Off the mountain, Park City’s hospitality industry is feeling the ripple effects – from cancelled hotel bookings to teary-eyed patrons in a local bar.
Park City Lodging president and founder Rhonda Sideris said some guests have checked out early. She’s also noticed an uptick in cancellation requests since the strike began Dec. 27.
All Seasons Resort Lodging president Matt Little hasn’t seen an increase in cancellations, but said future bookings are beginning to lag. Little attributes part of that to the strike, but variables like pricing and snow conditions could also play a role.
“We’ve seen people express hesitation about coming into the future, not knowing when the strike may resolve itself,” Little said.
John Kenworthy, owner of Flanagan’s on Main Street and a KPCW supporter, said business was strong during the holiday period, because many people chose to stay in Old Town instead of heading back up to the mountain.
“The business is actually good,” Kenworthy said. “But we as the face of retail and hospitality — weaving in everybody, the jewelers, the galleries, the restaurants, the bars — we really went overboard to try and help with the guest experience, because it overflowed into the streets, this madness that happened here over the past 10 days.”
He mentioned talking to some patrons who were frustrated to the point of tears.
In a statement Monday, Park City Mayor Nann Worel and the city council called on Park City Mountain owner Vail Resorts “to take immediate action” to end the strike, citing “confusion and disruption” around town.
Earlier Monday Park City Mountain COO Deirdra Walsh apologized for the lack of terrain openings. Walsh said “the union hurt their fellow employees, skiers and snowboarders, and their neighbors” by choosing to strike during the holidays.
The Park City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau did not respond to KPCW’s requests for comment in time for this report.
Ski Utah, the marketing arm for the state’s 15 ski resorts, declined to comment on the impacts of the strike.
Kenworthy said he doesn’t blame the strike for the viral images of long lift lines, but rather the mega-pass business model that now runs the ski industry.
Kenworthy was on the planning commission in 2022 when Park City Mountain applied to upgrade two lifts. He said commissioners pressed the resort about its maximum occupancy before making a decision. However, Vail Resorts didn’t budge citing the number as proprietary information.
“The occupancy is now a mystery, and what we know is that Vail sells as many of these passes as possible,” Kenworthy said. “The reality is, this was going to happen... and it’s going to continue to happen.”
The lift projects were eventually blocked after a legal battle with a group of locals claiming Park City Mountain was exceeding the maximum legal occupancy of the resort and its lifts.
The move came after the 2021-2022 winter when Park City Mountain was plagued by low snow totals and a lack of staffing while increasing Epic Pass sales by 47%.
Kenworthy, said he expects frequent visits from police, fire crews and city officials throughout the Sundance Film Festival to ensure the pub is operating within its occupancy limits.
“And yet we could allow Vail to open with 100% of the pass holders that have bought these tickets around America, in Salt Lake, in Park City, to occupy a venue that has 18% of the runs open,” Kenworthy said. “What genius didn’t see this coming?”
The Park City ski patrol strike appears to be over after the resort and union announced a tentative agreement late Tuesday.
Editor’s Note: Flanagan’s owner John Kenworthy is a financial supporter of KPCW.
