Snapshot: PARK CITY, UTAH
Author: Natelle Fitzgerald
November 2007
Features
IN THE HEART OF THE CANYON
Tucked into the Wasatch Mountains, at elevations reaching 7,000 feet, is the laid-back town of Park City. Here, groups get away from big-city action and into a cool mountain-air experience—and not just because of the temperatures. The locale is well-known for its trendy events, such as the Sundance Film Festival, and its proximity to Salt Lake City, where Olympic athletes competed for the gold in 2002.
Of course, Park City was originally all about silver (mining, that is). What was once a bustling town with more than 200 working silver mines is now a mecca for outdoor recreation and meetings of all kinds. The transformation began in 1963 when the town recognized the region’s recreational potential as a destination, and built Treasure Mountain Resort (now called Park City Mountain Resort).
Since then, three major mountain resorts have sprung up around the city limits, offering world-class alpine recreation together with a small-town feel, all within a 35-minute drive from Salt Lake City. This is why meetings are so easy to plan here. A simple flight to Utah’s capital, and you’re already less than an hour away from unpacking those sweaters and hiking boots in the heart of Park City. It gets even easier: Once you arrive, there’s really no need for a car, unless you plan to tool around at your leisure after the meetings—the public transit system is free (look for the bright blue and white street signs indicating bus stops).The entire fleet runs on bio-diesel, so you can feel good about skipping the rental-car office. Additionally, several of the resorts and hotels offer complimentary shuttle service to guests.
Combine this accessibility with the assistance from the Park City Convention and Visitors Bureau, and your meeting is practically planned. “We have phenomenal relationships with our meeting and convention properties. We follow up the entire time,” says Ashley Andersen, the meeting and convention sales and marketing manager for Park City. “Our resort community can accommodate any type of group, from 10 to 350, comfortably.”
Stay and Meet, Mountain-Style
You’ll find meeting space within several resorts situated deep in the mountains. The Canyons, the first resort you’ll reach on the drive from Salt Lake City, offers more than 15,000 sq. ft. of indoor space. Incidentally, back in 2002, the crew at NBC used the resort’s Grand Summit Hotel and Conference Center as home base when they came to cover the 2002 Olympic games.
Continuing down Route 224, into Park City’s downtown, Main Street is flanked by the Park City Mountain Resort and, farther south, Deer Valley Resort. The Five-Diamond, Four-Star Stein Eriksen Lodge located at Deer Valley has a 4,000-square-foot ballroom and a free shuttle that transports visitors to and from Park City’s center, just five minutes away. Or stay at Hotel Park City, at the edge of town, and enjoy the surrounding aspen trees in the 15,000 sq. ft. of outdoor event space. Inside, luxurious amenities await you—when the reception is over, relax in the triple-headed shower, and sink into your plush feather bed for the night.
Need a small boardroom or reception area near Park City Mountain Resort? Try the Silver King Hotel at its base; the Silver Room has space for 150.
Groups will relish the historical flavor of the Yarrow Resort and Conference Center, which has more than 12,000 sq. ft. of function space. The resort, which underwent a soft-goods renovation last year and upgrades to its restaurant this past spring, has been around for almost 30 years. Jessica Taylor, director of sales and marketing, says the resort hosts groups of 300 to 350 quite well. And with its proximity to the movie theater, Park City Golf Course and lots of nightlife downtown, there’s plenty to entertain your attendees after the conference. Just minutes from Main Street is the Park City Marriott, offering 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Farther out of town, about 25 minutes south, there’s Zermatt Resort & Spa in Midway. Certified by the International Association of Conference Centers, this property is primarily a meeting-and-conference-driven property, according to Michelle Palmer, director of sales and marketing. “We do meetings and conferences in a different fashion than Park City venues,” she says. An on-site tech person provides personal attention to groups.
Because of the resort’s distance from town, there are fewer temptations (i.e. shopping) that might pull attendees from the meeting. Kathy Webber, national account manager for Experient Sales Network, booked several groups at Zermatt Resort & Spa before the place was even finished. One particular association group (of 100) liked it so much, they rebooked for three additional years. “It just seemed like the perfect fit for the client,” Webber says. “They wanted to be away from all the hustle and bustle of town.” But in just 15 minutes, the group could be in Park City via the resort’s free shuttle. Homestead Resort, another deluxe property located across the street, also offers a free shuttle.
At Play
Despite Park City’s small population (7,000), it has some world-renowned extracurricular activities on its resume—like the Sundance Film Festival, which attracted more than 48,000 this past January. You might also recognize the area by its 15 minutes of fame (or technically, 16 days) when nearby Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. If you’re planning a meeting here, a visit to Utah Olympic Park in Salt Lake City is a must, and it’s less than 20 minutes from downtown Park City. No matter what the season, this ultra-recreational training ground is sure to impress your attendees, if not shake them up completely. Whether by the memorable, life-flashed-before-your-eyes event you schedule, or by watching a live aerial freestyle show where Olympic athletes fling themselves off jumps, this park is sure to get groups talking (or gasping).
Vicki Monson, manager of corporate evening events for the park, says the daredevil activities, such as Olympic bobsledding, are quite popular among corporate groups. “People love the rush,” she says. For instance, try invigorating your meeting with an afternoon bobsled ride that reaches speeds of 85 mph in the winter (that’s about 5 G-forces around the corners). “You get a bunch of corporate people together, and they’re very competitive with their [race] times,” Monson says. But if you’d like to leave the G-forces to the pros, consider Extreme Snow Rafting (imagine a small bouncy-house descending the snowy slopes). “We give [groups] helmets and little paddles and send them down,” Monson says. Now, that’s team building.
Of course, the park also features several venues to gather and talk about your “near-death experience,” like the Gold Room in the Day Lodge, with 2,200 sq. ft. of space, or atop the men’s-start patio, an open-air space with 3,500 sq. ft. and killer views.
Be sure to show your group the area surrounding Park City. For an off-site outing about 40 minutes east of the city, head to Rendezvous Ranch, where clydesdales clop along the Weber River pulling bundled groups of 18 in a sleigh (or wagon in the warm seasons). The staff will assist with dinner in the 8,000-square-foot barn, with more space in the 90-seat hay loft if you need it. You pick the caterer; they do the rest.
Or if you really want to challenge your group, consider Wasatch Adventure Consultants, which partners with properties like Rendezvous Ranch to provide a memorable team-building experience. How well can your attendees use a compass and a map? If they had all the materials to build a tipi, could they do it without instructions? Test their skills. Or, those looking for a cardio challenge might choose a Mountain Adventure Race involving hiking, rappelling and ziplining through the woods of Utah. Just think of all the stories that will circulate weeks after you’ve returned to the office.
Dinner and Drinks
With the amazing backdrop of the Wasatch Mountains, it’s only natural that groups who meet here get outdoors. Hiking, fly fishing and biking are big in the summer, but if you don’t have a lot of extra time, enjoy a meal or two outside. Park City has more than 100 restaurants and bars, about one-third of them offering al fresco dining.
The Riverhorse on Main has a private deck overlooking Main Street and two ski runs at Park City Mountain. An entire buyout of the restaurant will make room for up to 300. Attendees craving fine Italian food will be satiated at family-owned and operated Café Terigo, where there’s seating for 48 beside flowering crabapple trees on the patio. Inside, two private dining rooms seat a total of 94. During the colder months, sip a hot toddy at Legends Bar and Grill or choose from 85 different martini concoctions at Kristauf’s Martini Bar on lower Main Street, where any given night could unfold with jazz, funk or soul music.
Getting There:
• Park City is about a 35-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport, served by 15 major airlines.
NEWS
Newpark Hotel opens December 2007 with 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a conference center with sweeping views of the Wasatch Mountains, the Swaner Nature Preserve and the Newpark Town Center. Also, it features a Newpark Ski Shuttle that will take guests to the resorts.
• The Silverado Lodge opened its doors last March in the village at Canyons Resort, offering 220 more rooms for Park City and 2,400 sq. ft. of additional meeting space.
• Opening this December, the 33-suite Sky Lodge, located on Main Street, will feature guest-exclusive access to the penthouse SkyClub Lounge.
• A St. Regis hotel is currently under construction at the Deer Valley Resort, which will have a 3,000-square-foot ballroom. Stay tuned for its opening in 2009.
