I look with dismay at the back-patting, smiles and congratulatory statements in response to Vail’s recent takeover of PCMR and the entire ridgeline of world-class backcountry skiing. Vail Corp. has one objective in terms of the Park City market: Capitalize on and profit from the growing high-quality recreation mountain communities through resort and real estate development and expansion. Brace yourselves everyone
Most of the great things that Vail claims to do are nothing more than calculated business decisions. In my opinion, this resort and real estate behemoth is incompatible in every way with what brought me and most long-term residents here to start with. Expanding R/E development into our Wasatch backcountry is next in line. It isn’t just the PCMR parking lot, folks. Get ready to rumble Park City! See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, and now smell no evil. Just widen all the roads, increase the speed limits, promote hard and hold on for dear life.
In just the past two or three years of my last 30 here, during mid-winter, standing on top of Monitor where world-class backcountry powder skiing and a fine view of Park City is still to be had, I have noticed a toxic, blue-colored mixture of diesel truck, car-exhaust, and airborne road salt pollution hanging over Park City proper never seen before. I would be happy to provide that picture for free to be used on this years’ Chamber Bureau’s promotional winter mailer.
With Vail Corps’ arrival in town, you can bet on feel-good press releases and big-time advertising to drive and accelerate even more development. The unhealthy, stressful, and ever-increasing high-emissions vehicle traffic coming here, encouraged by this unfortunate development is not discussed publicly. These toxic compound emissions are extremely unhealthy, and the unsustainable and unmitigated traffic impacts that go hand in hand with high vehicle volumes is what disturbs me the most.
Is Vail Corp. concerned about this? How about Park City Municipal Corp.? There is no solution for it, so therefore is rarely discussed. More R/E and business development will always bring more air-quality declines. Let’s not forget the increased noise and light pollution, traffic congestion, trash, crime, higher taxes, infrastructure max-out and much, much more gentrification. Maybe being able to ski from one resort to another without taking off my ski boots is worth the price? I don’t think so. Vail Corp is coming to town and I feel like throwing up. Failing to recognize or control the systemic and piecemeal chipping away at what brought us here to begin with is simply irresponsible.
So it is Vail who now must step up and show us they will help protect what we have here. I’m not holding my breath. Once our air quality and all the quiet moments are gone, our quality of life has ended. Sad to say, but Park City may have just sold its soul to the Trojan Horse: Vail Corp. My bags are slowly being packed.