The other thing that was interesting from the WSJ article was how, because of MIDA, local officials have almost no control or ability to affect the development of the project.
That was my first thought.Another things that is not pasting my smell test is the demographic similarities of the usual Deer Valley patrons and the clients of the Military Installation Development Authority.
The military angle is a means to very favorable financing. In fact, without the MIDA financing, the developer admits there is no way they would try and undertake the project. There would be no such military component at all if it weren't as a means for financing. But even with very favorable financing, the huge project ambitions are still quite questionable.That was my first thought.
That article pretty well sums up the sentiments here. That mountain is my direct view from my neighborhood. I can see tons of activity up there daily--new roads, what appear to be the beginnings of ski runs, etc. This county has very little business tax revenue and as such, the schools are under-funded in a state that already doesn't fund schools enough. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out for us residents here. Wouldn't be a bad place to be a ski instructor, at least money-wise.Private ski resort under construction in Morgan County as referendum lawsuit plays out
MORGAN — Wasatch Peaks Ranch is under construction in Morgan County, but the 11,500-acre private ski, golf and high-end housing resort is bemoaned by some residents who say it willwww.standard.net
The development saddens me as well. Vail has sold the PCMR parking lots and the mass development on the Canyons side that is currently underway is already shocking to me, let alone what it will be like once the developer who bought the lots gets started. I am one of the few on this forum that likes PCMR it seems like, but take away the convenient canyons parking and I won't bother to ever go go PCMR anymore.So Deer Valley was not happy with how Deer Crest turned out. The land developer dictated how the runs would be laid out and where the lifts would be placed and Deer Valley feels they learned a lot about how not to layout ski runs. Now Extell apparently wants to dictate the run layout without listening to any input from Deer Valley.
The low altitude pretty much guarantees horrible snow conditions for most of the season where this project is located, so it is pretty important to listen to a resort with experience to make the best use of it. I think since Extel only wants to do what they want, Deer Valley doesn't want to be part of what will be an absolutely abysmal skiing experience.
The Extel part is of course rumors, but the part about Deer Valley not being happy with Deer Crest is a fact.
The entire project seems sad. Just a mass of huge, ugly buildings and it will just further crowd the Heber and Park City areas. The two places used to be such nice ski towns. I have a lot of great memories there, but now all the development just disgusts me.
I have worked six winter seasons at Deer Valley and loved it, but I agree that the skiing at Park City is much better now that The Canyons is part of it. There is way more awesome off piste runs and their grooming has really been stepped up lately, at least on the Canyons side. I just haven't been around the PC side in recent years to check that out. They also spread out the crowds A LOT better. DV is getting absolutely packed at every lift including Mayflower. You will not ski fresh cord at DV after your first run... Period.
I fully agree and rape is the best way to describe it. I am glad that I was able to get some good years in PC and Heber before the Olympics, but I have tried twice now to move back there again and I just can't get over how depressing it is to see what it has become. It was such an amazing place before. I wish they did it how many other ski towns do it where you aren't allowed to build anything all over hillsides creating vast eyesores as far as the eye can see. I was born in Utah and I am just baffled how basically the entire state just carves out these disgusting residential areas in every single nook and cranny, high and low for everyone to see.
Agreed. The degree of rampant development is sad. Utah is the second driest state in the nation and pulling MORE water off the weber river (which this private resort will certainly do) is criminal. I do a lot of fishing and hiking in this state and late this summer stream flows were extremely low and some were completely dried up-something I had never seen before hoofing around these areas.
IMO, the Utah government mentality is very backwards with respect to conservation. WY, MT, and ID do things a lot better.
But what can one expect from a state whose motto is "industry" and and where a major oil refinery was built 1.5 nautical miles from the capitol city center??
Agreed. The degree of rampant development is sad. Utah is the second driest state in the nation and pulling MORE water off the weber river (which this private resort will certainly do) is criminal. I do a lot of fishing and hiking in this state and late this summer stream flows were extremely low and some were completely dried up-something I had never seen before hoofing around these areas.
IMO, the Utah government mentality is very backwards with respect to conservation. WY, MT, and ID do things a lot better.
But what can one expect from a state whose motto is "industry" and and where a major oil refinery was built 1.5 nautical miles from the capitol city center??
Just noticed this comment. My observations as a non-native who has lived all over the country, west coast, east coast, midwest, is that the general attitude here is to never rock the boat. Don't question authority. Do what you're told and all will be well. It's an interesting mix with the libertarian attitudes that are also around.It absolutely blows my mind that the Great Salt Lake is rapidly drying and the Utah government doesn't care at all. I was reading about how the dry lake bed dust blows into the Wasatch and greatly accelerates the melting cycle of the snow. Then you have St George where having grass lawns should be banned, but instead that want to install a billion dollar pipeline to suck a reservoir dry that is already going to be dry in the not so distant future.
Now, I know exactly why the government is the way it is in Utah and it reflects very poorly on the populace. I was raised under this backwards mentality that allows a dry state to try and pretend like there is no water shortage, but I would have expected by now that people would wake up and demand action on such important matters.
Amy, an exerpt from today's Salt Lake TribuneJust noticed this comment. My observations as a non-native who has lived all over the country, west coast, east coast, midwest, is that the general attitude here is to never rock the boat. Don't question authority. Do what you're told and all will be well. It's an interesting mix with the libertarian attitudes that are also around.
That being said, yes, the salt lake is drying out more each year, the dust on windy days is horrific, and the legislature and governor are addressing the issue by proposing a huge inland port which now they are claiming will "help with supply chain issues" (hogwash) as all it will do is increase pollution even more. There actually are some who are addressing it, but are so far behind the 8-ball, I don't think it will do a bit of good. People here are so used to big lawns and growing hay, it'll never change soon enough.
Yeah, the trains aren't exactly the cleanest. Funny, I had Brian Moench out to Morgan County to speak at a board meeting against a gravel pit that the county was going to decide on that was going to be located right next to where I lived. They planned to process asphalt, too. It was a zoning change, and I led the charge in the community to say no. It's now being developed into housing units. It was supposed to be a town square--parts of it might still be. Either way, I follow UPHE closely.Amy, an exerpt from today's Salt Lake Tribune
How much pollution will inland port bring?
Official concedes trains may bring more pollution than trucks; port authority also appears to be having issues with transloading facility.
By LEIA LARSEN · May 18, 2022
| The Salt Lake Tribune
“So there are some real problems with the language being used and the rationale being used to try and convince people that there isn’t going to be more air pollution here. Frankly, we just don’t believe it.” BRIAN MOENCH President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment
State officials have shared additional details about the 16,000acre inland port taking shape in Salt Lake City’s northwest quadrant, including a network of 250 cameras that will collect data about vehicles.
And while the port’s supporters have touted increased rail capacity as a way to improve the Wasatch Front’s airshed, an inland port director acknowledged more trains could end up bringing with them more pollution.