I know many like me are outraged at how the Dakota Pacific showdown has been going. The feeling of mistrust for our legislators who seem to be tightly aligned with the developers with little to no regard for how we as local residents feel. Or what we are seeking.
They have a lack of local touch, seemingly blinded by dollars. So if dollars are what drives them, what if we fight back using the thing they want most? What if we align our voices with something that can impact not just Dakota Pacific, but the state? What if the Park City community, with the support from our local large employers, firmly declined to host upcoming Olympic events in light of how we are being manipulated?
In all seriousness, think about it for a minute. What does hosting the Olympics really do for you and the local community? Bring more traffic, more tourists, more revenue for the locals. We already have a steady stream of all that as a world-class resort destination.
As exciting as the Olympics are to see, let’s be honest, they represent an opportunity for others to leverage our community to generate dollars for their interests off the good name and reputation the community has built.
I recognize this may be a big ask of everyone and it has potential consequences, though the action alone would bring lots of attention and spotlight. It could change the narrative, bring a different group of people to the dialogue, perhaps level the playing field or flip the script.
We as a community have been playing defense. It’s time for us to play a power card.
Jon Weinberg
Park City