""building low income housing smack dab in the center is a ludacris use of resources when we have a bus system and Hailey/Bellevue so very close." - L. Moore
Hailey and Bellevue are now disasters financially as a consequence of being converted into SACRIFICE AREAS by the north valley with an airport which clearly needs to be relocated and a malignant growth agenda with officials and staffs replacing a legitimate development analysis and review process with "rubber-stamp" approval of every real estate development proposal. A complete absence of coherent planning from north to south in this valley for the malignant growth being accommodated by a corrupt local establsihment has destroyed this place making many working families and retirees on limited fixed incomes already operating under a cloud of financial insecurity and struggling with property taxes pay for the privilege. Such is the nature of the TOXIC GENTRIFICATION intentionally engineered by the corrupt local establishment.
Again Perry, thank you for your due diligence in exposing the PROFIT PRIVATIZED, RISK SOCIALIZED corporate welfare program unethically foisted on the community under cover of Covid.
Citizens MUST REJECT any future proposals for additional funding until the size of the MASSIVE FUTURE UNFUNDED LIABILITIES created by both the corruption and incompetence of local officials promoting this malignant growth agenda can be accurately determined."
Perry, I think you are somewhat off base regarding the SVCO.
First and foremost, SVCO is the economic engine for the WRV. Without the vision and motivation of the three owners, both Ketchum and Hailey would have remained small, farmland support towns. There would be some outdoor recreation, mostly fishing, but certainly no significant winter sports. Employment would be minor and limited to low paying opportunities. We should all celebrate the three benevolent owners who intentionally did not develop the many open acres of land that they could have. One only need to compare SV with Aspen Ski Corp and Vail Associates developments.
Throughout the history of the resort there has been constant investment and renewal. The facilities on Baldy are the very best in the country. Both the lifts and the restaurants. Those improvements continue today. I suggest that it's the desire of the to maintain the finest facilities in the industry that drive these investments and not simply dressing up the asset for sale. We do not know the ultimate disposition of the resort, however, I truly doubt that the driving force behind these current investments is to dress the asset up for sale. Fact is, from a financial perspective it's probably a poor, unnecessary investment if the goal is truly a sale or "harvest."
I believe that the SVCO houses most of their seasonal employees in their dorms. The surrounding area provides the bulk of the employees housing, as it does with most "company towns". This means the area benefits from the employment base and opportunities - and the tax base to support the infrastructure.
The bottom line here is that the local governments have failed to keep up with the growth of the SVCO - the roads, utilities, and so on. The damage to the area, the demise of the character of Ketchum, the LOT applications are all the responsibility of the local governments. That is what is needed to change, not, in my opinion, the SVCO.
Ed, I appreciate your perspective. I acknowledge there would have been no Sun Valley without Sun Valley Co, and that some owners have been pretty benevolent. But I no longer believe that to be the case. We have to examine the situation as it is today and for the future, not anchor in the past.
I do not follow your tax base argument for housing SVC employees in Ketchum. Most of them make close to no money, and the money they do make, they need for school--not much of it is spent locally. SVC provides no money for infrastructure investment in Ketchum.
Where am I off base in the specific examples of corporate welfare provided by Ketchum tax payers? Are any of them inaccurate? Can you point to specific countervailing revenue benefits for Ketchum residents rather than for Ketchum tourism businesses, many (most?) of which are no longer owned by Ketchum residents? Thanks.
I am hardly living in the past. I just pointed out that all three owners have been benevolent and great stewards of the vast property they own. They created out of nothing, the finest ski resort in the country, perhaps the world. We all acknowledge that and enjoy the facility. Unfortunately, local politicians are not altering a key aspect of the attractiveness of the area....
SVCO houses part time labor, especially those from outside the country. Locals, part time and full time employees live everywhere in the WRV. Full time employees, in my opinion, receive wages commensurate with their skills. Many positions are very well paid. These employees, of course, spend locally for gas, food, pharmaceutical products, etc. (in addition to the trips south to Costco...). There is no more grumbling about wages here than anywhere else, IMHO. Yes, the cost of living is high, but so is it in any desirable place in the country. Not everyone can also live in Pebble Beach or Newport Beach.
As for the local economy, you forget the supply side. Tourists provide the bulk of the revenue for the businesses. The SVCO provides and continues to invest in the facilities that attract tourists. The SVCO is the largest tax payer, by far in the WRV, perhaps even the State of Idaho? These taxes fund local governments and the infrastructure. That fact that LOT is misspent, is an issue with the local government, not SVCO.
I'm not hear to defend the SVCO, their actions and assets speak for themselves. My real point is that the company couldn't have been a better citizen over the years and we all should be thankful and look at the larger picture.
I am sad to see the direction we are headed in. After being here 43 years and seeing the changes it is heart breaking. Ketchum use to have a mountain feel now it is starting to feel like Seattle with al the architectural changes. We have no shortage of retail spaces but changes are being made that will negatively effect the future of Ketchum sadly.
Good grief ! Silence is consent and a strong signal of indifference and sand-covered heads. Time to get off the lotus leaves and get out the vote , otherwise more socialism is our self- imposed life sentence. Not defending our freedom of choice is a choice in itself. Tom Tierney
We should consider a recall petition for the Troika. To wait for the upcoming elections just means more damage to Ketchum. A `petition with sufficient signers would/should cause a slow down of the new projects. A majority of signatures will clearly state that the local people disapprove of the Council's actions. They must take that into consideration. But we need to start now.
That's right. Every voter should be on this blog, gain insight into the facts and vote. Hopefully, they will come to the conclusion we need a leader aligning on what's best for the city and what the majority wants.
This comment came in by email:
""building low income housing smack dab in the center is a ludacris use of resources when we have a bus system and Hailey/Bellevue so very close." - L. Moore
Hailey and Bellevue are now disasters financially as a consequence of being converted into SACRIFICE AREAS by the north valley with an airport which clearly needs to be relocated and a malignant growth agenda with officials and staffs replacing a legitimate development analysis and review process with "rubber-stamp" approval of every real estate development proposal. A complete absence of coherent planning from north to south in this valley for the malignant growth being accommodated by a corrupt local establsihment has destroyed this place making many working families and retirees on limited fixed incomes already operating under a cloud of financial insecurity and struggling with property taxes pay for the privilege. Such is the nature of the TOXIC GENTRIFICATION intentionally engineered by the corrupt local establishment.
Again Perry, thank you for your due diligence in exposing the PROFIT PRIVATIZED, RISK SOCIALIZED corporate welfare program unethically foisted on the community under cover of Covid.
Citizens MUST REJECT any future proposals for additional funding until the size of the MASSIVE FUTURE UNFUNDED LIABILITIES created by both the corruption and incompetence of local officials promoting this malignant growth agenda can be accurately determined."
Perry, I think you are somewhat off base regarding the SVCO.
First and foremost, SVCO is the economic engine for the WRV. Without the vision and motivation of the three owners, both Ketchum and Hailey would have remained small, farmland support towns. There would be some outdoor recreation, mostly fishing, but certainly no significant winter sports. Employment would be minor and limited to low paying opportunities. We should all celebrate the three benevolent owners who intentionally did not develop the many open acres of land that they could have. One only need to compare SV with Aspen Ski Corp and Vail Associates developments.
Throughout the history of the resort there has been constant investment and renewal. The facilities on Baldy are the very best in the country. Both the lifts and the restaurants. Those improvements continue today. I suggest that it's the desire of the to maintain the finest facilities in the industry that drive these investments and not simply dressing up the asset for sale. We do not know the ultimate disposition of the resort, however, I truly doubt that the driving force behind these current investments is to dress the asset up for sale. Fact is, from a financial perspective it's probably a poor, unnecessary investment if the goal is truly a sale or "harvest."
I believe that the SVCO houses most of their seasonal employees in their dorms. The surrounding area provides the bulk of the employees housing, as it does with most "company towns". This means the area benefits from the employment base and opportunities - and the tax base to support the infrastructure.
The bottom line here is that the local governments have failed to keep up with the growth of the SVCO - the roads, utilities, and so on. The damage to the area, the demise of the character of Ketchum, the LOT applications are all the responsibility of the local governments. That is what is needed to change, not, in my opinion, the SVCO.
Ed, I appreciate your perspective. I acknowledge there would have been no Sun Valley without Sun Valley Co, and that some owners have been pretty benevolent. But I no longer believe that to be the case. We have to examine the situation as it is today and for the future, not anchor in the past.
I do not follow your tax base argument for housing SVC employees in Ketchum. Most of them make close to no money, and the money they do make, they need for school--not much of it is spent locally. SVC provides no money for infrastructure investment in Ketchum.
Where am I off base in the specific examples of corporate welfare provided by Ketchum tax payers? Are any of them inaccurate? Can you point to specific countervailing revenue benefits for Ketchum residents rather than for Ketchum tourism businesses, many (most?) of which are no longer owned by Ketchum residents? Thanks.
Well, OK, here goes...
I am hardly living in the past. I just pointed out that all three owners have been benevolent and great stewards of the vast property they own. They created out of nothing, the finest ski resort in the country, perhaps the world. We all acknowledge that and enjoy the facility. Unfortunately, local politicians are not altering a key aspect of the attractiveness of the area....
SVCO houses part time labor, especially those from outside the country. Locals, part time and full time employees live everywhere in the WRV. Full time employees, in my opinion, receive wages commensurate with their skills. Many positions are very well paid. These employees, of course, spend locally for gas, food, pharmaceutical products, etc. (in addition to the trips south to Costco...). There is no more grumbling about wages here than anywhere else, IMHO. Yes, the cost of living is high, but so is it in any desirable place in the country. Not everyone can also live in Pebble Beach or Newport Beach.
As for the local economy, you forget the supply side. Tourists provide the bulk of the revenue for the businesses. The SVCO provides and continues to invest in the facilities that attract tourists. The SVCO is the largest tax payer, by far in the WRV, perhaps even the State of Idaho? These taxes fund local governments and the infrastructure. That fact that LOT is misspent, is an issue with the local government, not SVCO.
I'm not hear to defend the SVCO, their actions and assets speak for themselves. My real point is that the company couldn't have been a better citizen over the years and we all should be thankful and look at the larger picture.
Does anybody know the timeline of the SVC lodging units expansion?
The national Democratic Party just had a big shakeup. They will thrive because of it. Ketchum might also thrive with a shakeup.
I am sad to see the direction we are headed in. After being here 43 years and seeing the changes it is heart breaking. Ketchum use to have a mountain feel now it is starting to feel like Seattle with al the architectural changes. We have no shortage of retail spaces but changes are being made that will negatively effect the future of Ketchum sadly.
Good grief ! Silence is consent and a strong signal of indifference and sand-covered heads. Time to get off the lotus leaves and get out the vote , otherwise more socialism is our self- imposed life sentence. Not defending our freedom of choice is a choice in itself. Tom Tierney
We should consider a recall petition for the Troika. To wait for the upcoming elections just means more damage to Ketchum. A `petition with sufficient signers would/should cause a slow down of the new projects. A majority of signatures will clearly state that the local people disapprove of the Council's actions. They must take that into consideration. But we need to start now.
That's right. Every voter should be on this blog, gain insight into the facts and vote. Hopefully, they will come to the conclusion we need a leader aligning on what's best for the city and what the majority wants.