Deer Valley is not a new presence in Wasatch County. Already, some ski terrain and ski-in-ski-out homes are there, like the Deer Crest neighborhood on a slope above U.S. Highway 40 and the Jordanelle Reservoir.
Deer Valley announced last month it would expand into the terrain next door owned by the former Mayflower resort’s developer Extell, giving the resort a much larger presence inside county lines.
This week, Wasatch County staff and councilmembers will meet with staff for the Military Installation Development Authority, a state government agency also known as “MIDA.” MIDA, which oversees the development of some of Deer Valley’s new land, invited the county and the public to hear about plans for the future.
Wasatch County Manager Dustin Grabau said after the big change, it’s an opportunity for everyone to get on the same page.
“Especially with the announcement of the Deer Valley addition on that side of the mountain, I think it has kind of put everything into perspective, how quickly things are potentially going to change, and we just want to be ready for all those changes. So, this is hosted primarily by MIDA, and the intent is for them to get input on their strategic plan.”
The Utah Legislature formed MIDA in 2008 to spur development near Hill Air Force Base. It later expanded to include what used to be known as the Mayflower ski resort, where a hotel will offer discounts for active and former members of the military.
A governing board and review committees now oversee what happens in the 5,000-acre area it took control of when Gov. Gary Herbert singed it into law back in 2020.
Grabau said he expects to talk about potential upcoming issues and the specific ways the county co-governs with MIDA in that area.
“Wasatch County partners with MIDA on how we administer the tax increment and fees. We also partner on providing building inspection and going forward, that's going to be more things like, ‘How will it affect our solid waste pickup?’ Or, ‘Is MIDA interested in partnering with the county on road maintenance and snow plowing?’”
The meeting starts at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Hailstone Event Center at the Jordanelle State Park.
