonprofit champions.

Allow me to introduce our six newest members, taking office this month to serve four-year terms.

Beth Armstrong:  The managing director at Marcella, Beth’s civic leadership is matched only by her extensive health service background. The former People’s Health Clinic director and Wasatch Back Hospital board member is a go-to on community health issues. While living in California, Beth’s executive career included service as controller at Cedar Sinai Cancer Center and Northridge Medical Center. Beth serves on the board as a representative of Intermountain Health.

Dan Bullert:  Dan credits his U.S. Navy service for the leadership skills he’s honed during  decades of Park City area hotel management. He has served as president of the Park City Area Lodging Association and is a graduate of the Park City Police Citizen’s Academy.  In 2019, he started Dishes for the Deployed to help military families.

Chris Lawing:  Director of sales and marketing at the Pendry, Chris came to Park City in 2010 to help open Montage Deer Valley following a 13-year career with the Ritz Carlton. He’s also been with the Sheraton, Radisson and Choice Hotels in the Washington, D.C., area. Chris was appointed to the board to replace a departing member and has now been elected to a full term.

Jocelyn Scudder: The director of the Park City Summit County Arts Council since 2018, Jocelyn’s previous experience as education manager at the Kimball Arts Center means she brings more than 10 years of local executive arts advocacy to the board. A native New Englander, Jocelyn is an avid skier and a graduate of St. Lawrence University in New York.

Gar Traynor: A 2002 Winter Olympian and current Woodward Park City general manager, Gar brings a wealth of sports management experience and insight into the needs of international athletes, crucial contributions as Park City prepares for the 2034 Olympics. Gar has served as sports education director with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and was a member of the British National Alpine Ski Team.

Sherry Weaver: A Buffalo, New York, native and a Parkite since 1990, Sherry worked in the travel industry for 19 years before transitioning to director of sales, marketing and events at the Hyatt Centric. She is a graduate of Park City Leadership (Class 21) and Leadership Utah. She has also served for four years on the Salt Lake City Chamber’s Business Women’s Forum.   

Several valuable directors are rotating off the board: past board Chairperson Brooks Kirchheimer, Shaydar Edelmann, Greg Gendron, Chelsea Steinbach, Lindsay Arnold and Jill Gildea. I am grateful for their many volunteer hours and excellent insights. We will miss their service, but I know them as committed and engaged leaders who will continue improving Park City.

With membership growing and our Annual Meeting, Tourism Fall Forum, and the first winter season under the Mountainkind brand coming up in the next few weeks and months, we’re thrilled to have these experienced, visionary individuals lending their voices to chamber policy and direction. Exciting, challenging years are straight ahead!

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

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There is a lot to love about our (second annual) Sustainable Tourism Grants award, including the powerful testament about the progress we’re making on building a balanced, sustainable economy and community. 

It’s inspiring to see dozens of projects brought forward by private businesses and nonprofits that are reducing waste and energy use, preserving our heritage, protecting our environment, promoting the arts, and managing visitor impacts.

As a sustainable tourism leader, we offer grants that encourage and support these local efforts. Our volunteer grants committee carefully reviewed applications with the broad objectives of the Sustainable Tourism Plan in mind, moving Park City a step closer to achieving the mission.

This year, the committee awarded approximately $300,000 to 22 projects, 47 percent of them in the Visitor Management category, and 24 percent in Visitor Product Development. Rounding out the total are Visitor Dispersion (14 percent), Visitor Education (10 percent), and Visitor Economy Support (5 percent).

Chamber Board member Diego Zegarra, Summit County’s Tonja Hanson, Deer Valley Sustainability and Transportation Planning Manager Victoria Schlaepfer, local writer and business communicator Beth Rossi, and sustainability analyst (and Olympic medalist ariel skier) Megan Nick performed excellent and diligent service as the review committee, and I am very grateful.

Let’s take a look at this year’s funded projects:

• JANS, as White Pine Touring Nordic Center, for Utah’s first all-electric Snowcat.
• Summit Land Conservancy, for creating cross-country ski access to the Osguthorpe Farm on Old Ranch Road.
• Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History, to help close the Silver King headframe shaft.
• Park City Film for their “Raising Voices” series and Eastern Summit County pop-up film screenings.
• The Arts Council of Park City and Summit County, for the CREATE PC Local Artist Collective and Summit Arts Market.
• Mountain Mediation Center, for a tenant/landlord bilingual video library.
• The Snyderville Basin Special Rec District, to install trailhead cameras and a signboard.
• White Pine Touring Nordic Center, for Utah’s first all-electric snowcat.
• Park City Museum for heritage tourism.
• Echo Community and Historical Organization, for a permanent Historic Echo Church exhibition.
• fulFILLed, to start a refill pilot project with local hotels.
• Park Silly Sunday Market, to enhance their Main Street tradition.
• Summit County Gardens and EATS, for a “Summer in the Gardens” program.
• Park City Chamber Music Society, to continue the Beethoven Festival.
• Deer Valley Zero Waste Management Program, to continue making progress.
• Park City Community Donation’s Climate Fund for a curbside compost program to advance  the Zero Waste food goal.
• Momentum Recycling’s Summit County Waste Assessment Program, to help manage/reduce waste countywide.
• Recycle Utah, to support the PC/Summit County Green Business program.
• Swaner Eco Center, for sustainable infrastructure projects.
• Mountain Trails Foundation, for refining their Park City Trails Resource page and interactive maps.
• North Summit Unite, to debut a marketing and promotions program.

As you can see, this year’s projects highlight the broad range of issues encompassed by the concept of sustainability. As we move deeper into the new fiscal year and prepare for our annual meeting in September, I am looking forward to tracking (and celebrating) the contributions our Sustainable Tourism Grant awardees are making to Park City’s quality of life and economy.

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It takes a lot of history to make even a little tradition, and Park City is blessed with plenty of both. As we roll out the Mountainkind brand this summer, we are making our vibrant past more visible as part of the strategy to attract overnight visitors who appreciate our character and history as well as our recreation, resorts and dining.

For example, our new Travel Stories app is a historical self-guided walking tour transporting you back in time with engaging narratives that begin automatically as you approach historic sites all along Main Street. Where you start makes no difference; the live map shows your location and the nearest site. No WiFi or cell service is necessary.

Even the most seasoned Parkite will enjoy the audio tour’s lively stories and fascinating historical tidbits. Did you know the abandoned tramway towers next to the Town Lift were never a system for carrying people? The massive buckets they once supported carried ore from the Silver King Mine going down and coal for fuel going up (though it’s easy to imagine an occasional miner hitching a ride).

Mountainkind is all about drawing people who love insights like these and who blend with our mountain town lifestyle in other ways. The brand emphasizes Park City’s stewardship, authenticity, love for the outdoors, and our readiness to share those values.

Until the end of September, our strategy is to deploy artfully crafted Mountainkind messages mirroring the media usage of our travelers to reach them on platforms they favor with the least amount of advertising clutter. Strategic partnerships with travel content sites such as Tripadvisor, Yellowstone and Expedia reach travelers as they plan, and bold outdoor boards have a high-profile visual impact.

We’ve ramped up Park City’s presence in search, social, streaming radio and podcasts, and CTV (streamed videos, programs and music). These media buys and partnerships introduce Mountainkind and extoll our mountain summers in major markets from coast to coast: LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Phoenix, Dallas, Denver, Atlanta, Miami, and New York City.

Mountainkind is a four-season strategic approach that achieves that reflects who we are. We aim to attract longer-staying, higher-spending visitors who, by choosing Park City, find they become part of our community identity.

Courtesy and respect are also manifestations of Mountainkind, so we are also helping visitors understand common hiking etiquette — rules which may be new to some. Our website explains the triangular “yield” sign regarding bikes, people and horses and offers other tips for Mountainkind behavior while we’re all out there, such as:

• Stay on the trails and avoid leaving deep footprints in wet spots.
• Leave nature as you find it for others to enjoy. Don’t disturb plants or natural features.
• Be kind to all — everyone has the right to be on the trails. Smile, be patient, give way.
• Be thoughtful using social media tags, which can drive more people to sensitive areas.
• Keep pets under control and pick up after them.
• It is exciting to see wildlife but keep your distance. Don’t try to interact.

Parkites have excelled for decades at welcoming, educating and sharing the Wasatch Back with visitors from all over, and we’re still at it. It’s the Mountainkind thing to do. 

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

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It was the quality of the debrief questions posed by Park City Leadership administrator Myles Rademan that captured the spirit of the program and how it benefits the community.

Our group of enthusiastic Parkites (Leadership Class 30) was concluding a five-day fact-finding tour last week of Telluride and Durango/Mountain Village/Ridgway, Colorado, mountain towns carefully chosen by Myles that mirror Park City’s familiar challenges and opportunities: tourism-based economies heavy on outdoor recreation and stunning scenery, all of them grappling with pressures on housing affordability, transportation and traffic, preservation of community identity and history, and environmental sustainability.

Our group of 65 is well positioned to act on what we learned — chamber partners and board members, Summit County and Park City elected officials, planning commissioners, key government management staff, community members and nonprofit leaders.

In Durango, a half-dozen rapid-fire workshops kept us on our toes as we learned about the area’s livability issues, approaches to child care, housing affordability, water management and sustainable economic development. Telluride, Mountain Village and San Miguel County featured tours of affordable housing, open spaces, and art and history locales, including preservation.

Now, about those debrief questions. Our newly informed (and tired out) group gathered to share impressions on Saturday. The guidance questions Myles composed focused on our learnings and what we might (and might not) want to bring back with us to Summit County. 

We discussed how these communities work together on issues that cross institutional layers of government, business, and nonprofits. We were pressed to share innovations and ideas we’d seen and how they might apply to the Park City area.

Each community’s hospitality was also on the table — how do visitors (like us, for example) feel about the atmosphere and warmth of each place? We reviewed our hosts’ approach to the complexities of funding their proposed solutions. More broadly, we shared opinions on whether their efforts at wrestling with growth were meaningful, i.e., producing results aligned with what their communities want to see.

Aside from the tremendous learning experience, making new connections with peers in similar circumstances is deeply welcome to those of us grappling with these issues in our town. It is stimulating to hear fresh ideas in towns that in many ways are just like us.

However, Park City will always be unique, with one-of-a-kind attributes and personalities, and Myles Rademan is undoubtedly one of them. His decades-long guidance of Park City Leadership has been masterful, ensuring that each year, a new group of leaders is informed, challenged and inspired to up our game.

This tour, Park City Leadership’s 30th, was Myles’s last. He will retire in October once he gets the class to the finish line of a year-long experience.

There will be many tributes to Myles in the months ahead as he prepares to bid farewell to the institution he founded. Let me be the first to express my gratitude for his guidance, mentorship, long-view perspective and direct, honest, spot-on observations.

Though I’ve never known Park City life without Myles at the helm of Leadership, I am thankful I can count on many more conversations, consultations and Myles Rademan Hospitality Award presentations with him in the months and years ahead.

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

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The Park Record got it exactly right with their May 15 headline, “Summit attendees optimistic about economy,” and Toria Barnhart’s report summarizing Zions Bank Senior Economist Robert Spendlove’s presentation to the Wasatch Back Economic Summit on May 12.

Spendlove deployed the latest data to demonstrate to a sold-out crowd at the Grand Summit Hotel our enviable position as an economically vibrant state and region poised to achieve our goals of a balanced, sustainable economy and lifestyle.

For the second year running, Spendlove said, Utah’s economy is rated No. 1 by US News, scoring high in health care and our natural environment. Population growth in the Wasatch Back exceeds growth in urban areas, with an influx from coastal states such as Oregon, California, and New York. Job growth is strong, though the labor market remains tight.

The most stunning news was our sky-high positivity, especially compared to the rest of the country. National sentiment is sobering, with 63 percent saying the economy is “not so good or poor.” Not us. A staggering 87 percent of Utahns believe, justifiably as Spendlove demonstrated,  the economic outlook is somewhat or very positive, with “very positive” standing at 34 percent. The optimism was even more pronounced at the conference, where a real-time online survey revealed that around 90 percent of attendees were somewhat or very optimistic.

While the landscape is promising, it’s important we acknowledge the challenges. Spendlove estimates that consumer prices have surged by 20 percent since 2020, leading to a reduction in savings. High mortgage rates and real estate prices continue to block access to home ownership. He cautions that “things will not go back to how they were,” particularly mortgage rates, which were artificially low for over a decade due to the twin calamities of the 2009 recession and COVID. 

Despite our challenges, the overall positive tone carried over into the day-long breakout sessions with local experts on transportation, workforce development, affordable housing, destination marketing, state legislative impacts, and regional governance. 

An excellent way to gauge trends and attitudes, the words “partnership” and “collaboration” rang out in every session. Community leaders clearly see that solutions lie in cooperation and big-picture thinking.  For instance, schools and employers discussed their increasing focus on training and orienting students to their economic and working future.

In a session on destination marketing, we acknowledged global competition in the tourism industry, underscoring the need to promote the wider region and work more closely with the Utah Office of Tourism.

Transportation is commendably regional in its outlook and integration, and all agree that as needs increase, these relationships will facilitate future collaboration.

On workforce-attainable housing, private industry, nonprofits, and public entities have a growing record of collaborating on projects in Summit County, and representatives shared their understanding that innovative partnerships are the best — indeed the only — way to housing solutions. 

The forthcoming potential announcement in July regarding the 2034 Olympics was widely seen as an opportunity to begin updating and expanding local infrastructure of all kinds, as was done to great public benefit before the 2002 Games. 

The news that June hotel occupancy trends, which usually range from the 40s to occasionally above 50 percent, are down 15% compared to last year reminds us that while optimism is warranted, there is always volatility and work to be done in keeping our economy — and the thousands of local families that depend on our small businesses — fueled and moving forward.

The post Park City Pulse: Local economy is looking pretty good appeared first on Park Record.

Hello, Mountainkind! Our exciting new brand (it’s even a new word) celebrates the essential character of Park City, shaped by contributions from each of us. It’s a four-season theme showcasing our mountain town spirit — our kindness, commitment to each other, and our dedicated environmental stewardship.

Launched last week, Mountainkind invites visitors to join us in our passion for the outdoors and loving the mountain vibe. We’d like to share it with the community at a celebratory Mountainkind BBQ lunch on May 23. Details below! 

If you’ve followed our journey, you know we’ve worked for years on a balanced approach to destination management involving Park City Municipal, Summit County, our business partners, and our residents. 

We recognized our past marketing campaigns have been excellent, including “Winter’s Favorite Town,” one of the best I’ve ever seen. We’ll still use it, but it refers to just a few months of the year. We sought a stronger year-round identity we could identify with, one representing the real us as we build an economically balanced future together. 

That led us to focus on people. Mountainkind represents Park City and Summit County athletes, artists, our Olympic spirit, love of hospitality, ambition and aspirations. We also wanted to represent our roots: the gritty, hardworking spirit and sense of community inherited from our mining past. Naturally, our love and care for the environment and support for each other had to be the cornerstone. 

The journey began with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Park City analysis of 40 tourism-related criteria centered on management, socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental impact. The GSTC sets global standards for sustainable travel; their work laid the foundation for Park City’s (and Utah’s) first Sustainable Tourism Plan. Completed in 2022 and supported unanimously by the city and county councils, it is now a model for destinations worldwide. 

With the roadmap in place, it was time to reposition ourselves with a new, values-centered brand. We want visitors to learn to participate in our community and help preserve our mountain home.

To encompass such a broad vision, we invented a word to define us and attract visitors aligned with these values: mountainkind. We’ve described it as a noun, an action, and an adjective.

Noun: Spelled with a capital M, the Mountainkind are inclusive, caring, friendly, and fun-loving people who strive to make a difference. They respect nature, support arts and culture, and protect them for the next generation.

Verb: To be mountainkind is any action that protects our environment and mountain town culture. Taking mass transit, offering everyone a friendly hello, and volunteering are just a few examples.

Adjective: “That’s so mountainkind” is what someone might say when you offer a helping hand, their sidewalk or contribute to a favorite nonprofit. 

Mountainkind fully expresses our destination, our town, and our way of life. It will help influence visitor behaviors and guide us in relating to each other in building our sustainable future.

We’ve already launched new websites in support of mountainkind. ParkCityChamber.com has more information, and you will find a profoundly moving video at VisitParkCity.com/mountainkind.  Please check it out and share. We want as many people as possible to join in the excitement.

I am deeply thankful to everyone who helped bring mountainkind to light. It’s been a long process filled with meetings, surveys, focus groups, brainstorming sessions, and feedback. Our board, partners and participating residents have been world-class contributors.

Oh, about that Mountainkind BBQ!  Please join us at no charge to learn more and talk about mountainkind over a hotdogs and burgers at the Visitor Center in Kimball Junction May 23 from 11:00-2:00.  See you there!

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

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“Park City welcomes the world” was the message I conveyed to a delegation from the International Olympic Committee during their recent visit to the community to scout possible locations for the 2034 Games. Alongside other civic and business leaders, I underscored our shared mission of fostering a sustainable tourism future. I presented the 10-year Park City Sustainable Tourism Plan, a distinctive roadmap that extends through the 2034 Winter Olympics, charting a course towards a balanced tourism-based economy with specific milestones and timelines that make it unique.

If I’d had time, I would have proudly told the group about our Sustainable Tourism Grant program, whereby local businesses can apply for their sustainability initiatives in the workplace and community. We awarded the first grants last summer, and the selected projects reflect the broad scope of tourism sustainability, touching many aspects of Park City life.

For example, grants included:

• Dollars for the Trailhead Camera Network permitting live views of trailhead conditions.
• Boosting the profile of the Park City Museum to better highlight our mining history.
• Promoting eastern Summit County, which helps disperse visitors more broadly.
• Dollars for much-needed renter education for our local workforce.
• Maintaining cross-country ski access at Osguthorpe Farm. 

You can still apply for 2024 grants, but the deadline is Wednesday. Once we receive it, an ad-hoc chamber committee will review your proposal after it is vetted for eligibility. The committee uses a rubric for scoring, and their recommendations go to the chamber’s board of directors for final approval. The 2024 awardees will be notified on July 8.  Partners may apply at visitparkcity.com/members/resources.

While fielding grant program applications, we received news that Park City has received more sustainability recognition — being honored with a Green Destination Story award at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest annual travel trade show. Along with destinations from Japan to Portugal, ITB recognized Park City for bolstering Recycle Utah’s Green Business Program, introduced in 2016.

A Green Business Advisory Committee — comprising representatives from the Chamber & Visitors Bureau, Park City Municipal, Summit County, the Park City Community Foundation, and Recycle Utah — reviewed the program’s structure and participation requirements with a view to expansion. The program’s relaunch last year saw over 60 businesses join, significantly raising engagement, awareness and appreciation for the Green Business Program within our business community.

I am excited all this sustainability news is happening now because we’re on the verge of unveiling a new, rebranded Park City image to share with the world — a warm, welcoming, genuine, down-to-earth, inspirational theme where caring for our beautiful mountain lifestyle plays a big part.

The new brand will lead our marketing and management ventures in critical travel markets and set a new tone for our visitor education campaign. After more than a year of research, discussion and development, we believe the new brand represents the essence of Park City that lies at the very heart of what makes us love our town so fiercely.

Curious? We’ll reveal this new direction in Park City’s tourism marketing to Chamber partners on Tuesday, April 30. RSVP at membership@visitparkcity.com.  Soon after, look for the announcement to appear on our Instagram and Facebook pages and in local media reports.

Of course, I will be talking about it in this column and getting your reaction. Can’t wait for the big day and to hear what you have to say!

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

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Just as legendary New York Mayor Ed Koch would famously ask, “How am I doing?” as he waved to people on the street, we cheerfully requested feedback from chamber partners and anyone working in Summit County in our annual online survey. The result is a valuable snapshot of Park City’s 2024 business climate.

This year, 323 people responded, almost all of them chamber partners who own or manage local companies. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and comprise the vast majority of our 1,000+ chamber partners, so it’s unsurprising that most respondents work with fewer than 50 employees. Equally predictable: most are focused on tourism.

Three of four say visitors account for at least 40 percent of their sales, and a third say tourism accounts for 80 to 100 percent of their revenue.

Respondents say marketing campaigns that reach Park City’s vast and widely scattered tourism base are the most valuable benefit of chamber membership. Being in the spotlight on VisitParkCity.com is the top-rated attribute, while social media and blog promotions also rank high.

Close behind is our delivery of the latest business intelligence; members like our weekly bulletin, occupancy status reports and forecasts, and legislative updates. Always enthusiastic about improving Park City, they say building new connections and contributing to the community are primary reasons for belonging to the chamber.

Employee housing and the low availability of workers are the most frequently cited challenges. These nagging problems defy easy solutions. They share community concerns about maintaining our small-town character and dealing with transportation in the face of continuing growth. They back our engagement with the Park City and Summit county councils and planning commissions on these and other challenges.

Respondents say we should continue advocating for local and visitor support of locally owned businesses while raising awareness of tourism’s positive economic impact. We agree. They appreciate our growing success in attracting business groups and international visitors to Park City and would like to see more.

How can we improve our services? Respondents agree that while marketing Park City as a premier outdoor destination for summer and winter recreation is a critical chamber responsibility, we need to draw more visitors during the spring and fall shoulder seasons to produce steadier, year-round business. This observation matches our sustainability goals, which call for more balanced year-round visitation.

They also suggest updating our web presence, enhancing referrals and promotions, and finding ways to connect them directly with Parkites on essential issues.

We’re always working hard to be sensitive to partner needs and input, so it is no coincidence that on April 30, we will unveil a fully reimagined, year-round Park City brand. This fresh, authentic and exciting new direction will undoubtedly turn heads.

I’m also glad to report that for months, we have been crafting an entirely new website designed specifically for locals and partners — a communication tool that can build sought-after community connections and promotional opportunities. More details are coming very soon!

There is always much more in our survey than I can squeeze into one column. I am pleased we’ve earned high overall marks —  82 percent say we are a good or excellent value (43 percent choosing ‘excellent’). The results also underline the challenges a flourishing, growing economy presents to our lifestyle and environment.

We are determined to be at the forefront of helping solve these challenges, with our eye on a bright long-term future for Park City.

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

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Last week, the Park City Council indicated it did not want to move forward to explore an ambitious, innovative housing project creating hundreds of workforce-available units on city-owned property near Old Town. While this proposal was not perfect and the council’s concerns about the Mine Bench project’s impact on neighbors and sensitive lands and open space are valid, the Servitas proposal was compelling for many reasons — and the first of its kind I have seen.   

It’s been four years since the city began to explore the potential for building workforce housing on the Marsac Avenue property known as the Mine Bench.

Servitas’ 300-unit, 660-bed development seemed a transformative solution. With 80 percent of the units affordable to people making 70 percent or less of the area median income, the development could have diminished some traffic from employees commuting to Park City and boosted public transit ridership, a double win.

In addition, Mine Bench offered the prospect of hundreds of existing units currently rented by employers for their workers becoming available as much-needed long-term rentals.

Our business community understands the urgency of the housing shortage and its impact on our economic future. Unaffordable housing is a primary factor in employee turnover, a problem that will worsen as regional developments arrive and intensify the competition for scarce labor.

The Servitas model offered powerful inducements benefiting the city, including no-cost options to cancel the proposal after a public input phase.

Other eye openers: deep levels of affordability, more than 600 beds, high annual lease payments to the city ($19.5 million over 20 years), and lower per-unit costs — $11,277 vs. $85,000 for the recent Engine House project.

According to staff presenters, the city’s annual revenue would range from $6.6 million to $47.6 million for 30 years, and total revenue would reach $915.3 million in that time. In addition, the city would automatically take ownership of this $88 million asset in 20 years.

While the City Council sidestepped this project, it’s our hope that elected officials continue to explore options to partner on housing that is within reach of the people we count on to support our public safety, restaurants, hotels, resorts, service businesses and education.

In declining to further explore this project, the council faces a double task: If not this location, then where? If not this project and terms, then what will be acceptable?

The Servitas proposal represented a crucial step in the right direction. We hope that the city has other sites and other projects in mind. 

While the outcome was disappointing, I hope the chamber and our business community made clear we support housing solutions that are innovative, generate revenue for taxpayers and celebrate public private partnerships.

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

Clarification: The City Council was asked to contribute $484,000 to the first phase to continue with the project in the early stages.

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