PARK CITY — Deer Valley® Resort has been named the No. 1 ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI Magazine for an unprecedented fourth year in a row. No other ski resort has ever earned the prestigious ranking so many times consecutively. In the past 10 years, Deer Valley’s® rating has not dipped lower than third.

Deer Valley®, ranked No. 1 from 2007 through 2010, was also ranked No. 1 in 2002-03 and 2005-06, and was No. 2 in 2001-02, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07, and No. 3 in 2003-04.

“We are absolutely delighted with the results of this year’s SKI Magazine survey,” said Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley® Resort president and general manager. “To win the No. 1 ranking four years in a row, in the company of the finest resorts in North America, is just humbling. And so incredibly exciting, because it’s unprecedented. No other resort has accomplished this. What it means to me is that both our staff and guests share the vision of excellence and consistency in everything we do. It means that all of the efforts to please our guests and provide an unforgettable experience are validated.” We are here for our guests, so if they are happy, we’re happy. We’re doing our job properly. A huge congratulations to our wonderful staff, who made this award happen.”

The resort was also given No. 1 rankings for grooming, service, access, on-mountain food, lodging and dining, and No. 2 rankings for lifts, weather and family programs.

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Man receives an epic wedgie while riding the rope tow at Alta Resort in Utah.  Priceless…

URL.biz – Travel

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The End of Private Clubs in Utah

As of Wednesday, July 1^st, 2009 the “Private Club Law” is off the books in Utah.  The state updated liquor laws which required social clubs and bars to charge a membership fee to guests prior to entrance.  Locals and visitors will now be able to frequent all establishments as well as less familiar ones without shelling out for the temporary membership card.

Although the new law does away with the “Private Club” membership requirements, bar owners are required to purchase special equipment to scan the driver license of any patron who appears to be under 35. The recorded information will be retained on site for seven days.

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The End of Private Clubs in Utah

According to Michael LeClerc, chef for 350 Main Brasserie and The Spur Bar & Grill, it wasn’t uncommon in the past for visitors to walk out of The Spur when they learned they needed to pay for a membership to get into the private club. “I don’t think people understood how uncomfortable it made everyone from the staff (who had to ask about membership) to patrons, who worried about how much more things were going to cost,” LeClerc said.

Although the new law does away with the “Private Club” membership requirements, bar owners are required to purchase special equipment to scan the driver license of any patron who appears to be under 35. The recorded information will be retained on site for seven days.

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Deer Valley Lodging Property Management

Update May 28, 2009 – Premier Resorts Park City doing business as Deer Valley Lodging agrees to Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in Salt Lake City court. The company owes condominium owners approximately $5 Million dollars in addition to several hundred thousand dollars in unpaid nightly lodging use taxes to the state. With DVL’s assets listed at around $280,000 maybe the headline should read “Deer Valley Lodging Property Mgmt Screws Creditors”.

Original Post May 05, 2009 – It’s been over a month since Premier Resorts – Deer Valley Lodging Property Management first notified homeowners in its nightly rental program that it would be forced to delay revenue payments.  At that time Barbara Zimonja and Bradley T. Goulding publicly announced a plan to keep owners updated frequently and stated their intention to resolve the problem in about two weeks.

Apparently, DVL’s plan isn’t working because a group of homeowners from The Lodges at Deer Valley just filed a petition for involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in federal court.

Once the notice is served the company will have 20 days to respond.  When reached for comment, DVL stated the legal filing would “complicate” their search for a solution and “will likely affect our ability to attract financial assistance.” 

Deer Valley Resort added fuel to the bonfire by announcing on Friday May 1^st, 2009 that they will be entering into the property management business.  According to Bob Wheaton, president and general manager of Deer Valley Resort, the new entity owned by the resort will be called Deer Valley Resort Lodging and Reservations.  As a result of this new development, Deer Valley Resort will no longer license the name Deer Valley Lodging to Premier Resorts. 

Premier Resorts announced that, other than no longer being the official property management-licensee of Deer Valley Resort and the petition for involuntary bankruptcy filed in federal court, little has changed for Premier Resorts and they will continue to operate normally, even in Deer Valley.  They also mentioned how the new Deer Valley Resort and Reservations will be actively hiring their employees and courting their property owners to quickly build the new property management company. 

This is a copy of the letter sent by Barbara Zimonja to Premier – DVL employees letting them know about the new opportunity:

Dear Staff:
I know this has been a difficult time for everyone and I want to thank each of you for all that you have done for our company….
As Deer Valley Resort moves forward in identifying their business needs, they may be interested in discussing employment opportunities with any employees of Deer Valley Lodging and Premier Resorts Park City including those that have been placed on a business leave of absence.  The Resort will be making the decision to hire additional staff for their property management division on a case by case basis, with official job offers being generated by Deer Valley Resort’s human resource recruiting department.  Staff members, including those that have been placed on a business leave of absence, will have the opportunity to apply for positions at the Deer Valley Resort by visiting their website at www.deervalley.com
I want to thank everyone for their patience as we work through these difficult and complex issues.
Sincerely,
Barbara Zimonja

By the time this letter was released, Premier Resort’s vice president of operations Kim McClelland, was already unpacking his cardboard box at his new office located over at the newly minted Deer Valley Resort Lodging and Reservations. Mr. McClelland is a long time Park City local and a well respected lodging expert. Previous to his position at Premier Resorts, Mr. McClelland served as vice president and general manager of Jupiter Property Management for over 10 years. He has also served as president of the Park City Area Lodging Association, the Park City Rotary Club and the Park City Chamber/Bureau.  He is also involved with the Utah Office of Tourism and the Utah Ski Association.

In a press release issued May 5th, 2009, Deer Valley Resort president and general manager Bob Wheaton said, “We are very pleased and excited to have Kim join our team.  Kim’s experience and wisdom in both the lodging and ski industry will be instrumental is the success of our new division.” 

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Cinco de Mayo

Spring is here, and is most often associated with Easter, Mother’s Day, and fresh flowers.  But for one great day we overindulge in delicious Mexican food and refreshing south of the border beverages! Cinco de Mayo, translated means May 5^th, is actually based on a historical event, so this year when everyone’s licking the salt off of their frosty margarita and someone says, as they always do, “What is Cinco de Mayo celebrating?”  You can offer up the following response and be the most brilliant person at the table in a sombrero…

“Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s 1862 victory over the French army at the Battle of Puebla. Today, it’s widely observed in the U.S. as a celebration of Mexican culture!”

Cinco de Mayo - Margarita

If you’re feeling a little cabin fever and want to venture out to Park City’s Main Street to join the festivities The Cantina at Wasatch Brew Pub has a great patio, fantastic margaritas, and delicious Mexican food.  A few favorites include the fish tacos, chimichanga plate, and their well known local favorite chicken nachos.  You can’t go wrong with a Cantina Margarita or the Fiesta Ale on tap, but if you’re feeling adventurous try the Cucumber Margarita.  You won’t regret it!

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Bryon Friedman

Park City local Bryon Friedman releases his sophomore album “Matchstick Memories” April 2009.  Released under the Sunward Records label, Friedman will kick off a two week tour of mountain towns in Colorado and Utah (April 7^th – 18^th).  Friedman is scheduled to play in Park City, Utah at the Downstairs bar on Friday April 17, 2009 at 9:00PM.  Matchstick Memories will receive air play on Sirius/XM’s Coffee House Channel as well as regional Colorado radio stations. Bryon has sold out shows in California, Colorado, and Utah. He has opened for the Doobie Brothers, Train, and most recently, Robert Earl Keen.

Matchstick Memories features local Park City jam bands MuddPuddle and Wisebird.  The album will draw on the former U.S. Ski Team member’s experiences both on and off the mountain.  As a member of the U.S. Ski Team, Bryon placed top ten in World Cup Competition, won a National Championship, and was ranked top 30 in the World before a catastrophic racing accident in Chamonix, France ended his career in January 2005.  While competing in the downhill at Chamonix, Bryon crashed into safety netting at 65 miles per hour resulting in a severe leg injury that required over 8 reconstructive surgeries to repair.  It was during the recovery process that Friedman turned to his guitar for the inspiration to reinvent himself as a recording artist.

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Wasatch State Park Lake Course

Spring has sprung at the Wasatch Mountain State Park golf course.  The Lake and Mountain courses are ready and waiting for you to set a tee time.  Midway, Utah is the location of one of the state’s most popular public golf courses.  Voted one of the “Best Places to Play” by Golf Digest, the Wasatch Mountain State Park features a 36-hole facility, complete with a full-service clubhouse, beautiful practice green, driving range, and an on-site restaurant with spectacular views, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

The 18-hole Lake Course is situated on gentle terrain, where surrounding mountains rise majestically from the valley floor.  The Lake Course’s tree lined fairways and eight lakes and ponds, offers a perfect setting to make the Lake Course a favorite for all ability levels.

The park’s more challenging 18-hole Mountain Course offers impressive views of the surrounding mountains as well as a reputation for wild turkey, deer, elk, and moose sightings.  The Mountain Course is often preferred by more seasoned golfers and does require a cart to play.

Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course is located at 975 West Golf Course Drive, Midway, Utah 84049.  The course operates daily from 8:00AM – 5:00PM, please call 435-654-0532 for pricing and to set up a tee time.  For information on scheduling a group event please contact Craig McKay at 435-654-0532 or Stewart Nelson at 801-261-4733.

Wasatch State Park Driving Range

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President Obama to visit Park City

The Western Governors’ Association meeting is being held in Park City this June 14-16.  The current WGA chairman, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. extended an invitation to the president during a meeting with Obama’s staff in Washington, D.C.

According to Gov. Huntsman spokeswoman Lisa Roskelley, the governor told White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett “that it would be beneficial if the president and certainly many of his Cabinet members as well were here to hear many of the critical issues facing the Western region.”

While few details are known at this time, typical due to security concerns for the president, Summit County Manager Brian Bellamy said, “We’re getting word that he [the president] may come here.”  In addition to the potential presidential visit, between 8 and 12 state governors typically attend the event.  Possible attendees include Utah Gov. Jon Hunstman Jr., Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, Jr., California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Stein Ericksen Lodge, a popular Deer Valley lodging location.  Conference organizers have made no security requests to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office for the June event at this time.  Sheriff Dave Edmunds said, “I know that [requests] are coming in the future, and they will be substantial.  If you’ve got 15 governors here, and particularly some of those high-profile people, there needs to be a significant security contingency to make sure they are safe.”

The last time Obama visited Park City, Utah was in August 2007.  The then-senator from Illinois planned on attending a fundraiser at a private home but made an impromptu stop at the Park City Visitors Center in Kimball Junction to make an appearance to hundreds of Utahns at a quickly organized Democratic rally.

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Park City's 125th Birthday Celebration

Image courtesy of ParkCity.Org

SCHEDULE
11:30AM – Walking parade down Main Street begins.  Dogs, Bikes, Banners are welcome.  Meet at the Brew Pub parking lot at 11:15AM to prepare for the parade start.

12:00PM – 1:30PM – John Boys Mule will play Live at the Miners Park Venue.

2:00PM – 3:30PM – Swagger will play Live at the Miners Park Venue.

4:00PM – 5:30PM – Fat Paw will play Live at the Miners Park Venue.

Kimball Art Center (1:00PM – 4:00PM) Share your Park City story!  Personal interviews will be given at the Kimball Art Center where you can share your own Park City story.

Kids’ Activities will be featured at the Kimball Art Center Patio from 12:00PM – 4:30PM

BEER GARDENS:

Beer Gardens will be set up along Historic Main Street.  Enjoy historical stories told by period costumed Park City residents from 1:00PM – 3:00PM at various Beer Garden locations.

4:45PM The Main Stage on lower Main Street will present the award-winning Park City High School Jazz Band.

5:45PM The Main Stage on lower Main Street will feature a Tai Chi demonstration.

6:15PM The Main Stage on lower Main Street presents an Irish Dance Troupe. Fun!

7:00PM The whole town will sing “Happy Birthday to Park City” and then celebrate with cupcakes.

HEADLINER

7:30PM The Main Stage on lower Main Street presents “Sam Bush Band”.

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